Then they went to the Port and by that time that the Maryners had cast their anchor then Gerames demaunded of them whence they were and whither they would go Sir quoth they we would goe to Mesque to pay to Angolofer the great Gyant a Tribute that we are bound euery yeere to pay therefore Sir we desire you to shew vs where we might find him And when Gerames saw that they were all a land out of the ship he said Ah ye vnhappie Paynims ye shall neuer depart hence for he that ye demaund for is dead and all ye shall beare him companie Then Gerames saide to his company sirs let all these Paynims be slaine and then incontinent they set vpon theÌ„ so that all the Paynims were slaine not one escaped aliue for the christian men were armed and the Paynims without armour or any weapon for otherwise they durst not come on land for feare of the Gyant Then Gerames entred into the ship and tooke all that they found there and bare it into the Tower and then they went to dinner and made great ioy for that aduenture and after dinner Gerames said Sirs if wee were now in Fraunce and that king Charlemaine should demaund of vs what is become of Huon yée know wel there is none of vs can tel whether he be aliue or dead for if we should say that he is dead and he afterward retourne home then we should be reputed for false men euer after both we and our children for a man may be a Prisoner xiiij or xv yeeres and yet come home againe at the last safe and sound But sirs if yee will be ruled by me we shall doe like true men we haue as now in this port a good ship well fournished with euery thing and we haue heere gould and siluer plentie and we shall soone vittaile our ship and then let vs take the Sea and neuer rest sayling vntill wee heare some newes of our Lord Huon if we doe thus then wée doe as true men ought to doe and I desire you all euery man shew his aduice herein Then without taking of any longer respite they answered all with one voice that they were readie to accomplish all that he had deuised So they tooke gould and siluer and all their riches and bare it into the shippe and fournished it with wine bisket salt flesh artillerie and when their shippe was garnished they put in their horses and their armour and they all xiij Companions entred into the ship the Damsell with theÌ„ then they wayed vp their anchors hoysed vp their sayles and so left the Tower of the Gyant all voyd and no man therein And thus they sayled along the coast vntill they came into the high sea and so long they sayled till they came to Damieta there they entred into the Riuer of Nyle and so long they sayled therein that they arriued at Babylon and came to the Port and tooke out their horses Gerames that knew well the language and the manner of the entring into all the iiij gates said to his companie Sirs lets vs mount on our horses and let vs enter into the Citie to see if we may heare any newes of our Maister Huon Thus they roade foorth and entred into the Citie then Gerames said Sirs wée will goe to the Pallaice but when we come there â—ould you all your peace and suffer mee to speake wherein it is conuenient that yee all agree to my wordes and say not the contrary They answered and said they were content so to doe and thus they roade together through the towne Ah good Lord quoth Gerames I beséech thee of thy grace to grant vs that we may heare some good tidings of our maister Huon of Bourdeaux for whome we be heere in ieoperdie of death so they passed all the iiij bridges and gates by reason that Gerames shewed foorth suche reasons that the Porters were content Then they came before the great hall there they alighted mounted vp all xiij and the Damsell with them and when they were in the hall they saw the Admirall Gaudise sitting on a rich chaire garnished with gould pretious stones and Gerames that could well speake the Sarazine language came before the Admirall and said The same god that causeth the wine and corne to grow saue and keepe the Admirall Gaudise whome I see there â—itting among his Barons Friend quoth the Admirall thou art welcome I pray thee shew me what thou art and whither thou wouldest goe Sir quoth Gerames to tell you plainely I am come from the good citie of Mombrance and am Sonne to king Iuoryn When the Admyrall heard that he rose vp on his féete and said Thou art welcome the son of my brother faire Nephew I pray you shew me how doth my brother Iuoryn Sir quoth Gerames when I departed from him I left him in good health and he saluteth you by me and hath sent heere to you xij french men by me the which were taken vpon the sea as they were going on Pilgrimage to the holy Sepulchre of Christ in Ierusalem and he desireth you to put them in prison vntill the day of Saint Iohn the Baptist at which day you must make the feast of your Gods and then to bring them into the meadow heere without and there tye and binde theÌ„ to stakes and let your Archers shoot at them to thintent to know who shooteth best As for this Damsell that is héere with me she is to be put to your Daughter to teach her to speake perfectly the french language Faire Nephew quoth the Admirall as he hath appointed it shal be done and I giue you power to coÌ„maund euery thinge in this house at your pleasure and I pray you shew me what is your name Sir quoth he I am called Ieracle Well quoth the Admirall from hence foorth I retaine you to be as my chiefe Chamberlaine and I will that yee haue the key of the prison in your kéeping and therein to put these Captiues and doe with them at your pleasure extend vnto theÌ„ what kindnesse you please but let them haue meat drinke suffitient that they die not with famine as but lately died a French man that was sent to me by king Charles of Fraunce who was called Huon of Bourdeaux the which was a right faire yong man When Gerames heard that he had neuer before greater sorow at his heart for then hearing of the death of Huon his displeasure anger was so great that he had néere hand runne vpon the Admirall and he was so vexed in his mind that he tooke vp a staffe that lay by him and gaue each of the French men such stroakes on their heades that the blood ran downe but they suffered it and durst not stirre they were in such feare of the Admirall but they cursed Gerames for his stroakes who did it for the nonst And when the Admirall sawe how hee had well beaten the frenchmen
towne bound hands and féete and then set vs in a déepe prison and so hath kept vs hetherto with bread and water and so hath taken from vs all the riches that wee brought with vs and Sir if hee be so hardie to say the contrarie that it is not true that I haue sayd let him and Gybouars like traytours as they be arme themselues and I shall fight against them both and if I can conquere them both whereof I haue no doubt with the aide of our Lord God then let them haue as they haue deserued and if I cannot ouercome them nor make them to shew the truth I will that then incontinent you cause me to be drawne and hanged By my faith quoth Duke Naymes Sir Huon can say nor offer no more for hee offereth to proue the contrarie of that Gerard hath saide Sir quoth Gerard my brother sayth at his pleasure because hee knoweth well that I will not striue against him because he is mine elder brother let the king doe as it shall please him as for me I neuer consented to doe so cruell a deede as hee layeth to my charge Ah good Lord quoth Duke Naymes how the false Traitour can cloke and couer his ilnesse Huon quoth Charlemain I cannot tel what you haue done but I will you shew mee the beard and â—oure great teeth of the Admirall Gaudis Sir quoth Huon I crie you mercie I haue shewed you how they be taken from me by the false traytour my Brother Gerard. Huon quoth the Kinge yée know well at your departure out of Fraunce I charged you vppon paine of your life that iâ— by aduenture you returned againe into France that you should not bée so hardy as to enter into this Citie of Bourdeaux vntill you had spoken with mee first and to keepe mee promise you deliuered to mee Hostages the which I haue quit séeing I haue you in my handes it lyeth now in mée either to hange you or to draw you or to giue vnto you any other iudgment for at your departure you were agréed that I should so doe and by the faith that I owe vnto Saint Denis before it bee night I shall cause thée to bee hanged and drawne and that shall I not let so to doe for any man liuing for nowe I take you in your owne house Sir quoth Huon God forbid that a Kinge of Fraunce should doe so great a crueltie My Lord I crie you mercie for Gods sake doe not to mee so great an out-rage for you may knowe right well that perforce I was brought hether and therefore great King I require you let mee haue rightfull and true iudgement By my faith Huon quoth Duke Naymes it is but a small request that you make for your right is so cleare that if reason may be shewed to you there is no man can say the contrarie but that your Lands ought to bee rendred vnto you franke and frée and your Brother Gerard to bee hanged and strangled Then the Duke said to the King My Lord I require you haue pitie of Huon and doe nothing to him but right and you shall doe great sinne without you doe him right Naymes quoth the King you know well it is in mée to cause Huon to die but séeing that he is one of my Péeres I will order him by iudgement When the Lordes and other Knightes heard the King say so they were right ioyfull for then they beleeued that the King would haue pitie of Huon but whosoeuer was ioyfull yet Duke Naymes was not content and sayde to the King My Lord by that I sée and heare you beare Huon but small â—oâ—e seeing that you will put him to iudgement considering his deedes and sayings to be true and namely whereas hee â—ffereth to prooue it by the holy Father the Pope then Huon with-drew backe and leaned him to a piller there by Then the Kinge called vnto him all his Peeres and Lordes and 〈◊〉 Sirs I require you by the faith and truth and homage that you beare vnto mée that for me nor for mine amitie that you ayd not Huon against mée nor lay nor doe no falsehood but the most rightfull iudgement that you can make doe I charge you giue true iudgement without any fauour or partialitie When the Lords heard the King say so vnto them and that he coniured them so sore to doe right and iustice well they perceiued that the King had great hate vnto Huon and that the death of his Sonne Charlot was not forgotten out of his mind Then they all together drew apart into a Chamber right pensiue and mourning and they sat downe on benches and beheld each other without speaking of any word a long space When Duke Naymes saw that hée arose vppon his féet and sayd Sirs yée haue heard how the King hath charged vs to say the troth wée may perceiue well by him that hee beareth great hate vnto Huon who is one of our Companions and therefore Sirs I require you that euerie man by himselfe will say his aduise as hée thinketh Chap. LXXII ¶ How the Twelue