with their sharp Speares they encountred in such wise that their Speares brake to their hands so that the shiuers flew vp high into the ayre and into the Kings Stage and both their Horses fell to the earth and the Knights sore astonied with their falling Then verie boldly they reléeued themselues with their Swords in their handes and so approached each to other and fought each with other so long while that Huons Horse strangled sir Ameries Horse who when he saw his horse slaine stoutly stept to Huon for to haue slaine him but Huon met him valiantly and lifting vp his Sword gaue the Earle such a stroake that he was astonied therewith and staggred backe more then two paces and a halfe hardly holding himselfe from falling to the earth so that all that sawâ— them had maruaile of Huons vertue force séeing the great strength that was in sir Amerie Then when Earle Amerie felt himselfe in such perill he began to despise the name of God and of the glorious Virgin Marie howbeit as well as hée might hée approached to Huon and with his Sword gaue Huon such a stroake on the helmet that all the flowers and precious stones there flew abroad in the féeld and the cirkle of the helmet all to broken and the stroake was so puissant that Huon was therewith sore astonied and perforce was faine to fall on one of his knées to the earth the other Legge but weakly supporting him There was present in the féeld Lords and Knights one of the Abbot of Clunyes seruants who when he saw the great stroake that Huon had receiued he departed out of the féeld and went into the church whereas he found his maister the Abbot at his prayers for the good spéed of Huon his Nephew to whome the seruant said Ah my Lord pray heartily to our Lord Iesus Christ to succour your Nephew for I saw him faine to knéele vpon one of his knées in great doubt of death Then the good Abbot without any answeare lifted vp his hands toward Heauen deuoutly and weeping prayed to God to ayd and defend the honour of his Nephew and to maintaine his right Thus Huon béeing in the féeld in great doubt of his life féeling the sturdie strength of Earle Amerie called with a good heart to our Lord Iesus Christ requiring him to aide his right the which he knew to be most true When Earle Amerie sawe that Huon had receiued of him such a heauy stroake he said Huon I beléeue thou wilt not endure long better it were that thou confesse the déede before I slay thée for ere it bée night I shall cause thée to waue in the wind Hold thy tonge thou false Traytour quoth Huon thine ilnesse shall not aid thée for I shall bring thée to that point that all thy fréends shall haue shame of thée Then Huon aduaunced him and made semblance to haue striken Amerie on the helmet and Amerie lifted vp his Shéeld to haue receiued the stroake but when Huon saw that he turned his stroake to a reuerse and stroake Amerie vnder the arme with his sharpe Sword so that he stroake off his arme the which fell downe in the féeld Shéeld and all When Earle Amerie sawe felt that maruailous stroake and that he had lost his left arme and saw it lye in the féeld hee was full of paine and sorrow and aduised himselfe of a great treason then he spake to Huon and saide Ah Noble Knight haue pitie of me for wrongfully and without cause I haue appeached thée of the death of Charlot the kings Son for I know in troth you knew him not but he is dead by my meanes for I brought him into the wood to haue murdered you and your Brother I am readie to acknowledg this before the King and all his Barons and to discharge you thereof therefore I pray you kill me not I yéeld me vnto you take heere my Sword Then Huon came vnto him and put downe his arme to haue taken the Sword but then the false Traytour Amerie with a reuerse stroake strooke Huon vpon the arme thinking to haue striken it off but he fayled howbeit he gaue him a great wound in the arme so that the bloud ran downe When Huon saw this horrible treason he said O thou vntrue and false Traytour thine â—â—esse can no longer saue thée for thou shalt nâ—uer doe treason more then Huon lifted vp his Sword gaue the Earle such a maruailous stroke betwéen the healme and the shoulder that he strooke off his head cleane from the bodie so that the healme and head fel one way and the body another way Alas what hap was it to Huon that he did not remember before he slew Amerie the Proclamation that the Emperor had made before for afterward Huon suffered so muche wrong and iniurie as might mooue the verie hardest heart to compassionate his case and as you shall more at large vnderstand in the following discourse Chap. XVI ¶ How after the Emperour Charlemaine had seene Earle Amerie was slaine he commaunded expresly that Huon should auoid the Realme and Empire and to be banished thence for euer WHen that Duke Naymes who kept the féeld saw how by Huon the Earle was slaine he was right ioyfull and came to Huon and demaunded how hée did Sir quoth he thanked be God I féele no dolour nor gréefe then they brought him to the Pallaice to the King who was departed out of the féeld When he saw the Earle slaine and was thereof right sorrowfull then he demanded of Huon and of Duke Naymes if they had heard Earle Amerie confesse the treason that hée had layde to Huon for the death of Charlot his Sonne My Lord quoth the Duke I thinke he did confesse it but I heard it not for Huon pressed so sore vpon him that he had no leasure to doe it Then Charlemaine sayd Ah Earle Amerie I know certainely thou didst neuer that treason nor neuer thought it wherefore thou art slaine wrongfully and without cause for there was neuer a truer Knight theÌ„ thou wert I am sure if thou hadst done it thou wouldest haue confessed it before me Then the King sayd vnto Huon I charg thée incontinent to auoid my Realme out of the which I banish thée foreuer nor shalt thou euer enioy one foote of Land in Bourdeaux nor in Aquitaine also I forbid thée that thou neuer be so hardy as to go to Bourdeaux for by my honour and crowne if I may know that thou goest thether I shall make thée to die an euill death nor there is no man liuing though he be neuer so néere a fréend vnto me but if he make any request for thée I shall neuer loue him nor he shall neuer after come in my sight Then Huon said Alas my Lord what iustice is this haue I done any more then knighthood bound me too haue not
whereof Huon hadde such sorrowe and greeâ—e at his heart that great pittie it was to sée him and saide Ah good Lord why was I euer borne into this world when I am so vnfortunate that I can haue no men to serue mée but at last they end their liues in my seruice miserably Ah my God why doest then suffer mée so longe to liue Then the Duchesse comforted him as much as shée could and said Ah Sir leaue your sorrowe and pray vnto our Lord God for his mercie and his grace and to haue pittie and compassion of vs that wée might arriue at some good Port. Thus the noble Duchesse Escleremond comforted Duke Huon her Husband howbeit shee was in as great feare and not without a cause and thus they floated vppon the Sea greatly bewailing the death of their men whome they sawe perish before their eyes Then Huon as farre off as he might sée he saw a Castle standing vppon a Rocke the which séemed darke and blacke and then hee lauded and praised our Lord God praying him humbly to bring them thether in sauegard Then the Sea was peaceable and the Tempest ceased and the winde fresh the which draue them in a short space vnto the Port vnder the Rocke and when they were neere to the land Huon and the Duchesse waded vnto the lande holding each other by the hand When they were vppon the drie land they kneeled downe and lifted vp their eyes vnto Heauen and made their deuoute prayers vnto our Lord Iesus Christ desiringe him to haue pitie and compassion of the Soules of their men that they sawe drowned and perished then they arose vp and saw a litle path way lying straight towardes the Castle and they entred into it and when they were néere vnto the Castle they sawe a great Riuer running round about it and sawe that the Castle was of maruailous great beautie thinkinge that they neuer sawe none such before the Towers were couered with glistering gould shining so bright as though the Sunne did shine thereon Also they sawe an auncient Church adioyning to the Castle with a goodly Steeple full of bels the which beganne to sound whereof Huon had great maruaile for he sawe neither man nor woman comming nor going and when hee had well regarded the Castle hee came vnto the gate and saw how that there were thrée bridges to passe before he could enter When Huon saw that hee sayd Ah good Lord in all my life I neuer sawe so faire a Castle hee that is Lord thereof séemeth to bee a great and a noble man for if there were within it but Fortie men to keepe it and garnished with victuals it would neuer be wonne for any man liuing So long Huon beheld this Castle that he had forgotten his sorrow the Castle pleased him so well and sayd vnto the Duchesse his Wife Madame I beléeue surely that this is the Castle of Momur appertaining vnto King Oberon wee may well thanke our Lord God that hee hath brought vs hether we shall sée him you knowe well that hée hath promised to giue mee his Realme and all his dignitie Sir quoth the Duchesse I haue heard say before this that Momur is a great and a noble Citie and full of people of all sorts wherefore you may well perceiue that this is not that Citie it may well bee that this Castle is his Madame quoth Huon the King hath that puissance that he may make Citie or Castle at his pleasure Sir quoth shee I beleeue it well Then Huon tooke his way to the gate and as hee went deuising with the Duchesse Escleremond his wife hee sawe before him foure Monkes in white apparell when they came vnto him they sayd Sir Duke of Bourdeaux of your comming we are right ioyfull for a more noble man came not heere of a long season God blesse you and the Duchesse your Wife Sirs quoth Huon God saue you I pray you to shew me what you be and who hath shewed you my name and who is Lord and Gouernor of this Castle Sir quoth one of the Monkes this Castle is ours and heere is no Gouernour but I and my Brethren wee make none answeare vnto any Lorde liuing therefore if it please you to enter wée shall make you as good feast and chéere as wée can if it please you to tarie Eight or fifteene dayes you shall bee welcome and when you depart wee shall giue you to carie with you meate and drinke sufficient to serue you and your Wife for Fifteene dayes and you shall haue neede thereof before you finde out Kinge Oberon Sirs quoth Duke Huon of your courtesie I most hartely thanke you Then Huon entred into the Castle with them and came into a great Hall well garnished and adorned with rich Pillers of white Marble vawted aboue and richly painted with goâ—ld and Azure and set full of rith precious stones the which cast a great light for by reason of the precious stones at midnight it was as bright as at noone dayes Huon and Escleremond thought that they neuer sawe so rich a thing Madame quoth Huon this place is delectable then they were brought into a rich Chamber whereas the Tables were set and garnished with euerie thinge that a man coulde wish for Then there came in many Seruants some brought in the Basons of gould adorned with precious stones and some brought in the Towell and water and they gaue the water vnto Huon and Escleremond to wash their handes then they satte downe at the Table and did eate and drinke at their pleasure for they had their meat and drinke at their wish When they hadde eaten at their pleasure and the cloathes taken vp then there were Spices brought and Huon did eate thereof but Escleremond would not so much as taft thereof then they were brought into a Garden to sport them and when they were there they thought that they had been in Paradice for the sweetnesse of flowers and fruites vppon euerie Trée and they heard diuers kind of birdes sing melodiously Sirs quoth Huon vnto the the Monkes well you ought to thanke our Lord Iesus Christ that he hath giuen you such a place to serue him in and Sirs I pray you when it is midnight awake me to the entent that I may ryse to go and heare your Seruice when you doe it Sir quoth one of them I shall awake you when the time is that you may come and héere vs. Sir quoth Huon therein shall you doe me great pleasure Then Duke Huon and the Duches Escleremond were brought into a rich Chamber well fournished with cloathes of gold and silke wherein was a rich and sumptuous bedde wherein Huon and the Duchesse his Wife lay together the Chamber was faire and rich for all the night it was as cleare as though the Chamber had been full of Torches by reason of the shining of the precious stones for there was no bench nor Post but that were set full of riche stones the
of the Battaile then the feeld was ordained for the King hadde sworne that his Sonne should not be buried vntill he that were vanquished were hanged if he were not slaine in the feeld Then he commanded Duke Naymes to be ready with an hundred Knights to kéepe the féeld and to sée that no treason should be done for he said he had rather loose the best Citie of his Realme My Lord quoth Duke Naymes by the grace of God the matter shal be so ordered for the suertie of both parties that none shall haue wrong the which thing was done so diligently that euerie thing was ready so both parties were brought into the Church of our Ladie in Paris accompanied with their fréends as such a case requireth with Amerie was his next fréends all issued of the genealogie of Ganelon and when they both had heard Masse each tooke a draught of wine and then they were richly armed mounted vpon good Horses and so tooke the way to the féeld the Stages were filled and the King and his Barons there present abiding for the two Champions who came one after another through the Stréets First came Earle Amerie and he road vntil he came into the féeld and then he alighted and saluted the King and all his Barons Then Huon came anone after accompanied with a goodly sort there were leaning in the windowes Ladies and Damsels a great number all who prayed our Lord Iesus Christ to ayd and defend Huon from the Traytour Amerie The people complained and thought it vnpossible that Huon should resist against Earle Amerie bycause Huon was so faire and young but of the age of foure and twentie yeares But as he was faire so was he well made of bodie no Knight more gallant and séemely nor none more repleat with vertue therefore hée was much bemoned both of men and women that sawe him passe by And because Earle Amerie was a big boned man a valiant and an expert Knight in armes none stronger in all the Kinges Court he was inward with the King wel-beloued euerie one greatly pityed that he was such a traytour for a worse could not be found in any Realme hée had great trust in his owne strength and little regarded Huon of Bourdeaux thinking hee should not long endure against him But there is a common prouerbe which hath beguiled many a man it is sayd that a small rayne abateth a great wind for if our Lord Iesus Christ will saue Huon the force and puissance of Earle Amerie shal doe Huon but little hurt for the right excellent partes and great courage that was in Huon defended him as you shall heare hereafter Chap. XIIII ¶ How the two Champions made their oathes vppon the reliques that their saying was true and what the King said THus Huon road vntill hee came into the féelde where he saluted the King all the Barons right humbly then he approached to the relikes and there made his solempne oathe in the presence of Duke Naymes of Bauier who was kéeper of the féeld affirming that when he slew Charlot he knew him not to be the Kings Sonne and that as he was true Knight and loyall liegeman to the Emperour whatsoeuer Earle Amerie had sayd was false and vntrue and that he lyed like a false Traytor and so kissed the Reliques When Huon had thus taken his oath Earle Amerie stept foorth all afraid and swoore that Huons oath was false and that surely he knew it was Charlot when he slewe him bycause he claymed his Hauke the which Huon had taken vp and that he would cause him to confesse ere it were night When he had sworne he thought to haue returned to his Horse but stumbled so that he had néere hand fallen to the earth All that sawe it tooke it for an ill sinne and iudged in their minds that the matter was likely to goe euill against Earle Amerie When both these Champions had taken their oathes and that Duke Naymes had caused the féeld to be auoided hauing set the Kéepers of the féeld in due order as appertained thereto then the twoo Champions leapt vpon their Horses their Speares in their hands their shéelds about their necks theÌ„ a cry was made that none should be so hardie to mooue or to make any token vnto any of the partes vpon paine of death After this crie made the noble Emperor Charlemaine being full of yre and displeasure caused againe to be proclaimed that if it fortuned that the vanquisher should slay his enimie in the féelde before he confesse the treason for the death of his Sonne that then the vanquisher should loose all his Lands and himselfe to bée banished out of the Realme of Fraunce and out of the Empire of Roome foreuer After proclamation was ended Duke Naymes and the other Barons Péeres came to the King and saide Alas my Lord what will you doe this that you haue proclaymed is against all the Statutes of the noble Realme of Fraunce and Empire of Roome for often times it happeneth that one of the Champions is slaine and haue no power to speake shall therefore the conquerour bée so much iniuried for the great renowne which so long time hath béen spread abroad of you let it not now be wronged blemished let it not be sayd that you who haue liued in so great dignity all the daies of your life that now in your latter dayes you should become weaker then a Childe of the which words the King tooke small regard Chap. XV. ¶ How Huon of Bourdeaux and the Earle Amerie fought together before Kinge Charlemaine and how the Traytour Amerie was slain by the noble prowesse and chiualrie of Huon WHen King Charlemaine had heard Duke Naymes hee swoore by Saint Denis of Fraunce and by his crowne and beard that it should be as he had said nor otherwise he would not doe it Then the noble Barons were sorrie and sore displeased and they departed from the King and said that by all likelyhood from thence forward Right should haue no place in his Court. Many noble Princes and Barons murmoured sore at the Proclamation that was made the two Champions drew apart and each of them fiercely regarded other Then Earle Amerie spake aloud and said thou Huon of Bourdeaux false trayterous Knight this day I shall cause thée to confesse thy falsenesse howbeit I haue great pitie of thée in regard of thy youth if therefore thou wilt confesse this murder that thou hast done I shall desire King Charlemaine to haue compassion vpon thée When Huon heard the Traytour so speake for anger he blushed red and sayd Ah thou false and most disloyall Knight thy venomous words so full of bitternesse doe nothing at all abash me for that good right that I am in shall ayd me by the helpe of our Lord Iesus Christ and I shall so punish thy trespasse that this day I shall make thée to confesse thy falsenesse haue thereof no doubt Therewith â—ouched their Speares and gaue such carrier to their horses that it séemed the thunder had fallen from heauen and