Peeres drew to counsaile to giue sentence vppon Huon either with him or against him THen there rose vp a knight called Gaulter hée was yssued of the lineage of Ganelon who was one of the Péeres of Fraunce then hée sayd Sirs as for mée I say séeing the case as it is that Huon by right iudgement ought to bee hanged and drawne for as yée know well the King hath founde him in the Citie of Bourdeaux therefore I say that the King may without doing any sinne put him to death and Sirs if yee thinke that I haue sayde good reason agrée yée then to the same and let Gerard his Brother be Lord and Maister of all the Landes and Signiories that should appertaine vnto Huon I consent and will as much as toucheth my part that Gerard be one of the Péeres of Fraunce in the place of Huon his Brother and when Gaulter had ended his reason Henry of Saint Omers spake and sayd Sir Gaulter goe and sit downe your wordes can beare none effect for they bée of no valure But Sirs quoth hée shortly to speake and righteously to iudge I say that it is reason that Huon be restored to all his Landes for his déede is well prooued and by good witnesse as our holy Father the Pope for wee may beléeue surely that Gerard his Brother that thus hath betrayed him hath done it by false couetousnesse therefore I say and iudge that Gerard bee drawne at horse tayles and then hanged vntill hée be dead Then hée sayd no more but sat downe againe When Henry of Saint Omers had sayd his reason that Earle of Flaunders arose vp and said to Henry All that you haue sayd I will not consent thereto but I shall shewe you mine aduise what ought to bée done Sirs yée all knowe well the world the which as nowe is little woorth for nowe adayes cannot be found such true Fréends as
his Wife he could not turne her from her opinion but that shee woulde in any wise goe with him When Huon saw that he sayd My right déere Ladie since it is your pleasure to go with mée and to be content whatsoeuer God doth send vs either good or euill your companie pleaseth mée well and I am right ioyfull thereof When the good Abbot and Barnard had well heard and vnderstood the will and pleasure of Duke Huon and of the Duchesse Escleremond his Wife they were sore displeased therewith if they could in any wise haue letted them but they could not turne him for any thing that they could doe then Huon sayd vnto the good Abbot Faire Vncle I leaue with you my Landes Signiories and my Daughter vntill I returne againe the which shall bée as shortly as I may But of force now I am driuen to goe and take possession of the Realme that Kinge Oberon hath giuen to mée Therefore faire Vncle and Coozen Barnard vnto you I recommend my Daughter whome I loue entirely and all my Landes and Signiories I leaue all in your kéeping vntill my returne and with you mine Vncle I leaue all my precious stones and Treasure for the mariage of my Daughter whom I leaue in your kéeping Faire Nephew quoth the good Abbot séeing that it is your pleasure I shall kéepe her as well as though she were mine owne Child Good Vncle quoth Huon I pray you that the Griffens foote that I brought with me may bée sent vnto the young Kinge Lewis of Fraunce and salute him from mee and present it vnto him to doe therewith his pleasure Sir quoth the good Abbot before Easter bee come your Messuage shall bee done and that being done the young King was ioyfull thereof and caused it to bée hanged in his Pallaice and afterward by King Phillip it was hanged in the holy Chappell whereas it is vntill this day Now let vs leaue speaking of the Griffens foote and returne to our former matter Chap. CXLII ¶ How Huon tooke leaue of his Daughter and of the good Abbot his Vncle and of Barnard his Cozen and entred into the Riuer of Gerone and the Duchesse with him and of the strange Fortunes that they had WHen the good Abbot and Barnard had well vnderstood Huon and hadde heard his will and pleasure they answeared that as for his Lands and Signiories and for his Daughter hee should not need to care but they sayd that it greatly displeased them the Voyage that they were in minde to doe but since it was his plâ—asure so to doe it was reason that they should bee content and then hee ordained that Barnard shoulde make readie a little Ship apparelled and garnished with victuals and other things necessarie and that another great Shippe to be made readie at the mouth of the Sea to enter into it when they were out of the Riuer of Gerone the which thinge was done Then hee tooke sixe Knightes and a Dozen Seruants of his owne and when Huon saw euerie thing readie and had shewed his Enterprize vnto his men and to the men of his Countrey and that euery thing was readie fournished then hee tooke his Daughter in in his armes and kissed her more then Ten times and in like wise so did Escleremond her Mother and her heart was so closed with sorrow and gréefe that shee could speake no word for the departing from her Daughter you may well thinke that great was the sorrow there at their departing for he that had beene there and seene the dolour and pitifull complaints that the Ladie Clariet made for the departing of her Father and Mother with whome shee had not beene no long season there is not so hard a heâ—rt but that needs he must haue taken part of her sorrow for there was neuer séene so heauie a departing Then Huon all wéeping embraced the good Abbot his Vncle who gaue Huon at his departing a hollowed stoole the which afterward did good seruice vnto Huon and to Escleremond Also Huon tooke leaue of Barnard his Cozen then the Duchesse sayde vnto the Abbot and to Barnard Sirs vnto you twoo I due recommend my Daughter Thus Huon departed and they went to the Posterne and there they found readie their little Shippe and they entred into it and so made sayle downe along the Riuer of Gerone and when they came to the mouth of the Sea they tooke their great Shippe and so made sayle and had good wind so that shortly they were farre off from any land and were in the hye Sea for the space of Sixe dayes and vppon the Seauenth day a wind arose with such an horrible Tempest that they were driuen into the great Spanish Sea and were so far from any land that they wyst not where they were and euer the Tempest encreased in such wise that there was neuer none such seen nor heard of before the waues were like Mountaines and like to haue swallowed vp the ship so that sometime there entred into the Shippe a Tunne of water at once Chap. CXLIII ¶ How Huon lost all his men and the Ship brake in peecesâ— and how hee and the Duchesse saued themselues vpon a board and came and arriued at the Castle of the Monkes WHen Duke Huon of Bourdeaux and the Duchesse Escleremond his Wife sawe these great and suddaine tempests they were in great feare of death they greatly complained for their Daughter Clariet whome they had left at Bourdeaux Then Huon who had with him in his bagge Nine of his déere precious stones hée drew out two of them and knew the vertue and bountie of them and gaue his wife one of them and sayd My déere and louing Wife hold this stone in your hand and haue no feare for the vertue of the stone will not let you perish nor me neither he that had heard the cryes and lamentations that the Marriners made would haue had pittie and compassion of them for they saw well that they should all perish And Huon and Escleremond were vpon their knees sore weeping holding each other by the hande humbly praying to our Lord Iesus Christ to haue pittie and compassion of them and to bringe them vnto some Port in sauegard of their liues great and horrible was the Tempest and long endured so that the healme Maâ— and sayles burst all to péeces and when the Shippe was without a sterne to guide it the great waues entred into it so that the Shippe was full of water whereby it was constrayned to sinke into the Sea in such sort that it was all couered with water and all that were within were drowned and perished except Huon and Escleremond who satte together vpon a Table floating vpon the Sea so that by the grace of our Lord God and by the great bountie and vertue of the precious stones that were vppon them they were saued And when they saw their Shippe all to péeces and their men drowned and perished and themselues floating vppon the Sea
the Garden to sée if he could find the Damsell he sought so long that he found the Damsell whereas shée lay in the bush in great perill to be drowned This Watchman was a wise man and as priuily as he could he yssued out of the Garden and went downe to the water side and there he found a little boat and entred into it so passed the vine Garden as priuily as he could so that none heard nor saw him and when he was against the bush whereas the Damsell was hée spake to her softly and sayd Faire Damsell be not abashed for if I may in any maner of wise I will ayd you come down and enter into this boat and I shall set you in the Forrest and tarie there vntil I bring to you Florence your Louer the which I shall doe by the grace of Iesus for if I can by any manner of meanes I shall bring him out of the danger that hee is in because I haue alwayes loued him and for the goodnesse that hée hath done to me I shall now reward it When the Damsell heard the Watch-man for ioy thereof shée forgat all her sorrow and incontinent aswell as she might she yssued out of the bush and went down the Riuer side then she entred into the boat and the Watch-man set her ouer and left her in the Forrest the which ioyned to the water side then he tooke his leaue of her and sayd Faire Damsell tarie here vntill I returne againe to you Fréende quoth the Damsell I pray to God that you may so spéed as to bring hether my Louer and to set him out of danger and so he departed and entred againe into the Garden hearkening towardes the Pallaice whereas there was great brute made for the escaping of the Damsell But there was no doubt made of Florence because the Tower that hee was in was stronge and thicke Also the Chamber that he was in was not toward the Pallaice but it lay open against the Garden then the sayd Watch-man came to the wall side whereas there was a straight loope hole into Florence Chamber and he had two Goates féete in his handes then hee called Florence and sayd Sir if you will bee with your Loue who tarieth for you in the Forrest whereas I haue lâ—â—t her in sauegard helpe your selfe that you were out of this Tower take heere this Goates foote and doe you so much there within to enlarge the loope that you may yssue out and héere without I shall make the hole wyder When Florence vnderstoode the Watch-man hee was neuer so ioyfull in all his life when he heard the man say that his Loue was in sauegard they laboured so sore that they made the loope so large that Florence yssued out and then the Watch-man brought Florence to the Stable whereas some of the Kinges horses stoode especially there was one whose like could not be found This Watch-man who had great affection and desire to doe