you liue you shall meddle no more with that matter but by the beard that I beare on my chinne I shal neuer dine nor eate meat after this dinner til I sée him hanged and drawne for all your bearing of him against me Then he commanded the tables to be set vp and when Gerard vnderstood the king he was ioyfull thereof in his hart but he made no semblance of ioy because of the Lords that were there present When Huon and Escleremond had heard how the King had sworne the death of Huon the dolorous weepings and teares that they made were so extreame that hard it were to declare it and Escleremond sayd to Huon Ah Sir now I see well that great pitie it shall be the departing of vs two but if I had a knife I would not abide your death but first I shoulde slay my selfe before this false and vntrue king Her complaints were so pitifull that most part of the Lords wept for pitie and the old Gerames sorely wept and sayd Ah good Lord God in what howre was I borne in great dolour and paine haue I continued my youth and now in mine age thus shamefully to die Thus all three made such sorrow that it would haue made a hard heart to lament All three thought no otherwise but to die because they had heard King Charlemaine make such promise but that which God will saue no man can let and god saue the good king Oberon for king Charlemaine shal be forsworne as ye shal heare hereafter Now let vs leaue speaking of this pitious companie and speake of the noble king Oberon of the Fayrie who as then was in his wood Chap. LXXIIII ¶ How king Oberon came to succour Huon and made Gerard to confesse all the treason that he had purchased against Huon his brother YE haue heard before how King Oberon was displeased with Huon bicause he had broken his commandement But when Huon had béen at Rome and confessed all his sinnes and was assoiled of the Pope then King Oberon was content and in his heart forgaue all the ill will that he had to Huon and as he sat at dyner he began to wéepe When his Seruants saw that they had great maruaile and sayd vnto him Sir we desire you to shew vs why you doe weepe and be so troubled there is some displeasure done vnto you therefore for the loue of our Lord Iesus Christ wee desire you hide it not from vs. Sirs quoth the Kinge I remember nowe the vnhappie Huon of Bourdeaux who is returned from the farre parts and he hath passed by Rome and there hath taken his Wife in mariage and is confessed of all his sinnes for the which sinnes he hath béen by me sore punished But it is time if euer I will doe him any good now to ayd him and to succour him against King Charlemaine for he hath sworne neuer to goe to bed vntill he haue hanged drawne the poore Huon but by the grace of our Lord God Charlemaine shall bée forsworne for at this time I shall succour and ayd him for he is as now in such a danger that without he be succoured incontinent death is néere him he was neuer in his life in such perill He is now in the Pallaice at Bourdeaux his Wife the fayre Escrelemond and the old Gerames with fetters on their feete being in great sorrow and king Charlemaine is set at dinner and hath made his oath to hang Huon but yet whether hee will or not he shall be periured for I will goe to my Fréend Huon and helpe him at his neede therefore I wish my Table and all that is thereon neere to King Charlemaines Table and somewhat aboue his about two foot hyer also I will bicause I haue heard say that often times of a little Castle commeth a greater therefore I will that on my table be set my Cup my Horne and my Armour the which Huon conquered of the Gyant Angolaffer and also I wish with me a C.M. men of armes such as I was woont to haue in battaile He had no sooner said the words but by the will of god and the puissance of the Fayrie his table and all that king Oberon had wished was set iust by king Charlemaines table more higher and greater then his was When king Charlemaine saw the table and the Cuppe Horne and coate of maile he had great maruaile and said to Duke Naymes Sir Duke I beléeue you haue enchaunted mée Sir quoth the Duke neuer in my life I meâ—leâ— with any such matter the Lords such as were there were greatly abashed howe that matter came to passe Gerames who sat néere to Huon when he saw the Table the Cup and horne of Iuorie the Armour thereon he knew them well and said to Huon Sir be not dismayed for on yonder Table that you may sée is your Cup horne of Iuorie and coat of maile whereby I perceiue that you shall bée succoured by King Oberon Huon beheld the Table had great ioy when he saw it then he lifted vp his hands to heauen and thanked our Lord God that hée would visit such a poore sinner as hee was saying Ah Kinge Oberon in many great needs haue you succoured me Therewith arriued King Oberon in the Citie whereof the Burgesses the Commons were greatly abashed when they saw such a number of men of war enter into their citie without any knowledge before When king Oberon was within the Towne all his company he said to his Lords Sirs looke that you set good watch at euery gate so that no man go out the which they did diligently for at euerie gate they set x. M. men Then King Oberon tooke the way to the Pallaice and at the gate he left x. M. men commanding them vpon payn of their liues that they should not suffer any man to passe out and also he commanded that if they heard him blow his Horne of Iuorie that incontinent they should come into the Pallaice to him slay all such as they should find there Then king Oberon went vp into the Pallaice and many of his Lords with him he was richly apprrelled in cloath of gold and the border thereof was sette with rich precious stones goodly it was to behold for a fayrer little person could not be found hee passed iust by King Charlemaine without speaking of any word and went so néere to him that he shouldred him so rudely that his bonnet fell from his head Ah good Lord quoth Charlemaine I haue great maruaile what this dwarfe may be that so rudly hath shouldred me and almost ouerthrowne my table he is fierce when hee thinkes scorne to speake to me howbeit I will see what hee will doe I cannot tell what hee thinketh to doe but me seemeth hee is right ioyfull and also he is the fayrest creature that euer I saw When Oberon had passed by the King he came to Huon and wished the fetters from all their féete and
time as theyr good fortune was the Gulfe was full and plaine so that a shippe might passe ouer it without daunger as well as in another place of the sea and when the Patron sawe that hee sayd to Huon Sir wee ought greatly to thanke our Lord God for wee are now come at such a time that the Gulfe is full and plaine so that wee may passe ouer surely without any danger When Huon heard that hee was right ioyfull and all weeping he kneeled downe and so did all the companie and deâ—outly they thanked our Lord God that hee had sent them that good grace Then Huon rose vp and sawe beside him a great peece of Canuasse and the waues of the sea beating against it with great violence whereof he had great maruaile For the waues of the sea beaâ—e so sore against the cloath and with so great violence that they reculed backe and for all the beating of the sea against the canuasse yet it brake not Then Huon hearde a voyce crying an hie and pittifully complayning saying O verie God in an ill howre I was borne when I sold the puissant God who did mee that fauour as to take me as one of his disciples and Apostles and for the goodnesse that hee did mee I rendered him an euill reward for the diuell the enemie of all humane linage entred into my body the which was full of sinne and exhorted me to sell my God good Lord for thirtie pence of money that was then currant in the country of Iude and vnhappie that I was if I had trusted in his great mercy all the trespasse that I had doone had beene forgiuen mee But pride and misbeleefe and false hope that was in mee with the â—iuell who blinded mine vnderstanding and would not suffer me to haue any hope of grace or pardon for my trespasse for of my sinne I neuer had repentance And the Diuell doubting to haue lost mee put mee into despiration whereby I loste the grace of God for if I would haue asked mercie of my Lord God hee would haue pardoned mee of all the trespasse that I had committed against him Alas poore Caytiffe that I am from hence shall I neuer depart but alwaies to remaine in this torment and paine When the Maister of the Shippe heard this voyce hee demaunded of him and sayde What art thou that thus pityously complaineth I commaund thee to shewe mee and whether there bee any man liuing in this world that can ayde and succour thâ—e and cast thee out of the torment and paine that thou art in When the voyce heard him hee spake no more woordes nor made no answeare at all then Huon aduaunced himselfe to the board of the Shippe beeing desirous to know what thing it was that made that pitifull complaint and saide Thou that so sore doest complaine and mourne I coniure thee in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ and by all his power and by the blessed Virgin Saint Marie his Mother and by all the Saints and holy Angels and Archangels that are in the Realme of Paradice and by all that euer God hath made and created in Heauen and in earth that thou aunsweare and shewe mee what man thou art and who hath put thee heere in this miserie and wherefore thou art heere and whether thou maist come to vs or not and what is thy name and why that this Canuasse is heere set wherefore it serueth and also shew me if euer thou shalt depart from hence or not When this voyce had heard Huon coniure him in such wise it aunswered him shortly and sayd O thou mortall man that hast coniured mee so sore and also hast desired for to knowe my name I shall shewe vnto thee for certaintie that my name is Iudas and I am the selfe same man that sould our Lord Iesus Christ to the Iewes for thirtie pence then being currant money in the countrey of Iude and deliuered into their hands my right deere Lorde and Maister who so much honoured me as to account me as one of his Apostles and by a false and a fained loue I kissed him on the mouth for to 〈…〉 which was he And after I saw him beaten 〈…〉 as yee may read in the holy 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 who therein haue made 〈…〉 passion 〈…〉 I had betrayed my 〈…〉 〈…〉 my 〈…〉 sore displease◠〈…〉 crie 〈…〉 I did commit 〈◊〉 â—olly for he was so 〈…〉 that if I had cried him mercie hee 〈…〉 But the Diuell 〈◊〉 is enemie to 〈…〉 would not suffer me to do it for I went 〈…〉 and hanged my selfe on a tree and when I was 〈…〉 in the place whereas yee sée 〈…〉 I shall remaine 〈…〉 paine 〈…〉 from hence for now it is too late to 〈…〉 grace for iudgement is giuen vpon me 〈…〉 suffer this torment and paine continually 〈…〉 and â—euers of the world doe assemble together 〈◊〉 euen heere as I am in this Gulfe where I am sore 〈◊〉 and greatly tormented by the great 〈◊〉 and course 〈…〉 I am tormented and cannot by 〈…〉 shall come out of this great torment nor 〈◊〉 〈…〉 that yee demaunde whereto it serueth and 〈…〉 knowe for a troth that on a day I 〈…〉 of God nor I 〈◊〉 gaue after any thing 〈…〉 as long as I liued and therefore when I was 〈…〉 God would that the good deede that I 〈…〉 this 〈◊〉 for his sake should not bee 〈…〉 our Lorde God would that this 〈…〉 right side to the intent for to 〈…〉 and from the great waues of the sea 〈…〉 against mee as you haue 〈…〉 against this Câ—â—â—as I had no grace for 〈…〉 God for my trespasse the deuill was 〈…〉 wherefore let euerie man take example by 〈…〉 he hath space and thus I haue shewed 〈…〉 quoâ—h Huon I beléeue if thou wilt yet cry 〈…〉 he will haue mercie and pitie on thee Nay nay quoth Iudas to pray now cannot auayle me for I am damned for euer and if yee will beleeue mee beware and tarrie not here too long for if ye doe ye shall neuer depart hence for the Gâ—lfe which is now full and plaine it will not continue long but that the sea will issue out and al the riuers within it yee were happie that yee came at the howre that you did for anon the waters will issue out with such aboundance that the waues that will rise shall seeme like high mountaines It is more then two hundred yeeres since there passed any ship this way but that men ship and all were swallowed into the Gulfe wherefore Huon I counsayle thee that incâ—ntinently thou depart hence without thou wilt bee lost foreuer it is time that thou depaâ—t hence whilst the Gulfe is full for it will not long rest but that the waters will issue out with such a brute and noyse that if ye be fiâ—teene leagues off ye shall well heare the torment that it will make If ye had come but halfe an houre sooner then yee did ye had neuer escaped the great
the voyce of their Mother Father they had none for he was slaine but a little before by a Kinge of Persia with his Archers because the Griffen had slaine the Kings Horse for meat for his young ones Thus when they heard the crie of theyr Mother they arose vp into the ayre they were fiue in number they came all at once with open winges vppon Huon and when he saw all fiue comming vppon him he had great feare he strake the first vpon the necke in such sort that hee strake off the head cleane from the bodie then the second seazed Huon by the maile that if hée had not striken off her Legge hee hadde borne him vp into the ayre but Huon gaue him such a stroake that the Legge hanged still at the lappe of the maile and hee tooke it off with his hand and cast it to the earth and with another stroake hee slew that Griffen and then came the third and gaue Huon such a buffet with his winges that it made Huon to kneele downe vpon one of his knées Then Huon strake that Griffen such a stroake on the wing that it fell cleane from the bodie And the fourth hée strake off his Legges and with another stroake strake off his head and then also he slew the other with the one winge Then came the fifth Griffen who was bigger then any of the other Griffens and then Huon strake at him and the Griffen reared vp his féete and spreade abroade his winges and gaue Huon such a recounter that the noble Knight was striken to the earth When Huon felt himselfe hurt and lay vppon the earth hee called vppon God for ayd and succour for hee thought that he should neuer haue risen more and wished himselfe at that time that hee had taried still in the Castle of the Adamant with his companie who for sorrowe that they had when Huon went into the shippe they durst not abide the comming of the Griffen but went and did hide themselues in the Castle and Huon who was sore wounded with this fifth Griffen rose vp as well as he might and came to the Griffen who was ready to destroy him with his beake and nailes Thus Huon like a vertuous and a hardy Knight tooke courage and lifted vp his Swoord with both his handes and strake the Griffen such a stroake vpon the heade that hee claue it to the braynes so that the Griffen fell downe dead to the earth Chap. CX ¶ How Huon fought with the great Griffen and slew her WHen Huon sawe that hee had slaine the fiue young Griffens hee thanked our Lord God for the grace that hee had sent him as to ouercome such fiue terrible Foules then he sat downe to rest him and layd his Sword by him thinking that they had beene all slaine but it was not long but that the great Griffen who had brought him from the Castle of the Adamant came vppon him with thrée feete and beating with his winges and when shee sawe her young ones slaine she cast out a great crie so that all the Valley rang thereof When Huon sawe her comming he was in great feare for hee was sore wearie with trauaile and losse of bloud that it was paine to sustaine himselfe howbeit hee sawe well that it was great neede to defend himselfe and then hee came to the Griffen to haue striken her but hee could not the Griffen was so neere him beating with her winges so fiercely that Huon fell to the earth and his Sword fell out of his handes whereof he had great feare for he thought himselfe neuer so neere death in all his life as hee was then he called then right pitiously for ayd and succour of our Lord Iesus Christ and the Griffen did â—eat him maruailously with her beake winges and tallants but the noble coats of maile that he had on were so strong that the Griffen could not breake them but if the Griffen hadde not lost before one of her Legges and lost so much bloud as she had done Huon could neuer haue escaped without death the Griffen so sore defoyled and beat him that hee could not in no wise arise vp againe Then Huon remembred himselfe howe that hee had by his side a rich knife the which he brought with him from the Castle of the Adamant he drew it out and therewith strake the Griffen vppon the breast sixe great stroakes euerie stroake as déepe as the knife would goe and as his fortune was this knife was of length two foote and therewith the Griffen fell downe dead Then Huon arose and put off his helmet lifted vp his hands vnto Heauen and thanked our Lord God of his victorie and he was so sore trauailed and charged with bloud and sweat that hee put off his helmet and beheld round about him and could see nothing to trouble him When hee had taried there a certaine time hee arose vp and looked downe the Rocke and hee saw a Fountaine in a faire meadowe then he went down and came thether and he sawe the Fountaine so faire cleare that he had great maruaile thereof he sawe the workemanship thereof rich all of white Iasper wrought richly with flowers of fine gould and Azure and when hee sawe the water so faire he had great desire to drinke thereof then hee did off one of his double armours to be the more lighter and so approached vnto the Fountaine and sawe the grauell in the bottome all of precious stones and then hee put off his helmet and dranke of the water his fill and he had no sooner droonke thereof but incontinent hee was hole of all his wounds and as fresh and lustie as hee was when hee came from the Castle of the Adamant whereof hee most humbly thanked our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ This Fountaine was called the Fountaine of youth the which was of such vertue that whatsoeuer sicknesse a man or woman had if they bathed them in the streame of that Fountaine they should be hole of all infirmities Then Huon vnarmed himselfe and put off all his cloathes and bathed himselfe in the streame to wash away the bloud and sweat that his bodie was coloured withall and when hee was cleane washed he armed himselfe againe with one of his armours and left off the other By this Fountaine there grew an Apple Trée charged with leaues and fruite the fairest that might bee founde When Huon saw the Trée charged with so faire fruit he arose vppon his feete and approached vnto the Trée and tooke thereof a faire Apple and a great and did eat thereof his fill for the Apple was great he thought that hee did neuer eate before of such a fruit Ah good Lord quoth he I ought greatly to laud and praise thée séeing thou hast thus replenished mee this day with such a Fountaine and such fruit Then hée looked vppon his right hande and sawe a great Orchard full of Trées bearing good fruit of diuers sorts that great beautie it
christened for Sir I am heere readie to doe it Then incontinent there was brought foorth Fortie great Vessels full of cleare water the Bishop did hallowe them and christened the Admirall and named him Huon because Huon was his Godfather Then afterward all the Lords and people were christened and receiued the Lawe of our Sauiour and Redéemer Iesus Christ When they were all christened the Admirall with great triumph and ioy returned vnto his Pallaice leading Huon by the hand and great ioy and feasting was made that day in the Citie and especially of the Christian Marchants that were there among the which there were about fiftéene Priests and they all aided the Bishoppe to christen the people the number could not be declared of the men women and children that receiued that day christendome The Admirall being in his Pallaice making great ioy and Feasting with the noble Duke Huon of Bourdeaux sayd vnto him Freend well you ought to render thankes to our Lord Iesus Christ séeing by you these two Realmes that is to say Persia and Media are reduced and brought vnto the Christian faith and Lawe and I will that you knowe that you may well say that in these two Realmes you may commaund any thing at your pleasure without finding any person to doe or say to the contrarie of your will and pleasure and to the entent that you shall surely beleeue what great loue and affection I beare vnto you I will that mine all onely Daughter you shall haue to your wife so that you be not bound vnto none other Sir knowe for troth the great desire that I haue to haue you tarie still heere with me mooueth mee thus to doe I haue none other heire but my Daughter whereby after my death you shall bee Lorde and heire of the Realmes and Dominions that I hold and in the meane season I will that the moitie of the reuenewes of these Realmes and Dominions shall bee yours for your companie pleaseth mée so entirely that I would neuer haue you to depart from hence Chap. CXVII ¶ Of the complaints that Huon made vnto the Admirall of Persia vppon the Emperour of Almaine and of the succours that the Admirall promised vnto Huon WHen Huon had well vnderstood the Admirall hee saide Sir knowe for troth that it is foure yéeres passed since I was maried vnto a noble Ladie who passeth in beautie all other that be aliue in these dayes and when I remember her all my bodie and heart trembleth for sorrow when I thinke of the trouble displeasure and pouertie that shee is in and therefore Sir I thanke you of the great honour and courtesie that of your bountie you offer mée I pray vnto God that hee may reward you Huon quoth the Admirall seeing it is so that you haue a Wife I hold you wel excused but I pray you to shew vnto me for what cause your Wife is in such case or what Christian Prince is so hardie as to trouble you or to doe you any displeasure Sir quoth Huon when I came out of my Countrey I left my Citie of Bourdeaux besieged by the Emperour of Almaine who hath taken my Citie and slaine my men and some hee keepeth in seruage and my Wife put in prison and there kept in great pouertie and miserie the which when I remember sorrowe and gréefe so sore gripeth my heart that all my members and ioynts tremble with displeasure Huon quoth the Admirall I pray you to leaue your sorrow and displeasure and cast it from you and