seruice to this young Lord did so much that he brought vnto Florence his Armour his shéeld his helmet his sword and a good Speare and so Florence armed him and leapt vpon the good horse then the Watch-man shewed him the place in the Forrest whereas as hee had left the Damsell and then hee tooke his leaue of Florence who sayd Fréend the seruice that you haue done me shall be well rewarded in time to come then hee road foorth and left not vntill he came whereas his Loue was and when he saw her his ioy was renewed then he alighted and kissed his Loue and when he sawe that she was so bloudie he hadde great pitie of her and sayd Deere Loue it is néedfull that we depart before the day come Therefore make you readie and leape vp behind me and then Florence mounted and she leapt vp behind him and so departed assoone as they might When they were in the fields the Damsell looked backe towards the Citie and shee saw a great number of men yssuing out then shée sayd vnto Florence Sir I sée well that wee bee lost for I sée much people yssuing out of the Citie it is not possible for vs to be saued but that we shal be taken and especially I cannot escape I sée well that nowe our loue shall depart your Father is fell and cruell I knowe well that hee will slay mee Then the Watch-man came running after Florence for feare that he had of the king but he could not ouertake Florence who fled with his Loue behind him as fast as he might toward the Sea-side for Florence knew well the priuie wayes because he had often times vsed the wayes when he was woont to go a hauking or hunting So long he road that he came to a little Port where there was a Shippe readie to depart then Florence alighted and his Loue with him and tyed his horse to a Trée and then he tooke the Damsell by the hand and came to the Maister of the Shippe and agréed so with him that he and his Loue entred into the ship then they hoysed vp their sayles and so sayled from the land the Watch-man came to the Sea-side trusting to haue found Florence there and hee was right sorrowfull when he sawe them so farre on the Sea hee was in great feare of loosing of his life Then Kinge Garyn came thether with a great number and when he saw the Shippe so far in the Sea he sayd Ah good Lord now haue I lost my son for I know well he is gone inyonder Shippe and the Damsel with him but by the faith that I owe vnto our Lord Iesus Christ this Watch-man shall loose his head then the Watch-man was taken and fast bound so that the bloud came out at his fingers ends and sayd all wéeping Ah good Lord in an ill houre I was acquainted with Florence and his Loue Alas for the goodnesse that I haue done I shall haue a small reward this day I am like to loose my life for loue of my Lord. Chap. CLVII ¶ Of the great debate that was in the Pallaice for the VVatch-mans sake whome the King would haue had to be hanged and how the king of Nauarre tooke the Citie of Courtoys and how he departed from thence WHen the Earle Peter of Aragon saw the Watch-man taken by whom Florence and his Loue were saued hee was sorie to sée the man so sore beaten and threatened then he went in hast to the King and sayd Sir you shew well by your workes that you haue but small reason to suffer thus this poore man to be beaten and that you would put him to death for the goodnesse that he hath done to your Sonne he hath done therein but as he should doe and like a true Seruant you ought the better to loue him you shall doe ill to put him to death I will that you know that if you put him to death I will not serue you one day longer but I will rather goe to the King
all your pleasure Yea quoth the King my will is as I haue said if thou wilt haue peace with me My Soueraigne Lord quoth Huon by the grace of God I shall finish your messuage the feare of death shall not let me to doe it Huon quoth the King if God of his grace will suffer thée to returne againe into Fraunce I charge thee be not so hardy to come vnto Bourdeaux nor to any part of thy Countrey vntill thou hast spoken with mée if I finde thée dooing contrarie I shall cause thée to die an ill death and vpon this I will thou layest vnto me good hostages My Lord quoth Huon héere be Ten Knights whom I shall leaue with you for suerty to the entent that you shall be content with me howbeit my Lord I require your grac◠to suffer the Knights that came with me from Bourdeaux to goe with me to the holy Sepulchre I am content quoth the King that they go with thée thether or else-where My Lord quoth Huon I thanke your grace Then Huon made him readie to fournish his voyage Chap. XVIII ¶ How Huon of Bourdeaux tooke leaue of the King and of the Barons and rode with the good Abbot to Cluny AFter that King Charlemaine had giuen Huon the charge of his messuage the King called before him Gerardine Brother to Huon and deliuered to him the gouernance of all his Brothers Lands in his absence vntill his retourne And thus whē Huon was readie he came to the King and to the Barons to take his leaue of them and the Abbot of Cluny who said they would goe with him part of his way so likewise did Twelue of the greatest Princes Ladies accompanie him for twoo daies iourney and when they came to the towne of Troy in Champaine Duke Naymes tooke leaue of his Coozen Huon and gaue him a Sommer charged with gould and kissed him at their departing Then Gerard his Brother tooke his leaue and also kissed him but know for troth the kisse that he gaue him was like to the kisse that Iudas gaue to his Maister the which was dearely bought as héereafter yée shall heare Thus Duke Naymes and Gerard departed tooke their way to Paris but the Abbot and Huon rested not vntill they came to the Abbie of Cluny where they were receiued with great ioy and well feasted Then the next morning Huon departed and tooke leaue of his Vncle sore wéeping desiring him to recommend him vnto his Mother the Duchesse and to Gerard his Brother the Abbot promised so to doe and gaue Huon his Nephew a Mulet charged with money currant in Fraunce thus he departed and tooke the way to Roome Now leaue we to speake of Huon and shew of Duke Naymes and Gerard who returned to Paris where Gerard required the King that it would please him to receiue his homage for the Lands of Bourdeaux to the entent that he might be aduaunced and to be in the State of one of the Péeres of Fraunce the which thing Duke Naymes would not consent nor agrée vnto but said to the King My Lord you ought not to suffer that Huon should be disenherited whereof Gerard was not content but Duke Naymes set litle thereby for he loued Huon entirely so this homage was delayed Then Gerard returned to Bourdeaux where he was well receiued but when the Duchesse saw him not Huon to returne she was sorrowfull in her heart and then she demanded of Gerard why that Huon his brother was not returned with him Then Gerard shewed her all the whole matter and aduenture and of the departing of Huon of the manner of his voyage whereof the Duchesse had such sorrowe that she fell sicke and so lay nine and Twenty daies and on the Thirtieth daye she dyed and rendred vp her Soule vnto God whereof all the Countrey was sorrowfull Gerard nobly buried her in the Church of Saint Seueryn by the Duke her husband Amon after married him to the Daughter of Duke Gilberd of Cecill who was the greatest Traytour and moste cruell that might be heard of And Gerard Amons Sonne in law learned his wayes and followed his condition for he dealt so ill with the towne of Bourdeaux and with the Countrey about that pitie it was to heare the poore people to wéepe for the losse of Duke Seuin and of the Duchesse and prayed to God for the good returne of their Lord Huon Nowe wee shall leaue to speake of them and returne vnto Huon Chap. XIX ¶ How Huon of Bourdeaux came to Roome and was confessed of the Pope who was his Vncle and of his departing and how he came to Brandis where he found his Vncle Garyn of Saint Omers who for loue of Huon passed the Sea wyth him Here before you haue heard how Huon departed from his Vncle the Abbot of Cluny and so longe hée road with his Knights that he came to the City of Roome where hee was lodged in a good Hostrey Then Huon arose in the morning accompanied with Guichard whom he loued well and with the other Knights that came thether with him and went to the Church of Saint Peter and heard Seruice and when that Seruice was done the Pope came out of his Oratorie then Huon came vnto him and humbly saluted him the Pope beheld him and demaunded what he was Sir quoth he my Father was Duke Seuin of Bourdeaux who is deceased then the Pope stept vnto him embraced him and sayd Faire Nephew you are welcome I pray you shew me how doth my Sister the Duchesse your Mother and what aduenture hath brought you hether Sir quoth he I desire your holynesse that you will heare my confession a part for I haue great néede thereof Faire Nephewe quoth the Pope it pleaseth me right well to héere you then the Pope tooke him by the hand went with him into his Oratorie and there Huon shewed him all the aduenture that he had since he came from Bourdeaux and of the voyage that Charlemaine had set him to doe and what he had to say to the Admirall Gaudise all which being declared and done he required pardon and penaunce for his sinnes The Pope said he would assigne him no penaunce for the Emperour Charles had done that alreadie and which was so great that no humane bodie could suffer it nor durst vndertake to doe it Then the Pope gaue him absolution of all his sinnes and louingly led him into his Pallaice where he was honourably receiued with great ioy After they had dyned and deuised together a great space the Pope said vnto Huon Faire Nephew the way that you must goe is to goe to the Porte of Brandis there shall you find my Brother Garyn of Saint Omers who is your Vncle to whome I shall write a Letter to the entent that he shall haue knowledge of you for I know well he will haue great ioy of you he hath the kéeping of the Orientall Sea he shal adresse you and deliuer you Ship or