take ioy and comfort for by the holy law that I haue receiued I shall so ayde and succour you that the Emperour who hath done vnto you so many displeasures I shall make him such warre that whether he will or not for the dammage and losse that you haue had and receiued I shall constraine him to make full restitution for I shall lead with me in your company such number of people that all the Valleys and Mountaines shall be couered with them Sir quoth Huon of the courtesie and succour that you offer me I humbly thanke you but if it please our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ who hath ayded mee out of many perils I hope that he will so aide mee that I shall not neede to make any warre to destroy the Christian bloud but Sir first I shall goe to the holy Sepulchre and then I will returne into my Countrey and doe what I can to get my Wife out of daunger and the paine that shee is in Sir the wife that I haue wedded was Daughter to the Admirall Gaudise who held as then Babilon and all the Realme of Egipt Then Huon shewed him all the matter how he came by the faire Escleremond whereof the Admirall was sore abashed for the great maruailes that hee hadde heard Huon declare and so were all other that heard it and said one to another that without Huon had beene well beloued of our Lord Iesus Christ hée could neuer haue escaped the death with one of the least aduentures that he had shewed vnto the Admirall Sir quoth Huon the Emperour of Almaine hath taken my Citie and my Wife and destroyed my men and hath taken into his handes all my Lands and Signiories but by the grace of God I shal doe so much to get them againe and if I cannot attaine thereto then I shall returne againe vnto you to haue your succour and ayd Huon quoth the Admirall put all melancholy from you for if you giue mee knowledge that you cannot haue your wil of this Emperour I shall bring you people innumerable that all Christendome shall tremble for feare of you and shall render vnto you your wife and al your Lands and Signiories and your men that bee in prison or in seruage and I shall put the Emperour into your hands to doe with him your pleasure or else I shal not leaue in all his Land neither Citie nor towne standing vppon the earth Sir quoth Huon of this I thanke you heartily but Sir I must woorke another way first for when I escaped from the Gulfe of Persia I promised vnto God that before I went into mine owne Countrey to goe and visite the holy Sepulchre in Ierusalem and to make warre vppon the Sarazins before I made any warre vppon any Christian men but Sir if I may get of the Emperour by faire speach my Landes and my wife I shall serue him with all my heart for as long as I liue I shall make no warre against any christian man if I may haue right and reason shewed vnto mee Sir quoth the Admirall of this that you say I giue you good thankes but by the grace of God I shall goe with you the Voyage to the holy Sepulchre and take with mee fiftie Thousand men to make warre against the Paynims and Sarazins such as beleeue not in God and I shall put to my paine with all my power to exalt and encrease the lawe of our Lord Iesus Christ Sir quoth Huon you haue sayde nobly if you thus doe great grace and glorie perpetuall you shall deserue whereby you shal be crowned aboue in the Emperiall Heauen Nowe
escape from hence Cain quoth Huon haue no doubt and that I promise thée to kéepe my faith so thou wilt shew mee the manner howe I may depart out of this Desert I shall deliuer thée out of thy torment Then Cain said thou shalt goe by this little path that thou séest héere by vppon thy right hand the which shall bring thée straight to the Sea-side the which is not farre from hence and then goe downe the Mountaine whereas thou shalt find a shippe and therein but one man but before thou doest enter into the shippe blesse thrée times for hée that thou shalt finde there is a Féende of Hell and shewe vnto him howe thou art Cain escaped out of the rowling Tun and bid him to passe thée ouer and say that thou wilt goe and slay all the Christian men that bee in the world and bring their soules into Hell and when hée heareth thée say thus hee wlil passe thée ouer in safetie for it is longe since that hee hath taried for mee because he thinketh that I should escape out of this Tun but thou must take with thée this mall of yron vpon thy necke to the entent that hee shall the better beleeue thee and surely he will then passe thee ouer Cain quoth Huon I pray thee is this of troth that thou hast sayd Fréend quoth Cain I lye neuer a word Now I pray thée seeing I haue shewed thée the manner how thou mayest escape take this Mall of yron and breake asunder this Tunne that I am in that I may be deliuered out of this paine and torment Cain quoth Huon I pray thee to shew mee who is hee that did put thée into this Tun and what is his name Sir quoth Cain know for troth that God of Heauen set me héere because I had displeased him for slaying of my Brother Abell wherefore I haue suffered so much paine and sorow that more I cannot endure and therefore yet againe I pray thee to deliuer mee from hence Cain quoth Huon God forbid that I should deliuer thee séeing our Lord God hath set thee there Know for troth that thou shalt neuer depart from thence except it bee by his commaundement for there thou shalt bee euer for mee I had rather bee periured then to vndoe that thing which God will haue done to punish thee for the euils that thou hast done I knowe well as for the euill that I haue done as in breaking of my promise to thee God will lightly pardon mee for it abide thou there with thy cursed sinnes for sure by mee thou shalt haue none other ayd Chap. CXXI ¶ How Huon departed from Cain and passed the Sea in a Vessell guided by the Diuell who beleeued it had beene Cain and Huon arriued at a Citie called Colanders whereas he found the Admirall of Persia and Barnard his Cozen who had layde siege to the Citie WHen Cain had well vnderstood Huon he said Ah thou false Traytor by whom I am beguiled and mocked thou art not worthy to be beleeued in any thinge that thou sayest thou lyest worse then a Dogge Oh thou false periured Traitour thou hast ill kept thy promise thou art not worthy to bee beleeued Cain quoth Huon other good gettest thou none of mee for thou art not worthie to bee heard when thou hast staine thy deare Brother by false enuie and cursed treason whereof thou art full goe thy way false Traytour too much euill cannot bée done vnto thee bee content with the Tunne that thou art in thou néedest not feare of any refreshing nor of more furthering for mee well hast thou deserued it but within short time thou shalt haue worse paine and sorrow Ah Traytour quoth Cain and false lyer thou hast lost thy part of Paradice Thou lyest quoth Huon vnto thee ought to bee kept neither faith nor promise because thou hast slaine Abell thy Brother wherefore thou art now punished and well hast thou deserued it Ah thou false lier quoth Cain subtilly thou hast deceiued and mocked mee by thy false words and subtilties I see well that thou wilt goe from hence and leaue me still in this paine Certainly quoth Huon that which I promised thee was but to beguile thee for as by mee thou shalt not come out without hee commaund it that set thee heere Well Huon quoth Cain know for certaine that in all thy life thou wert neuer better counsailed for if thou haddest deliuered me out incontinent I would haue strangled thee Ah false Feend quoth Huon yet hast thou no repentaunce of thine euill that thou hast done I will goe my way and thou shalt abide heere still in great pain and torment foreuer therewith Huon departed and tooke the Mall vppon his necke and entred into the little way that Cain had shewed vnto him Now we will leaue speaking of Huon and speake of the Admirall of Persia and of his Armie vppon the Sea Vppon the second day the Tempest ceased and the Sea waxed calme and faire then the shippes drew againe together as it pleased God and arriued at a noble Citie the which was as then in Armeâ—â—â— called Colanders a great and a faire Citie but after it was destroyed by the noble Duke Ogyer the Danoyse he went into Iâ—â—ia The Admirall and his company greatly complayned for Huon whome they had so lost they thought neuer to sée him more and Barnard his Coozen made such sorrow that great pittie it was to see him the Admirall and all his Lords sore wept and pitifully complayned for Huon they thought neuer to see him agayne but hee that our Lord Iesus Christ will haue saued cannot perish for Huon the same time came downe the Mountaine to come vnto the Port whereas the Vessell lay and the Diuell within it When Huon sawe the Vessell and the Feend within it who was so hideous and horrible to behold that it was maruaile to see hee séemed well to bee the Diuell of Hell his head was as great as an Oxe head his eyes more â—edder then two burning coales his téeth great and long and as rough as a Beare hee cast fire and smoake out of his gorge like a Furnace it was no maruaile though Huon doubted him for when hee sawe him so foule hee had great feare and so lent himselfe to a Rocke the better to behold him and then hee blessed him with the signe of the Crosse recommending himselfe to the sauegard of our Lord God but it fortuned so the same time that the enemie sawe him not Ah good Lord quoth Huon I pray and require thee humbly to counsaile mee in what manner I should trust in this foule Féend who is fearfull so behold I maruaile how I might bee acquainted with him whether I might trust to be in the shippe with him certainly I haue great doubt that hee will cast me into the Sea or else slay mee on the other side of the Sea I wotte not what to doe for I must bee faine to trust him or else