were woont to bée yée may well sée by these two Brethren the strife that is betwéene them is foule and dishonest wée should doe well if we could find the meanes by any manner of wayes to appease them and therefore I counsaile let vs all together goe to the King and desire him to haue mercie pitie of both these twoo Brethren and that it might please him to appease them renâ—er to Huon all his Landes and if wee could bring it to this point it should bée a good déede as to accord them together Chap. LXXIII ¶ How the Peeres layd all the deede vppon Duke Naymes to giue the iudgement vpon him But for all that euer he could say or doe the King iudged Huon to die AFter that the Earle of Flanders had spoken the Earle of Chalons rose vp and said My Lord of Flanders your reason is good and you haue spoken like an Noble man but I know surely that the King will doe nothing at our desires But Sirs if ye thinke it good let vs all put the whole matter vpon Duke Naymes of Bauyer and all that hee will say let vs agrée thereto then all the Lords accorded together and sayd how the Earle of Chalons had sayd right well Then they came to Duke Naymes and desired him that he would take the charge of that matter vpon him and whatsoeuer he did they were all agreed thereto when the Duke heard them he stood still a certaine space and beganne to studie on the matter and tooke all the tenne Peeres to counsell with him And when the faire Escleremond saw Huon her husband in that danger among them with whom he should haue béene in ioy then she beganne sore to wéepe and sayd Ah Huon I sée here great pouertie when in the same proper towne whereas you ought to be Lord to be in this danger and beside that ye are not beleeued nor heard of any man that is here for any proofe or witnesse that yee can say or shew King Charlemaine will not beléeue that you haue béene in the Citie of Babylone and yet surely there you haue beene for I saw you there slay my Father the Admirall Gaudys and tooke his beard and drew out of his mouth foure of his greatest teeth great pitie it were if you should die for your truth and faythfulnesse but the thing that most feareth me is that I sée none that be héere likelie to be a Noble man except the King who is chiefe of all other and yet me thinkes hee is full of falshood for I sée none other but he that séekes your death But I promise to God that if hee suffer you to haue this wrong and thus to die I say then as for my part that Mahound is better worth then your King Charlemaine and it be so that you receiue death without a cause I will neuer more beléeue in your king but renounce his law and beléeue in Mahound There were many Lords and knights that heard the Ladies words whereof they had such pitie that the most part of them beganne to wéepe And when Huon heard his wife he turned toward her and sayd Ladie I desire you to leaue your sorrow and trust in God almightie who so oftentimes hath succoured vs you know not what he will doe let vs bee content with his good pleasure Thus with such words Huon appeased the fayre Escleremond And Duke Naymes who was in counsell with the other Peeres sayd to them Sirs I haue great sorrow at my heart bicause of these two Brethren so that I cannot tell what counsaile to find I desire you all in this waightie matter to counsaile me and shewe mee your opinions therein Sir quoth the Lords other counsaile you shall not haue of vs for we haue layde all the matter vppon you to doe therein what it shall please you Sirs quoth the Duke to dissemble the matter auayleth not but since that Huon must passe by iudgement how say you shall he be hanged or drawne Sir quoth Gaulter who was the first speaker mée thinkes he can escape none otherwise Ah Traytour quoth the Duke thou liest falsely for it shall not follow after thy councell whether thou wilt or not there is no man this day that shall be so hardie as to iudge him to die therefore Sirs yet shew me againe whether yée will agrée to my councell Sir quoth they wée haue laid the charge vpon you the which we will all abide by but whosoeuer was glad Gaulter was sorowfull angrie for he would haue consented to the death of Huon Then all the Barons right sad and pensiue went out of the counsell Chamber and they could find no manner of wayes how to saue Huon but they all prayed to God to aide and succour him And Huon seeing the Barons comming so sadly together thought that the matter was not at a good poynt whereby hee beganne sore to weepe when Escleremond and Gerames saw the sorrow that Huon made they had great pitie thereof Then Huon beheld Duke Naymes for he knew well all the matter lay in his hands he feared greatly the iudgement that should be made vpon him and said Thou very God and man as I beléeue verily that thou didst die on the holy crosse to redeeme vs all and that on the third day thou didst rise from death to life I require thee humbly in this great neede to succour me as truely as I am in the right for more wrong no man can haue Then the Duke Naymes of Bauier came to the king and sayd Sir will it please you to heare what we haue deuised Yea quoth the king I desire nothing else to know Well Sir quoth the Duke then I demaund of you in what place of your Region thinke you to iudge one of your Peeres of Fraunce Naymes quoth the King I know well you be a Nobleman and all that you say is to deliuer Huon of Bourdeaux but I will ye know all shall not profite him Then the Duke sayd Sir to say so ye doe great wrong Therefore sir regard well in what place you will haue one of your Peeres iudged if you know not where it should be done I will shew you In your Realme are but three places to doe it in The first is the Towne of Saint Omers the second is Orleance and the third is Paris and therefore Sir if you will proceede vpon Huon by iustice it is conuenient that it bee done in one of these three places for here in this town he cannot be iudged Naymes quoth the King I vnderstand well why you say this I well see and perceiue that you entend to none other end but to deliuer and quit Huon I had thought to haue entreated him by the order of iustice to the intent that none of you should haue reprooued mee therefore I ordained that he should haue beene iudged by you that bee the Péeres of France and I sée well you haue done nothing therein and therefore as long as
faylest them at time of néede that serue thée nowe I may well say that with thy gracious ayd yet I shall once more see my Wife and my child thus Huon saide to himselfe beholding both Battailes fighting Chap. CXXIII ¶ How the City of Colanders was taken by the Admirall of Persia after he hadde wonne the Battaile and of the great ioy that was made vnto Huon when hee was knowne by the Admirall of Persia and his Cozen Barnard WHen the Admirall of Persia sawe and perceiued that they of the Towne were yssued out he marched foorth his Battailes and set vpon his enemies there was great slaughter made on both parts but at the last they of the Citie had the worst for the christian men were of a greater number then the Paynims and Sarazins that were yssued out wherefore they were constrained to graunt the Victorie to their enemies the Paynims retired fled towards their citie and the Admirall Barnard with their company chaced slew them that it was pity to sée it Finally the Admirall oppressed them so sore that hee entred into the Citie with them and Barnard and his companie and slew and beat down the Sarazins that great maruaile it was to see the bloud that ranne through the stréets When the Admirall saw that hee had the victorie then hée commaunded to cease slaying and that all such as would beleeue in our Lorde God their liues should bee saued and their goods and so all such as would not bee christened should bee slaine incontinent and none spared the which was done many of them receiued Christendome and as many as woulde not receiue it were all slaine Thus as this Citie was taken then Huon who was entred into the Citie with the Admirals men came to the Pallaice whereas hee sawe the Admirall and all the Barons and Barnard his Coozen Huon had still his Mall vppon his necke and when he came into the Hall he put off his helmet and saluted the Admirall and all the other that were there When the Admirall and his Lords saw Huon the great ioy that they had no tongue can tell Oh right déere and vertuous Knight quoth the Admirall your comming doth so reioyce me that I cannot tell whether I dreame or not you are much bound vnto God that hee hath giuen you the grace to saue you from perill Then the Admirall embraced Huon and you may well know that Barnard his Coozen had great ioy and so had all the other and then the Admirall sayd vnto Huon Sir I pray you to shew mee what aduentures you haue had since you departed from vs Then Huon shewed them all as yée haue heard héere before and how he escaped When the Admirall and the other vnderstood Huon they were neuer so amazed and abashed in all their liues of that hée was so escaped from the handes of the Diuell and sayd that hée was much bound vnto God they were all glad and right ioyfull for the comming of Huon and especially Barnard Then the Captaine of the Citie who had newly receiued Christendome came vnto Huon and sayd Sir I require you to desire the Admirall to bée my good Lord and Maister for I promised faithfully to abide heere in this Towne as his good and true Seruant keeping firmely the christian faith the which I haue newly receiued When Huon saw the Captaine who had receiued him into his house at his first comming into the Citie he went vnto the Admirall and said Sir I require you to giue the keeping of this Citie vnto this noble man and he to hold it as his owne and to doe homage vnto you for it Sir quoth the Admirall all that you will I am agréeable vnto I graunt it him for the loue of you Then Huon thanked the Admirall the Captaine seeing the great and rich guift that the Admirall had giuen vnto him for the loue of Huon he had great maruaile of the great Larges and courtesie that was done vnto him by the meanes of Huon and then hee kneeled downe before them and thanked them and did homage vnto the Admirall in the presence of all the Lordes and Barons and promised truely to keepe the Citie against all men that would doe any dammage thereunto nor neuer to yeeld it vp vnto any person but all onely vnto the Admirall or vnto him that shall haue his Commission thus as yee haue heard the Citie of Colanders was taken Chap. CXXIIII ¶ Howe the Admirall of Persia and Huon of Bourdeaux and all their Hoast passed by Antioch and by Damas and came to the Citie of Ierusalem to the holy Sepulchre and was nobly receiued by the King of Ierusalem and howe the Souldans Messenger came and defied the Admirall of Persia WHen the Admirall and Huon saw this Citie wonne and brought vnder their obeysance and hadde established there a newe Lorde and Captaine and set Prouostes and Baylifes and other Officers then they tooke aduise together determined since they were a â—and to send backe againe their Nauie of shippes into Persia and they to goe by land to the Citie of Ierusalem for they hadde from thence as they were but Tenne dayes iourney vnto Antioch and so to passe by that Citie and then vnto Damas and so to Ierusalem and there to doe their offering and if by aduenture they founde in their way either Kings or Admirals that would let or trouble them in their passing they sayd that they were of puissance sufficient to resist against them and then they sayd howe that from Ierusalem the Admirall might returne by land into Persia vnto the Riuer of Euphrates and there his Nauie to méet him and so to conuay him vnto his Citie of Thauris and Huon to returne vnto laffe and from thence by water to returne into Fraunce Thus they concluded to doe the which aduise was lauded and praised of all the Lordes and Barons of the Hoast After this conclusion thus taken the Admirall commaunded his shippes to be discharged of all thinges necessary to be caried by lande the which was done diligently according to his commaundement their horses were sette a lande and their Tents and Pauillions trussed vppon Mules and Cammels and Dromodaries the which cariage séemed a great Hoast there were so many together the noyse and brute that they made séemed to be a new world and when all the shippes were discharged the Patrons and Maisters of the Shippes tooke their leaue of the Admirall who commaunded them expresly to abide for him in the Riuer of Euphrates and so they did accordingly Nowe lette vs leaue speakinge of them and returne vnto our former matter When these Shippes were departed and euerie thinge trussed then the Admirall commaunded through-out all the Countrey that all Marchants and other able to doe it should send after his Hoast bread wine and flesh and bisket to vittaile his Hoast and the charge to sée this done was giuen to the newe Admirall of the Citie of Colanders the which he did diligently
that haue before this time made vnto mee fealtie and homage I deliuer you quite into the handes of your right naturall Lord as you haue beene before time and I quit clearely your homages and fealties done vnto mée then they all thanked the Emperour of his good iustice and reason that hee had alwayes done vnto them in the season whiles they were vnder him the Emperour was right ioyfull that they so praised him before Duke Huon and then they came vnto Duke Huon and to the Duches Escleremond his Wife and to Clariet their Daughter and did vnto them their reuerence accordingly Thus they came vnto the Citie of Bourdeaux whereas they were ioyfully receceiued and a cloath of estate was borne before the Emperour vnder the which he road still holding Huon by the hand vntill they came vnto the Pallaice the stréets were strewed with gréene hearbs and rushes and hanged richly the windowes garnished with Ladies and Damsels Burgesses and Maydens melodiously singing whereof the Emperour was right ioyfull the Children running in the Stréetes and crying noel noel for the great ioy and mirth that they had of the comming of their Lord and Ladie When they were come vnto the Pallaice they alighted and went to their Chambers readie appointed for them if I should rehearse the ioyes and sports and solemnities that was made at the noble Citie of Bourdeaux it would bee too tedious and ouer-long to declare it for the feast and chéere was such that no man as then liuing had séen any such the which endured for the space of Eight dayes during the which time the Emperour declared vnto them of that Countrey the Peace that was made betwéen him and Duke Huon and how hee would deliuer all his Landes and Signiories into his handes and clearely acquit euerie man of their fealtie homage to him made whereof euerie man was ioyfull and vppon the Ninth daye that the Emperour should depart he called Duke Huon vnto him and sayd My right déere Fréend he that I loue best in this world if any warre or businesse happen to fall vnto you let mée haue knowledge thereof and I shall send you fortie Thousand men at armes and my selfe in person to come to ayde and succour you Sir quoth Huon of the courtesie that you offer mee I hartely thanke you and alwayes I shall repute my selfe as your true Seruant and faithfull Fréend Then the Emperor went to the Duchesse Escleremond and tooke his leaue of her and of the faire Ladie Clariet her Daughter and embraced and kissed them at his departing and so hee did all the other Ladies and Damsels and gaue euerie one of them some guift hee gaue rich guiftes vnto the Duchesse and to her Daughter and then he tooke his leaue and mounted vppon his Horse and so yssued out of the Citie of Bourdeaux and Duke Huon and the good abbot of Cluny conuayed him about twoo Leagues then they tooke their leaue of the Emperour and of his Lords and Knightes and returned vnto the noble Citie of Bourdeaux Then after that Huon had soiourned there about Eight dayes he road vnto Geronnill and to Blames and vnto all other townes and Castles where he was receiued with great ioy and mirth and set Officers in them then hee returned againe vnto the Citie of Bourdeaux to the Duchesse Escleremond his Wife and after that he had taried there about a Moneth Duke Huon deuised with his Wife in the presence of the good Abbot his Vncle and of Barnard his Coozen and sayd My right déere wife hee that remembreth not the goodnesse done vnto him may bee reputed as vngratefull I say it because you know well that King Oberon hath done vnto vs great good and hath deliuered vs out of many great perils of death and as you sawe but lately by the twoo Knightes that rescued you from the death and from the daunger that you were in and you knowe well that the last time that Kinge Oberon departed from Bourdeaux hee gaue mee all his Realme of the Fayrie and the puissance that he hath there and he made mée to promise him that after that Foure yeares were passed that I should come vnto him and that he would then put me in possession of his Realme and hée saide that if I failed my day hée would vtterly destroy me you know well what hath fallen vnto me before this by breaking of his Commaundement and therefore déere Lady and Wife it is necessarie that I goe vnto him and I shall leaue with you Barnard who shall haue the kéeping of my Landes and of you and as for my Daughter I will leaue her with the Abbot héere mine Vncle who I desire héere before you that hee will kéepe and gouerne my Daughter Clariet and with him I will leaue all my riches and precious stones that I brought with mée to the entent to marrie her so that it be to a man of great valour but I will not that shee bee maried vnto any person for riches but a person that is worthy and valiant I would should haue her for she hath and shall haue riches ynough for her selfe and for a man of great authoritie Faire Nephew quoth the Abbot your going shall be displeasing vnto me if I might amend it if God will no man liuinge shall haue your Daughter my Néece in marriage except hee bée a man of a high Parentage and garnished with vertues and good manners and as for your riches pearles and Iewels shee shall not néede to haue any thereof for I haue Treasure and riches ynough to marrie her nobly Chap. CXLI ¶ How Duke Huon deuised with the Duchesse his Wife of his departing and how shee sayd that she would goe with him And how hee left his Daughter and Land and Signiories in the keeping of his Vncle the good Abbot of Cluny and of Barnard his Coozen WHen the Duchesse Escleremond had well heard her Husband the Duke make his deuises to goe vnto Kinge Oberon you may well beléeue that she had great dolour and gréefe at her heart and then all wéeping shée kneeled downe before her Husband and said My right deare Lord and if God will you shall not goe on foote but that I will goe with you if you take any ill or annoyance I will haue my part and if you haue any good aduenture I will haue my part with you for your long absence hath béen right hard for mée to endure Faire Ladie quoth Huon I pray you to forbeare your going and abide héere with your Daughter for the Voyage shall bée sore for you to doe here I shall leaue Barnard my Coozen and mine Vncle the good Abbot and they shal be vnto you as Fathers Sir quoth she I shall haue many sorowes to abide héere without you I had rather to endure whatsoeuer God shall send vs together then to abide héere without your companye Thus yée haue heard héere before that for any excuse or reason that Huon could shew vnto the Duchesse
â—et vs returne vnto our former matter and speake of faire Clariet Daughter vnto King Huon who was at the noble Citie of Bourdeaux Chap. CXLVIII ¶ How the Kinge of Hungary and the Kinge of England and Florence Sonne vnto the Kinge of Aragon desired to haue in mariage the faire Ladie Clariet and how shee was betrayed by Brohart and howe Sir Barnard was drowned and of the euils that the Traytour Brohart did vnto the faire Ladie Clariet and how he dyed at the last YE haue heard heere before how King Huon and Quéen Escleremond when they departed from the Citie of Bourdeaux they left their Daughter in the kéeping of the good Abbot of Cluny her Vncle who grew and dayly amended in such sort that when shee came to the age of Fifteene yeares for her excellent beautie her renowme was so great in euerie Country that there was neyther King nor Duke but desired to haue her in mariage so that the Abbot and Barnard her cozen hadde great businesse to giue each of them their answeare to be content One was the King of England another the king of Hungarie and the other was Florence Son vnto the king of Aragon but especially the kinge of Hungarie would haue hadde her the good Abbot answeared the king of Hungaries Ambassadours and so to all the other that vntill he had heard some newes from Duke Huon her Father hee coulde not agree to any marriage for her but if they woulde returne againe by the Feast of Saint Iohn next following then he would be content to hold a day of communication of marriage in the Towne of Blay whereto the kinge of Hungarie was content and so were all the other Ambassadours And when the day came the good Abbot tooke his way vnto Blay to bee there against the comming of the Kinges of England Hungarie and Florence Sonne to the king of Aragon the good Abbot left the Ladie Clariet in the keeping of Barnard her coozen who loued her entirely and when the Abbot was come vnto Blay hee made the Towne to bee hanged richly for the comming of the sayde kinges And the third day after the Abbot came thether first came to the Towne the king of England who anon after he was alighted and somewhat rested he leapt vppon his horse againe and went a hunting into the landes then afterward came the kinge of Hungarie in goodly array he alighted at the Pallaice whereas the Abbot receiued him with great ioy then afterward entred Florence with a noble companie The Abbot did salute them all one after another saying how that he and the whole Towne were at their commaundement and they thanked him There was a false Traytour borne in Bourdeaux who had heard all the conclusion that the Abbot hadde taken with these Princes and that was that they should sée the Ladie and hee that pleased her best should haue her in marriage this Traytour that heard that conclusion thought within himselfe that he would let that matter if he could and haue her himselfe this Traytours name was Brohart he departed from Blay sore desiring to attaine to his false Enterprize hée tooke a little Ship and sayled incontinent vnto Bourdeaux then in hast he went on shoare and fayned himselfe as though he had great businesse to doe so hée came to the Pallaice whereas he found the faire Ladie Clariet and Barnard leaning in a window deuising together Then Brohart saluted Barnard and the Ladie all smiling Brohart quoth Barnard the matter must bee good that I sée you come smiling I pray you to