the goodlyest person of the world and the most worthy and hardy that euer was guirt with a sword or road on horse he maketh no semblance to doe that thinge which I haue so sore desired then she drew néere to Ide and touched her and Ide who knew well what her desire was turned toward her and wold hide himselfe no longer from her but all wéeping cryed her mercie and shewed her from the beginning to the ending the manner of all her aduenture and how that she was a woman and was fledde away because her Father would haue married her himselfe And when Oliue vnderstood Ide shee was right sorrowfull howbeit shee comforted Ide and sayd My right swéete Louer discomfort not your selfe for you shall not be accused by me neither to no man nor woman liuing we are wedded together and I will be good and true to you since you haue kept your selfe so truely with you I will vse my time passe my destiny since it is thus for I sée well that it is the pleasure of our Lord God Thus as Oliue and Ide were deuising together of their secrets a Page being in a Chamber that ioyned close to their Chamber heard well all their secret words and communication what each of them had sayd to the other then he in all hast went to the Emperour and shewed him all that he had heard betwéene the two Louers When the Emperour heard that he was right sorrowful and sayd Fellow beware what thou sayest looke that thy report bee true for if I finde it contrarie thou shalt die an ill death Sir if it bee not as I haue sayde and that I de be not a woman whom you take for a man strike off my head Then the Emperour made him to bee taken and kept to the intent to prooue the troth for he thought that matter strange to beleeue then hee called to him the Lordes of his priuie Counsaile and he shewed them the matter whereof they had much maruaile seeing the great vertue and hye Prowesse that was in Ide and they greatly complained of the matter and were sorrowfull then the Emperour who was right pensiue sware and made promise that if hee found the matter in that case hee would cause both his Daughter and Ide to bee burnt because of hyding of that strange case and sayd If I de hadde discouered the matter to me betimes my Daughter should neuer haue married her and the matter now kept close from me I shall neuer haue ioye at my heart vntill I knowe the troth Then hee commaunded a bath to bee made readie in his owne Chamber wherein he would haue Ide to bée bathed to the entent that he might know the troth before she escaped away for he sayd that he would not suffer no such falshood to bee vsed the bathing was made readie and I de was sent for who knewe nothing of that matter then the Emperour said to her I de doe off your cloathes for you shall bath you with mée When Ide heard the Emperour she was sore abashed and sayd Sir I pray you to forbeare it for this time because I haue not béene accustomed to be bathed then the Emperour sayd I wil not forbeare it because I will sée you naked for if I finde that true which hath béene shewed me both you and my Daughter shall be burnt When Ide heard that she saw that she was betrayed and lost then shee knéeled downe before the Emperour and cryed him mercie and required him to haue pitie of her and the Emperour in great hast sent for his Lordes who were in the Hall talking together and were sorrowfull for Ide whom they loued entirely so they came to the Emperour and found I de before him on her knées sore weeping in such sort that for pity of her they wept all then the Emperour shewed them all the déede wherefore ye must needs sée iustice to bee done vpon Ide who then by the Peeres and Lords of Roome was iudged to be burnt Then it was commaunded the fire to bee made readie to burne her the which was done and I de before the Emperor abyding her iudgement with her handes ioyned lifted vp towards Heauen making pitifull prayers to our Lord God and to the holy Ghost praying them to haue pitie of her soule and to receiue it into the holy Paradice for shee sawe well that the end of her life was come Chap. CLXX ¶ How our Lord God made great Miracles for Ide for God made her to chaunge from the nature of a woman and to become a perfect man whereof the Emperor and his Daughter Oliue had great ioy and so Ide and Oliue lay together and ingendred a faire Sonne named after Croissant And of the death of the Emperour THe same houre that I de was in her prayers there appeared sodenly in the Chamber a great cléere light and therewith a maruailous swéet odour that it séemed all the Chamber to bee full of essence spices Aromaticke then presently after they heard an Angel-like voice sent from our Lord God and sayd Thou Emperour of Rome our Lord God commaundeth thée by mée that thou be not so hardy as to touch Ide to doe her any hurt for our Lord God hath giuen her the grace for the goodnes that is in her he doth consent and will by his diuine puissance that she be changed in nature and to become a perfect man as all other be without any difference also God commandeth that the Page whom thou hast in prison that thou settest him at libertie for the which he shewed thée was of troth this morning I de was a woman but now shée is a man Also God commaundeth thée to make thy selfe readie for thou shalt liue here in the world but Eight daies longer therefore from hence foorth let Ide and Oliue thy Daughter haue the gouerning of thy Empire who before this yéere bee passed shall haue betwéene them a Sonne who shall be named Croissant who shall doe maruailes when hee commeth to age many aduentures and pouerties hee shall suffer in his youth but afterward he shall haue ioy and wealth ynough and with those words the Angell vanished away and left the Emperour and his Lordes and all the people of Rome in great ioy for the euident Miracle that our Lord God had sent by the prayer of Ide who with Oliue his Wife had great ioy and thanked our Lord God Then the Feast and triumph beganne againe at Rome that day passed and the night came and Ide and Oliue went to bedde together and tooke their sport in such wise that the same night was gotten and ingendred the faire Croissant whereby the ioy doubled in the City of Rome and the next day Ide came to the Pallaice with other Lordes And the Emperour was in his Chamber making of his Testament for he had not forgotten the wordes of the Angell so he liued Eight daies longer and on the Ninth day hee dyed and hee was borne into
how is it with you and shew me of your aduentures Sir quoth Huon I haue endured many euils and troubles ynow and all these that are come with me but thanked be our Lord god it is so now that I haue brought with me the beard and great téeth of the Admirall Gaudise and haue also brought his Daughter who is heere present and Sir I require you to giue her Christēdome and then I will wed her to my wife Huon quoth the Pope all this pleaseth me right well to doe and the rather séeing it is your pleasure I desire you to tarrie héere with me this night Sir quoth Huon your pleasure shal be mine Thus Huon and his companie tarried with the Pope all that night whereas they made great ioy and on the nexts morning a Font was made readie wherein the faire Escleremond was christened without changing of her name and also there was christened Mouslet the Minstrell and he was called Garyn and when the Sacrament of Baptisme was finished the Pope himselfe said seruice first he confessed Huon and assoyled him of all his faultes then hee wedded him to Escleremond and when diuine seruice was ended then they went all with the Pope to his Pallaice and there was made the solempnities of the Mariage but to shew the maner of their seruice with the meates and drinkes and that apparell of the Brides it would be ouer-tedious to rehearse it But one thing I dare well saie that there had not béene séene of a long time before such a glorious and rich seast for the Pope did as much for them as though they had béen his owne Brother and Sister the melodie of the Minstrels that played was so swéet and delectable that euery man was satisfied with the hearing thereof and specially it was maruaile to heare Garyn the new christened Minstrell to play hee played so swéetlye on his vyoll that it was geat ioy to heare it Thus there was great ioy in the Popes Pallaice and euen as they were well serued at dinner so it was better at supper and at night euery man withdrew himselfe and the new Brydes lay together in great pleasure all that night in the morning they arose and heard seruice and then dined and then they trussed vp al their Baggage and charged their Somers Mules and Mullets and sadled their horses and then Huon and Escleremond went and tooke their leaue of the Pope and thanked him for the honour and great courtesie that he had shewed them Sir quoth the Pope if it would please you to tarrie longer heere with me my goodes and my house should be at your commaundment Sir quoth Huon I cannot render sufficient thankes to your Holines for the good that yée haue done to vs But Sir longer I cannot tarrie for the great desire that I haue to accomplish the rest of my businesse therefore Sir I recommend you to our Lord God The Pope kissed Huon and tooke Escleremond by the hand thus they tooke their leaue and at their departing the Pope sent to them a Somer charged with gold and cloathes of silke and thus they departed from Rome Chap. LXIII ¶ How Huon and his companie arriued at the Abby of Mauryse whereas hee was receiued by the Abbot and Couent with great reuerence AFter that Huon had taken leaue of the Pope he and his companie departed and the faire Escleremond was mounted on a faire mule and so long they rode till they might sée the town of Burdeux When Huon saw it he lift vp his hands to the heauens thanking God of his grace that he had brought him thether in sauegard and then he sayd to Escleremond Faire Ladie yonder you may sée the Citie and Countrey whereof ye shall be Lady and Duches though it hath béene ere this time a Realme Sir quoth Guyer the Prouost it is good ye regard wisely your businesse the which toucheth you right néere and Sir if you will doe after my counsell send first to an Abby that is here by called the Abby of Maurise the Abbot is a notable Clarke let him know of your comming and that ye wil dine with him Sir quoth Huon your counsell is to be beleeued and then Huon sent to the Abbot certifying him of his comming When the Abbot knew of Huons comming he was right ioyfull for he loued intierly Huon wherefore he sore desired the sight of him then hée called all his Couent and charged them in the vertue of obedience to make them selues readye to receiue Huon the rightfull Inheritour to the country of Bourdeaux though the kings of Fraunce be our founders But as to our good neighbour wée will doe this reuerence for honour is due to them that deserue it Then the Couent as they were commaunded ordered themselues and so went out of the Abby to méete Huon who when hée saw them hée alighted on foote and also Escleremond and Gerames and all the other thus the Abbot and his Couent in rich cluthes séeming mette with Huon when Huon was néere to the Abbot he was right ioyfull and the Abbot who anon knew Huon came to him right humbly and said Sir Duke of Bourdeux thanked