shew vnto mee how doth the good Abbot of Cluny my Coozen and how hath he receiued the Princes that be come to Blay Barnard quoth the Traytour know for troth that in all your life you neuer saw such noblenesse as is nowe in the Towne of Blay and therefore Sir hastily before the matter goeth any further the good Abbot of Cluny who is Vncle to my Ladie héere present sendeth you word by mée that incontinent assoone as night commeth that priuily my Ladie Clariet be made readie and apparelled and disguised like a man and you and I to bringe her vnto Blay to her Vncle the Abbot of Cluny and that to morrowe about noone you ordaine Damsels to come after and to bringe with them all her riche roabes and apparell to array her therein when time shall bee and that wee take with vs some of her apparel to put on when shee comes there vntil all her other apparell commeth and the cause why that her Vncle sendeth now for her so priuily is that she should see all them that desireth her in marriage for out of the Chamber whereas shee shal be in shee shall see them all one after another out at a secret windowe When Barnard heard the vnhappie Traytour wéening that all that he had sayd had béen true because he was a man of credence therefore he beléeued his wordes Alas why did he so for a more vild Traytour there was not from thence to Rome his Father and his Brethren were so all but Barnard beléeued him because hee went with the Abbot then Barnard sayd vnto Clariet Ladie you must make you readie to depart assone as night cometh and you must be apparelled as Brohart hath shewed to the entent that you bee not perceiued vntill you come to Blay to your Vncle the Abbot Barnard quoth the Ladie since it is the pleasure of mine Vncle and of you it is great reason that I doe it then she went into her chamber and apparelled her with her priuie Damsels and they laughed at her when they saw her in mans apparell and the cruell Traytour did so much that hee got a little Shippe and brought it readie to the Posterne of the Pallaice and he had gotten ready a great stone and tyed thereto a cord then he came vnto Barnard and sayd Sir it is full time to depart that we may bée at Blay before it bee midnight Then Barnard came to the Ladie whome hee founde readie to depart and saide all smiling Faire Ladie you resemble well to bee a gentle Squier Barnard put his sword about him and tooke the Ladie by the arme and sayd Come on Companion it is time wée goe Brohart went on before and Barnard and the Ladie went after arme in arme and so went on to the Posterne so primly that no man perceiued them then Brohart entred into the Shippe first and tooke Clariet by the hand and led her to the end of the Shippe and then Barnarâ— entred Brohart softly did let the stone slip into the water and held the cord still in his hand and sayd vnto Barnard Sir I doe this because the Shippe shall not goe too fast vntill we bee past the middle of the streame and sayde vnto Barnard Sir holde you this cord in your hand vntill we be past the hye streame and then wee shall drawe it vp againe Barnard who thought none ill did as the Traytour saide then they
Peter answeared and sayd Sir beware blame her no more bee content with that you haue done alreadie it may be that the Damsell is of as hy a Lineage as your Sonne wherefore such time may come that you may be déerely rewarded peraduenture the Damsell was stollen away by some ill Tyrant shee hath béen ill entertained with you when you would so cruelly haue slaine her Cozen quoth the Kinge the matter is ill come to passe for her sake you haue slaine many of my men the which I pardon you but as for the Damsell I will set her in prison in a Tower out of the which she shall not depart and I will shew my Sonne that shee is drowned in the Sea and I will kéepe her in prison till my Sonne hath forgotten her or else hath taken another wife then I will deliuer her and send her into some other Countrey whereas she shal be better entertained When the Earle Peter heard the King say so he agréed to his saying and thought that aduise to bee good and was content with that he had saued her life then the King opened the chamber dore and so came into the Pallaice then he sent for the damsell and then shee was set in prison in a Tower and the Kinge commaunded to a secret Seruant that hee shoulde sée that the Damsell should want nothtng for her liuing and charged him vppon paine of his life to kéepe the matter secret and hee charged all those that knewe thereof in any wise to shewe Florence his Sonne nothinge of her Then hee closed vp the dore with stone to the entent that shee shoulde not yssue out and left nothing open but a little windowe towards the Towne of Courtoys wherein her meate was put other windowes there were opening vppon the fields the which gaue great ligght into the house Thus the faire Ladie Clariet was closed vp into the Tower whereas shee hadde good leasure to wéepe and wayle Now let vs leaue speaking of the Ladie and speake of Florence who was in the Battaile Chap. CLIIII ¶ How Florence discomfited his enemies and tooke the King of Nauarre and led him into the Towne and deliuered him to the King his Father and howe Florence deliuered him againe quit because that his Father shewed vnto him that the faire Damsell was drowned YE haue well heard heere before how the Earle Peter of Aragon departed from Florence and returned into the Citie for he could not cause Florence to leaue the battaile whereas hee did maruailes for the loue of the faire Ladie Clariet whome he trusted to wed hee slew so many of his enemies that the fields were couered with the dead bodies When the king of Nauarre his Vncle sawe that hee was right sorrowfull to see his men so slaine then hee came against Florence his Nephewe and sayd Ah thou vnkind Nephewe cursed bee you I shall neuer haue ioy at my heart as long as I see thee aliue thou hast done me this day great dammage I had rather dye an ill death then not to be reuenged of thée wherefore I require thee to Iust with me I challeng thy Land the which shal be mine thou shalt neuer be Lord thereof Florence answeared and sayd I shall not refuse the Iustes then hee put vp his sword and tooke a great speare and so ran against the king his Vncle and the king came against him and they met together so rudely that the Kinges Speare brake all to péeces but Florence Speare was bigge wherewith he strake the kinge so rudely that hee fell to the earth with his feete vpward and he fell so sodenly that he lay in a traunce and before hee could bee recouered Florence tooke him by the ventale of his helmet and sayd Nauarre before I sleepe I shal deliuer you Prisoner into the handes of a faire Damsell whome I loue entirely for in all the world there is none like her in beautie if you refuse thus to doe with my Sworde I shall incontinent strike off your head from the shoulders the king sayd hee was content to fulfill his pleasure and to yéeld himselfe Prisoner Then Florence tooke his Sworde from him and made him to mount vppon his horse and to ride before him towardes the Towne and deliuered him to the keeping of Tenne knightes and Florence road after with his sword in his hand all bloudie the crie and noyse beganne to bee great among the Nauarnes they enforced them on all parts to haue rescued their king but they coulde not come in time for by that time Florence was within the gates of the Citie whereas hee was right ioyfully receiued When the Nauarnes sawe howe they lost their labour and how their king was entred into the Citie they were right sorrowfull and came before the Barriers and skirmished and wan but little and so returned with small profit and sorrowfull for the losse that they had receiued that day for the fieldes were couered with dead men Thus they returned to their Tents and Pauillions and the Aragons entred into the Citie of Courtoys with great ioy and when they were in the Citie then Florence tooke the king of Nauarre his Vncle by the hand and led him to the Pallaice and there alighted and went into the Hall whereas he found king Garyn his Father who hadde great ioy of his comming When he saw his Sonne Florence bring his enemie Prisoner he embraced his Sonne and sayd My right déere Sonne I am right ioyfull of your comming Father quoth Florence I haue done so much by the ayd of our Lord Iesus Christ that I haue taken your enemie Prisoner whom I render into your handes to do with him at your pleasure Nowe I will that you kéepe your promise with mée séeing I haue quit mine now it is time that you deliuer vnto me the Damsell whom I shall make Quéen and Ladie after your decease When the king vnderstood his Sonne he was all in a rage and said Faire Sonne leaue thy folly and take such a Wife according to thine estate and thinke no more of that new Fondling for know for troth I haue caused her to be cast into the Sea whereas shee is drowned Thou art a Foole to thinke that I will suffer after my decease that a poore Caitiffe new-found should bee Ladie and Quéene crowned of such a Realme beware in as much as thou thinkest to displease me that thou bee not so hardy as to speake or remember any more the new-found Damsell When Florence heard the Kinge his Father say howe the Damsell was drowned in the Sea his bloud mounted into his face and his heart was so oppressed and so heauie that he had no power to speake and such a maruailous colde sweat tooke him that there was no vaine nor member in his bodie but trembled for anger and sorrow that was in him so that he had no power to sustaine himselfe but fell downe to the earth in a great traunce in such sort that euerie man there
the Castle thinking to haue won it but they found there such defence and resistance that that which they did there was small to their profit yet the assault endured vntill the next day and at last they were constrained to withdraw from the Castle a great space Florence who was within cryed to them and sayd Ah yée false Villaines yée haue slaine my men but if God suffer me to liue their deathes shall bee déerely bought When the Paynims saw that they could not attaine to the Castle they blew the retrait euerie man returned to their owne house Then Sorbarre said to Florence and his company Sirs I aduise you to leape on your horses for now the Paynims are returned to their Lodgings wearie of their trauaile and many of them sore hurt and they are in great feare I know their conditions well ynough and because that after trauaile labour a man is féeble and full of feare and nowe euerie man is in his owne house and vnarmed to be at their ease therefore I counsaile that incontinent we yssue out and set vpon the Towne Then Florence and all the other sayd Sir as you haue deuised we are readie to doe it for a more noble counsaile was neuer giuen Then euerie man made him readie yssued out of the Castle and Florence and Sorbarre went before them and rested not vntill they were entred into the Town for their entring could not bee defended because the Castle ioyned to a corner of the Towne then they made a great crie and spread abroad in the Towne and put in fire in diuers places and slewe downe the Paynims in the stréets and Market places finally they did so much by force of armes that they brought the Towne vnder their subâ—ection and the Inhabitants thereof all slaine and all the Christian Prisoners rescued who had great ioy when they saw Florence their Lord whome they thought had béene dead Great riches that day was wonne in that Towne the which was giuen and parted vnto them that had deserued it and Florence gaue to the Christian Prisoners great riches Thus when the Towne was wonne and the riches thereof put into their Shippes they all departed and sette fire on all the Citie then they went into the Castle whereas the Damsell Clariet was who had great ioy when she saw Florence her Louer and then Sorbarre who had great desire to depart from thence tooke all the Treasure riches and had it into their ships and victualled them with all thinges necessary then when it was day in the morning they departed from the Castle and went to their Ships with great ioy Florence holding his Loue by the hande said vnto her Deere Loue king Garyn my Father hath sent to seeke for me all about both by land and by water and these that bee come heere with these Shippes were sent forth by the Kinge my Father to search for me When the Damsell heard that Florence would bring her againe to his Father she hadde great feare and said Sir yâ—u know right well the great hate and displeasure that your Father hath to you and me for God sake sir let vs goe some other way Déere Loue quoth Florence haue no feare of my Father for if you had shewed your nâ—me what you bee before this time it had eased vs of much paine Ah Sir quoth shee it is not as you wéene it were Well quoth Florence it is sufficient for me as it is then they 〈◊〉 vp their sayles and so sayled vntill they were farre off 〈◊〉 that Land and Sorbarre was right ioyfull in that he had saued the Christian men and for the loue of Florence he forsooke his owne lawe and his countrey then hee sayd vnto Florence Sir my bodie and goods I abandon to you in such wise that I shall neuer leaue you for life nor death Sir quoth Florence of the goodnesse and troth that you haue shewed mee I thanke you and I shall neuer haue penny worth but the halfe shall be yours Now let vs leaue speaking of them sayling ioyfully vppon the Sea towards Aragon and let vs speake of king Garyn who was besieged within the Citie of Courtoys by his brother in lawe the king of Nauarre Chap. CLXI ¶ How King Huon Kinge of the Fayrey sent two of his Knightes to the two Kinges and how he appeared betweene them with a great number and of the Peace that he made between them WEll haue yee heard before how that after the King of Nauarre had taken King Garyn prisoner and that Truce was taken for a certaine space and then each of them to shew their powers so it fell that two daies before the breaking vp of the truce and that their ayds and puissances were assembled together the one partie within the Citie and the other without with the Kinge of Nauarre who sore threatned King Garyn because hee had banished away his Sonne Florence his Nephew and sayd that hée had rather die then such an ill King should not be punished this King of Nauarre had assembled such a number of people that the Valleys and Hils were couered with men of warre the night before the Truce brake vppe there was hearde in the ayre a fearefull voice the which when it began to speake the earth trembled and thundred and lightned in such sort that all they that were assembled aswell they within as without had such feare that they were likely to haue run away Then the voice began to speake and sayd Sirs ye that be here in the field readie to fight of both parties make no hast to ioyne together in Battaile for such ayd and succour shal be sent to you both that yee shal be all ioyfull Therewith the voice passed away and was heard no more whereby both parties were abashed all the night they were at their prayers beséeching God to ayd succour them King Garyn was sore abashed when he heard the voice and said Oh good Lorde if these people that are assembled bee slaine by my meanes for me my soule shall be lost for euer Alas my Son Florence I was ill counsailed when I chased you away from me and I did great sin when I put you in prison I am wearie of my life it is no matter though I die and I am more sorrie for you my déere Sonne whome I haue betrayed and driuen away without a cause alas by my meanes this Realme will be wasted and destroyed the which you ought to haue after me Therewith he swounded among his Lordes so that they all thought he had béene dead whereof they sore complained and at last the king came againe to himselfe then his Lordes comforted him and so bad him to heare Seruice and after seruice there appeared sodenly before him two goodly young Knightes the one was Gloriant and the other Mallabron they were twoo Knights of the Fayrey then they all smiling saluted the King and sayd Royall King Huon of Bourdeaux saluteth thée
Roome Croissant their Sonne grewe amended in all thinges he delighted to take his pleasure in all sports and he made to be proclaimed Iusts and Tourneys and gaue large guiftes to Ladies to Knightes none went from him without some guift he tooke great pleasure to giue guifts so that hee was praised of euerie man howbeit diuers ancient and wise men sayd if Croissant our yong Prince deale thus with the Treasure that his Father left him it will be much wasted and such as nowe follow him will forsake him when they sée that he hath no more to giue as they did indéed as yee shall heare for he gaue to them that were poore whereby they were made rich who after would not giue him one morsell of bread he was so liberall and so great a spender that all the Treasure that his Father had left him he gaue it away so that many complained greatly of his bountie and Larges for he gaue away so much that he was forced to diminish his estate and was forsaken of all them that were woont to serue him because he had no more to giue them so that when they met him they would turne to another way and when he knewe that he had so great shame that he determined to depart priuily out of the Countrey and to goe séeke his aduentures for he sawe well that he had giuen away and lent so much that he could not then find one man that would lend him one penny Then with that which was left he bought two good horses and mounted on the one and vppon the other a Varlet and a Male behinde him and therein a Gowne and his shirts hose and shooes and he had in his purse no more but one Hundred ◠for his expences and in a Morning he departed from Roome to the intent he should not be perceiued and road so long by his iourneys that hee was farre off from the Citie of Roome more then Foure dayes iourney Now let vs leaue speaking of him till time shall be to returne to him againe Chap. CLXXIIII ¶ How they of Roome sent to the King Guymart of Puylle to the entent that he should come and gouerne that Countrey and to be their Lord because that Croissant was a Child and had giuen and wasted all that he had and how Guymart came thether and was receiued as Lord. AFter that the Barons and Senatours of Roome were aduertised that their young Lord Croissant was departed from the Citie and that he had wasted and spent al the Treasure that he had then they assembled at the Capitoll and there was one sayd Cursed is that land whereof the Lorde is a Child as yée may well perceiue by our young Lord Croissant who hath spent all and giuen away the great treasure that his Father had left him verie badly should he gouerne his Land and Countrey when he cannot kéepe that which is closed fast in his Coffers and therefore mine aduice is that wee send to King Guymart of Puille who is alreadie of the mind to come and besiege vs because he knoweth well that we be without a Lord and therefore mine aduice is that wée send vnto him a noble Ambassage desiring him to come to this Citie of Roome and say that this Citie shall doe to him obeysance it is better to send betimes then too late to the intent that neither he nor none of his doe any dammage to the Landes of Roome All they that were there agréed to his saying and so they sent to him who receiued the Ambassadours right honourably and so he came to Roome whereas he was receiued for their Lord peaceably But before he entred into Roome they went and mette him and with great ioy brought him into the City with Trumpets and Drummes blowing before him vntill he came to the Church of Saint Peter and there hée offered and kissed the Reliques whereof he made his oath such as Emperours are accustomed to make he to defend and kéepe Roome the Empire Then hée went to the Pallaice whereas hée was receiued of the noble men and of the people then hee gouerned Roome in good peace and iustice Nowe lette vs leaue speaking of him and returne to Croissant Chap. CLXXV ¶ Howe Croissant arriued at Nise in Prouaunce and came to the Earle Remon who was besieged by the Sarazins and of the honour that the Earle Remon did to Croissant and howe hee gaue him his banner to beare and made him Knight and of the great enuie that the Earles Sonne had at Croissant AFter that Croissant was departed from Roome and his Varlet with him and had well séen that in all Rome they set nothing by him because hee had no more guifts to giue them Then hee road through Romania and Lombardie and passed Piemont and then came into Daulpheney and when hee came into the Towne of Grenoble it was shewed him that in Prouaunce there was a noble Prince named Earle Remon of Saint Giles who was besieged by land by water in the Towne of Nise by the King of Granado the King of Belmarin who day and night made great assaults to the Citie and they had sworne and made promise that they would neuer depart from thence vntill they had wonne that Towne and slaine the Earle Remon When Croissant heard those good newes the hardy prowesse wherewith hee was garnished and repleat set him into so hye a will that hee thought the Sarazins flew to the ayre and that he would raise their siege before it be night and for the burning desire that he had hee thought to goe thether to prooue his vertue against the Paynims so when he had rested his horse he and his Squier mounted and rested not vntill he came to Nise in an Euening late hee there arriued without perceiuing of them of the siege for as then they were all in their Tents because a little before there hadde béene at the gate a great Skirmish wherefore the Sarazins were wearie of their trauaile and also on that part that Croissant arriued there were no Sarazins lodged Then hee came to the gate and prayed the Porter to let him enter and when the Porter saw there were no more but two persons and that hee was a Christian hee suffered him to enter without any refuse And when Croissant sawe that hee was in without any danger he was ioyfull then he came to one of the best lodgings in the Towne and there he alighted and supped with his host because it was too late to goe that night to the Court there he tarried all that night vntill the next morning then hee went to the Pallace whereas he found the Earle Remon deuising with his Lordes and Knights of the déedes of warre then Croissant saluted the Earle and all his Lordes When the Earle saw the young man he greatly beheld him and thought that in all his life he had neuer séen so goodly a person and thought that hee was come of some noble