be god that ye are come home for your presence hath long béene desired then they embraced each other with wéeping teares for ioy then the Abbot welcomed the Prouost Guyer and all the other But he knew not Gerames for for if he had he would haue made him great feasting Chap. LXIIII. ¶ How the good Abbot sent word to Duke Gerard of Bourdeaux how his brother Huon was in the Abbey of Maurise THVS the Abbot with his Couent brought Huon to the Abbey of Maurise and Huon and Escleremond on foot followed them when he came into the church Huon offered greate gyftes and after theyr offerings and prayers made they went into the hall and went to dinner how well they were lerned it neede not to be rehearsed they had euerie thing that néeded the Abbot sate by Huon and said Sir I pray you shew me how ye haue done how ye haue ended your messuage that ye were charged to do by King Charlemaine Sir quoth Huon thanked be our Lord God I haue accomplished and done all that I was commaunded to do for I haue brought with me the Beard and the foure great Téeth of the Admirall Gaudise and also I haue brought with me his Daughter the faire Escleremond whome I haue wedded in the citie of Roome and to morrow by the grace of God I will depart to goe to King Charlemaine my soueraigne Lord. Sir quoth the Abbot of that I am right ioyful but if it were your pleasure I would send to certefie your comming to Gerard your Brother that he might see you before yée depart hence Sir quoth Huon I am content that yée send for him Then the Abbot commaunded a Squier of his to goe for Duke Gerard and so he went and rested not till he came to Burdeux before Duke Gerard said
helpe him but rather hinder him therefore he lette it passe and so tooke leaue of his first Patron and lift vp their anthors and sayles and when they were in the sea the winde arose and increased more and more for the space of sixe weekes that the wind changed not so that if God had suffered the winde to haue continued one moneth or sixe weekes longer they had come to the place whereas they would haue beene But ere that they came there they suffered much paine for there arose vppon them such a winde and tempest that they were forced to auayle their sayles The heauens waxed darke the moone was couered the torment was great and daungerous the waues of the sea were of a great height terrible to beholde whereby whether they would or not they were constrained to goe as the winde would leade them theyr fortune was so great and terrible that there was neuer seene such a mightie storme before whereof Huon and his men and his Patron were greatly afraide specially the Patron more then Huon was hee was sore discomforted and pittiously he called on our Lord Iesus Christ requiring him to bring them to a good Port there was neither marriner nor Patron but all were sore afraide nor they wist not where they were They were in this torment for the space of ten dayes in all the which time they neuer sawe the cleerenesse of the sunne for the great darkenesse that was there as then the which did verie greatly annoy them And when it came to the eleuenth day and that the torment and winde beganne to abate and the sea waxed peaceable and still therewith Huon and his companie werâ— well comforted the heauen cleered by and the glorious sunne cast out his rayes along vpon the sea When the master of the shippe saw the fortune of the Sea and that the great torment beganne to cease hee caused one of the marriners to mount vppe into the toppe to see if hee might discrie any lande but hee could see none whereof the Patron was greatly abashed and sayde howe that hee knewe not in what Countrey hee was for hee neuer sayled in those parts and sayde to Huon Sir it is fiftie yéeres since that I first vsed the sea but yet I neuer sayled in these parts whereof I haue great maruaile When Huon heard that he was sore displeased and sayde Sir lette vs take the aduantage of the wind and let our Shippe driue vnder the conduct of our Lord Iesus Christ I hope that our Lord God will not suffer vs to bee perished in this Sea Sir quoth the Patrone I doe agree well to your saying and so let vs doe then they turned their helâ—â—â— and tooke the winde into their full sayle the winde was â—ood and fresh and the Sea very meeke and peaceable so that within a short space they had sayled a great iourney When Huon called vppon our Lorde God and helde vp his handes towards heauen and said Thou verie God who in 〈…〉 transitâ—rie world diddest vouchsafe to be borne in the 〈◊〉 of a maide and afterwards diddest raigne héere vpon earth xxxiâ— yeâ—res and then didst suffer death and passion vppon a Friday and after that didst rise from death to life and wentst into hell drewest out soules out of paines infernall Euen so as I beleeue that this is true I require thée to haue pitie and compassion vpon vs and giue vs grace that wée may safely escape out of this perillous Sea and to kéepe and saue my déere and louing wife Escleremond and my Childe and my noble Lords whome I left in the citie of Bourdeaux in great perill of their liues and giue mee the grace that I may bring with me such succour and aide that thereby I may bring them out of the danger that they he in Chap. LXXXXIX ¶ â—owe Huon arriued on the perillous Gulfe where as hee spake with â—â—das and howe hee arriued at the Port of the 〈◊〉 WHen Huon had made his praiers to God he beheld into the Sea and sawe a farre off like a great péece of Canuasse and there by he heard as great a noyse as though there had beene a Thousand Smithes and a Thousandâ— Carpenters and a Thousande great running Riuers together all beating and labouring together Huon who heard this great noise had great feare thereof so that hee wiâ—te not what to doe and so were all those that were in his companie the Patrone commaunded a Marriner to mount vp into the top of the Maâ—â— to see what 〈◊〉 it was that made all that noyse and so hee did and 〈◊〉 round about him and beheld that way and at 〈…〉 the daungerous Gulfe whereof hee hadde heard often times spoken and thereof hee had such great feare that neere hand hee had fallen downe into the Sea hee came downe and saide vnto the Patrone Sir wee bee all in the way to bee lost for wee bee neere one of the Gulfes of hell whereof Huon and the Patrone and all other had such great feare that they all trembled Sir quoth the Patrone knowe for troth that it is impossible to escape out of this perilous Gulfe for all the Seas and waters and Riuers there assembleth together and perforce wee muste passe that way which when Huon heard then hee beganne pitiously to complaine and sayd Ah sweete and loouing wife Escleremond I see nowe clearely that our loues muste depart the beautie and the bountie that is in you I cannot forget Alas I shall neuer see you more I pray to our Lord Iesus Christ to giue you that grace as to bee agreed with the Emperour Tirrey to the entent that in peace and rest you may vse the residue of your life for as for mee I shall neuer bring you any succour or ayd Then hee studied a long season and then sayd againe Good Lord I thanke thee and since it pleaseth thee that I shall passe out of this world I humbly require thee to receiue my Sâ—â—le into thine handes as for my bodie and life I care little for seeing it pleaseth thee that I shall thus end my dayes and depart this life Then Huon lefte his weeping and the winde ceased and the sayle abated yet neuerthelesse the shippe still went foorth alone in such wise as though it had flowne vppon the Sea Sir quoth the Maister of the Shippe you may see euidently that wee neede not to trauaile our selues to guide our Ship for the Gulfe that is so neere vs draweth the Shippe vnto him in such haste as yee may see and anone yee shall see that we shall tumble therein Maister quoth Huon it is conuenient now that wee abide the aduenture and fortune of the sea such as our Lord God will sende lette vs trust in him and desire him that his pleasure be fulfilled and more I cannot striue Then Huon Chaplaine confessed them one after another and then incontinent the great noyse ceased But they came thither at a good poynt for the verie same
daunger thereof When Huon vnderstood Iudas he had great maruaile ioyned his hands toward the heauen thanking God of the grace that hee had sent him Then Huon desired the Patron that they might depart from thence in haste Sir quoth he it shall bee done Then they drew vp theyr sayles and departed and they had not sailed a league but that the saw a farre off great brands of fire burning issuing out of the Gulfe so long and so high that they had neere hand come to theâ—r ship and the waues that issued out of the Gulfe were as high as mountaines and they approched so nere vnto their shippe that they had like to haue perâ—â—hes for there 〈◊〉 was neere hand full of water so that they had 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 to lade out the water and were fayne to abate theyr sayle and the water that â—ssed out of the Gulfe draâ—e them so â—â—orftly that a bird could not die no faster then they went In that case they weâ—e a moneth and durst neuer hoyse vppe sayle but thus they draue a great season without seeing of any land then Huon called vppon God and saide Ah verie God I hadde rather haue tarried still in mine owne Countrey and haue taken such fortune as it should haue pleased thée to send mee then heere to bée lost in this strange Sea Deare Laâ—ie Escleremond I pray vnto God to keepe you and Clariet my Daughter for I thinke that I shall neuer see you more Thus Huon complained sayling in the Sea in feare of his life and thus they were in the daunger of this Gulfe fiue weekes and neuer coulde see lande whereof they were in great feare often times they prayed to our Lord to haue pity of them Then Huon desired the Patrone to mount vp to the Mast to see if he might see any land and the Patrone who greatly desired so to doe anone hee mounted vp and regarded on all parts to see if hee might espy any land At last he saw a farre off an hye rocke and on the height thereof they sawe a thicke wood and at the entrie of the wood hee sawe a little house whereof hee thanked God and descended downe and shewed Huon what hee had seene and sayd Sir yonder a farre off I haue seen a great Rocke and on the height thereof a great thicke wood and therein I haue séene a little house or hermitage the house is white I cannot tell what it is but by the grace of God ere it be night wee shall land there and refresh our selues When Huon heard that hee was right ioyfull and thanked God then they drew to that Port and had good wind and a fresh wéening to haue come thether the same night but they sayled foure daies and foure nights and could come no neerer to the wood then they were before whereof they had maruaile for it seemed to them euer that the wood and the house roase vp higher and higher and then they could not tell whether they went for if they had known they would not haue gone thether for al the gold in the world for if God had not had pitie of them they were all likely to haue beene lost for the place that they sawe a farre of was a Castle and therein cloased the Rocke of the Adamant the which Castle was dangerous to approach for if any Ship come neere it and haue any yron nayles within it and that a shippe come but within the sight thereof the Adamant will draw the Shippe vnto him And therefore in those parts the Shippes that sayleth by that Sea are made and pinned with woodden nayles and without any manner of yron otherwise they be lost and perished for the propertie of the Adamant is to draw yron to him Thus Huon and his company were there the space of sixe dayes going and sayling about the Rocke of the Castle of the Adamant But if they had had a good wind the first day they had arriued euen at the white house that they saw first in the wood the which was the fairest and most richest house in the world within the which was so much gould and riches that no man liuing could esteeme the value thereof for the Pillars within that hâ—use were of Cassedony and the wals and Towers of white Alablaster There was neuer described in Scripture nor Historie the beautie of such a Castle as this was for when the Sun cast his rayes on it it seemed a farre of to be of fine christall it was so cleare shining In this Castle was neither man nor woman but dead mens bones lying at the gate of this Castle and at the Port there lay many Shippes so that their Mastes seemed a farre off to bee a great Forrest Chap. C. ¶ How Huon deuised with his Patrone in regarding of the Castle of the Adamant THis castle was set on a rock of the Adamant â—one from the East to the west was not so strong a Castle for if all the world had come before it and men within to defend it could neuer be wonne by any mortall men The forrest that so seemed to them a farre off were the â—aâ—â—s of shippes that had beene there arriued by constraint of the Adamant but for all the shippes that were there there was no man liuing therein yet there lay bones of men that had died by famine rage Huon and his câ—mâ—aâ—te had great maruaile for when they approached 〈◊〉 to the Castle they 〈◊〉 forced to strike sayle for the â—daâ—ant drew the shippe so sore that if they had not quickly striken their sayle their shippe had broken all to péeces and they all béen drowned in the sea The ship went so fast that it was maruailous to consider it and then the Patron of the shippe who was wise and discreet knew anon how they were néere to the Castle of the Adamant because their shippe went so fast without sayle thetherward faster than if they had had a full winde in all their sailes and they could not turne their ship any way from that part for they would gladly haue returned but it would not bee because the Adamant drew the yron so sore to him by nature When the Patron saw that néedes they must arriue there he began pitiously to lament and saide to Huon Sir our Lord God hath created vs in this world to liue and to die and there is none but must passe the passage of this and because wee knowe surely that no creature can escape that therefore we ought to be content with that which can be none otherwise Sir I say this that we must all dye When Huon heard the Patron he had great maruaile and said Patron I pray you shew me the cause why yée say thus in this Castle that we see before vs are there any Sarazins within it or spirits of hell that haue sworne our death surely I doubt them not make good cheere and bee nothing abashed take good courage and ioy â—or by the ayd of our
gréeuously he complained for his wife and Daughter and sayde Ah right noble Ladie Escleremond when I remember the paines and dolors and pouerties that by my cause you suffer and haue suffered all my body sweateth by paine and dolour Alas I had thought in short space to haue aided and succoured you but nowe I sée well that our departing is come for euer more in yonder perilous Sea I sée my Coozen Barnard and diuers other Lords that by my cause are in the way of perdition without God doe ayd and succour them whome I humbly require to send them that grace that they may arriue at some good Port and that I may sée them once againe to the entent that I may fight against the Paynims and Sarazins in exalting the Law of Iesus Christ Thus Huon of Bourdeaux made his prayers to our Lord Iesus Christ Chap. CXX ¶ How Huon went so long in this Desert that he found Cain and spake with him a long season and how hee beguiled Cain and departed AFter that Huon hadde thus made his prayers vnto our Lord God he arose vp and blessed him with the signe of the crosse recommending himselfe vnto our Lord God and came to the toppe of the Mountaine but when hée was there all his bodie trembled with trauaile so that he was verie faint and féeble Then hée looked round about him and sawe in a faire meadowe a cleare Fountaine thether he went to refresh and to rest him then he layde him downe vppon the grasse to refresh him before hee would drinke he was so hot and when he was well cooled hée came to the Fountaine and dranke thereof a little and washed his hands and face and then he went further into the Forrest and could find neither Towne nor Castle Garden nor Trées with fruit whereof hée was right sorrowfull and sore displeased and so searched all day to find some man or woman but al was in vaine and when he sawe that the Sunne went to rest and could find no creature he was sore discomforted he chose out a Trée and there vnder layd him downe and slept and in the morning when he saw the Sunne rise and that his beames spread abroad vppon the earth he arose and blessed him and so went foorth into the Desert and found neither man nor woman beast nor birde wherewith being sorrowfull and angrie deuoutly hée called vppon our Lord God praying him to haue in his tuition and kéeping his bodie and soule and that he might yet once sée his Wife the faire Escleremond and Clariet his Daughter He went so long in this Desert that at last he came to a plain of thrée bowe shoot large and in the middest thereof he sawe a Tunne made of the heart of Oake bound all about with bands of yron and it turned and rowled in the playne and neuer passed out of the circuit of the plaine and beside the Tunne he saw where there lay vppon the ground a great mall of yron great maruaile had Huon when hée sawe this Tunne roule about thus without cease like a Tempest and as it passed by Huon hee heard a pitifull voice within the Tunne sore complaning and when hee had heard it two or thrée times hée approached néere to the Tunne and sayd Thou that art in this Tunne speake vnto mée and shewe mée what thou art or what thing thou hast néede of and why thou art put there Then when he that was in the Tunne heard Huon he rested still and spake no word and when Huon saw that it would not speake he sayd Whatsoeuer thou art I coniure thée by him that created all the world and by his Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ whom he sent downe to suffer death and passion vppon the Trée of the Crosse to redéeme his Fréends who by the sinne of Adam and Eue were in Limbo and by his glorious Resurrection and by his Angels and Archangels Cherubins and Seraphins and by all his holy Saints I coniure thée to shewe mee what thou art and why and for what cause thou art set heere in this Tunne When hee that was within the Tunne heard howe sore hee was coniured he answeared and said Thou that hast coniured mée thou doest great euill to cause me to shew thée the troth know surely that I haue to name Cain and Sonne I was vnto Adam and Eue and am hee that slewe my Brother Abell by false and cursed enuie that I had vnto him because his oblations and Dismes that he made vnto God were exalted and the fume thereof went vpward to Heauen and those that I made the fume went downe-ward and when I sawe that I slewe and murdered my Brother Abell wherefore and for the great sinne that I haue committed I am damned to bee and to suffer this martirdome within this Tunne wherein I am closed burning and with Serpents and Toads héere within deuouring mee and yet I cannot die and héere I shall bee vntill the day of Iudgement and then my paine shall be doubled Now haue I shewed thee thy demaund wherefore I repute thée for a foole when thou art so hardy as to enter into this Desert whereas neuer man entred and departed without death for know for troth that hether repaireth twoo enemies Féends of Hell who shall slay thée and beare thy soule into Hell without thou wilt doe as I shall shew thée Fréend quoth Huon I pray thee to shew me what it is that thou speakest of or what thing thou wilt that I should doe and I will doe it to the entent that I may depart from hence there is nothing in the world but I shall doe it for thée so thou wilt shewe mée the way howe I may depart from hence Fréend quoth Cain I shall shewe thée what thou shalt doe thou shalt take this mall of iron that thou séest there and strike therewith so long vppon this Tunne vntill thou hast broken it to the entent that I may yssue out and when I am deliuered I shall set thée in sauegard in Ierusalem or in France or in what countrey soeuer thou wilt wish If thou wilt doe this that I haue sayd and deliuer me from this torment I shall set thée wheresoeuer thou wilt be in any Land Christian or Heathen and if thou doest not this that I haue saide before it be night I shall cause thée to die with great tormentes for anon thou shalt sée come hether two Diuels of Hell foule and hideous to behold and they shall stangle thée and beare thy soule into Hell Ah good Lorde quoth Huon humbly I require and beseech thée to saue mée from this torment Cain quoth Huon thou speakest mée faire and sayest as thou list but I will not deliuer thée out of this Tunne vntill first thou shewest mée how I may depart from hence Then Cain sayd if thou wilt promise mée by thy faith and by thy part of Paradice to deliuer mée out of this Tunne I shall shewe thée the manner howe thou shalt