the great Cittie of Thauris in Persia chap. 112. How Sir Barnard departed from the Abby of Cluny and went to seeke for Huon his Cozen whome hee found at the Port of the great Cittie of Thauris chap. 113. How Huon of Bourdeaux and Barnard his Cozen acknowledged themselues each to other and shewed the discourse of their aduentures chap. 114. Howe the Admirall of Persia did great honour to Huon of Bourdeaux and led him into his Pallaice whereas hee was receiued with great ioye and triumph chap. 115. How the Admirall by reason of the Apple that Huon gaue him to eat he became of the age of Thirtie yeares whereby he and all the people of Persia and Media were christened and of the great honor that the Admirall made vnto Huon chap. 116. Of the complaints that Huon made to the Admirall of Persia vpon the Emperour of Almaine and of the succours that the Admirall promised to Huon chap. 117. How the Admirall of Persia assembled much people and he and Huon with all their Armie tooke the Sea and came to the Port before the Cittie of Angory whereas they found a great number of Paynims and Sarazins readie to defend the Port. chap. 118. How the Admirall and Huon tooke the Port and fought with the Admirall of Angory and discomfited him and tooke the Cittie and how afterward Duke Huon went into the Deserts of Abillant to search aduentures chap. 119. How Huon went so long in this Desert that hee found Cain and spake with him a long season how he beguiled Cain deparâ—â—d chap. 1â—0 How Huon departed from Cain passed the Sea in a Vessâ—â— guided by the Diuell who beleeued it had beene Cain and Huon arriued at a Cittie called Colanders whereas hee found the Admirall of Persia and Barnard his Cozen who had layd siege to the Citie Chap. 121. How Huon of Bourdeaux had great ioy when he saw the Admirall of Persia before Colanders where he fought with the Sarazins chap. 122. How the Citie of Colanders was taken by the Admirall of Persia after he had wonne the Battaile and of the great ioy that was made vnto Huon when hee was knowne by the Admirall of Persia and Barnard his Cozen chap. 123. How the Admirall of Persia and Huon of Bourdeaux and all their hoast passed by Antioch and by Damas and came to the Citie of Ierusalem to the holy Sepulchre and was nobly receiued by the King of Ierusalem and how the Souldans Messenger came and defied the Admirall of Persia chap. 124 Of the answeare that the Admirall of Persia made vnto the Souldans Messenger and of the report that he made to his Maister chap. 125. Howe the Admirall of Persia sent for his men that lay at Napelous and caused them to withdraw towards Rames and howe they departed from Ierusalem and how he went to fight with his enemies chap. 126. Now speake we of the great Battaile that was in the plaines of Rames betweene the Souldan of Babylon and the Admirall of Persia the which was discomfited by the Prowesse of Huon of Bourdeaux Chap. 127. How the Admirall of Persia and Media found Huon whereas he had fought with fortie men Sarazins and how the Souldan fled to Acres and how the Admirall of Persia and Media besieged him there and of the strange Vision that Huon had in the night chap. 128. How Huon counsailed the Admirall of Persia to rayse vp his siege before Acres for diuers reasons and to returne into Persia chap. 129. How the Admirall of Persia a greede to the counsaile of Duke Huon and praisâ—ed his saying and of the faire offer that the Admirall of Persia 〈◊〉 vnto Duke Huon of Burdeaux chap. 130. How Duke Huon of Bourdeaux tooke his leaue of the Admirall and of all the other Lordes of Perâ—sa and went and tooke shipping at the Port of Thesâ—râ—e and how he arriued at Marsellis without finding of any strange aduenture Chap. 131. How the good Abbot of Cluny layd an ambushment of men betwene Mascon and Tournous against the Emperour of Almaines Nephewe who was there slaine and all his men whereof the Emperour was so sore vexed and troubled that he tooke the Duchesse Escleremond out of prison to haue burnt her and the three Hundred prisoners of Bourdeaux to haue hanged them all chap. 132. Haw King Oberon sent two of his Knights of the Fayrie that is to saye Mallabron and Gloriant to deliuer the faire Escleremond who should haue beene burnt and the three Hundred Prisoners that shoulde haue beene hanged who were all delyuered by the afore sayde Knights chap. 133. How the Emperour Tirrey made the noble Ladie Escleremond to bee well serued and apparelled and all the other Prisoners but about three weekes after hee made the Ladie and the prisoners to be put againe into prison whereas they were in great miserie chap. 134. How Huon departed from Marsellis and came to his Vncle the Abbot of Cluny in habit disguised and vnto him discouered himselfe wherof the abbot had great ioy and so had Clariet his Daughter Chap. 135. How Duke Huon shewed to his Vncle the Abbot of Cluny all the aduentures that he had since he departed from the Citie of Bourdeaux and how he gaue the Abbot the Apple of youth whereby the abbot became againe to his beautie that hee had when hee was but of Thirtie yeares of age chap. 136. How Huon of Bourdeaux departed from Cluny and went to the Citie of Mayence vppon Friday and how he came nere vnto the Emperours Oratorie chap. 137. How Huon did so much with the Emperour Tirrey that he had peace with him and his wife rendred vnto him and all his Landes and Signiories and how the Emperour brought him vnto the abby of Cluny whereas they found the Abbot in armour not knowing any thing of the peace that was made chap. 138. How the Emperour made good chere vnto Duke Huon of Bourdeaux Chap. 139 How the Emperour arriued at Cluny and how the abbot set vpon him and of the peace that was made and how the Emperour conueyed Huon to Burdeaux and rendred vp all his Lands and of the parting of the Emperour how Huon made prouision to goe to king Oberon chap. 140. How Huon deuised with the Duchesse his Wife of his departing and how shee would goe with him And how hee left his Daughter Land and Signiories in the keeping of his Vncle the Abbot of Cluny and with Barnard his Cozin chap. 141. How Huon tooke leaue of his Daughter and of the good Abbot his Vncle of Barnard his cozin entred into the Riuer of Gerone the Duches with him and of the strange Fortunes that they had chap. 142. How Huon lost all his men and the Ship brake in peeces and how he and the Duchesse saued them selues vpon a board and came and arriued at the Castle of the Monkes chap. 143. How Duke Huon made semblance to haue slaine the Monke holding him fast with the
stole to the entent that hee shoulde shew vnto him the troth chap. 144. How the Monke bare Huon and Escleremond ouer hils and Valleys in the ayre vntill he came into the countrey of King Oberon chap. 145. How Kinge Oberon crowned Huon and Escleremond and gaue them all his Realme and dignitie that he had in the Land of the Fayrie and made the Peace betweene Huon and King Arthur chap. 146. Of the Ordinances that the noble King Oberon made before he dyed chap. 147. How the Kinge of Hungary and the Kinge of England and Florence Sonne vnto the King of Aragon desired to haue in mariage the faire Ladie Clariet and how shee was betrayed by Brohart and howe Barnard was drowned and of the euils that the Traytour Brohart did vnto the Ladie Clariet and how he dyed at the last chap. 148. When the Traytour Brohart drowned Barnard and of theyr aduentures and how Brohart was slaine chap. 149. Of the great sorrow that was made at Blay by the abbot of Cluny and by the Princes of the noble City of Bourdeaux for the faire Ladie Clariet that was stollen away and of the sorrow that was made when they saw Barnard brought in dead by Six men And of the punishment that was done to the Lineage of the Traytour Brohart chap. 150. How the Ladie Clariet al alone came to the Sea-side whereas arriued the Kinge of Granado in a Ship who tooke away Clariet and of other matters chap. 151. How the King forbad his Son Florence that he should not be so harâ—â— as to fall acquainted with the faire Ladie Clariet and how Florence promised the King his Father to deliuer into his hands the King of Naâ—arre prisoner in case that he would bee content at his returne that he might haue the new found Damsell the which the King granted but he did it not for he had drowned her if Peter of Aragon had not bene who rescued and saued her from the death chap. 152. How Florence went to fight with his enemies and how Sir Peter of Aragon returned towards the Towne to bring thether Prisoners and how he rescued the faire Damsell Clariet from drowning and how afterward King Garin caused the Damsell to be closed vp in a Prison chap. 153. How Florence discomfited his enemies and tooke the King of Nauar and led him into the Towne and deliuered him to the King his Father and how Florence deliuered him again quit because that his Father shewed vnto him that the faire Damsell was drowned Chap. 154. How king Garyn put his Sonne Florence into a Tower in prison And how the Damsell escaped out of the Tower and spake with Florence her Louer at an arch vppon the Garden-side and how they were espyed and how she thought to haue drowned herselfe Chap. 155. How the first Watchman found out the Damsell and ledde her into a great wood there by and afterward the same Watchman deliuered Florence out of prison and shewed him the place where the Damsell was and how Florence and Clariet entred into the Sea and how the king went after his Sonne and the Watchman taken Chap. 156. Of the great debate that was in the Pallaice for the Watchmans sake whom the king would haue had to be hanged and how the king of Nauarre tooke the Citie of Courtoys how he departed thence chap. 157. Howe the Ship wherein Florence was and his Loue was taken by the Sarazins and all their companie taken and slaine and led to the Castle of Anfalerne Chap. 158. How Sorbarre the captaine comforted Florence and Clariet and how there arriued Foure Ships with Christian men by fortune of the Sea and how Florence was knowne by them Chap. 159. How Sorbarre and Florence and their companie went into the Towne and robbed and spoyled it and so tooke the Sea with great ioye and triumph and the faire Ladie Clariet with them and tooke their course to sayle towards the Realme of Aragon chap. 160. Howe king Huon King of the Fayrey sent twoo of his knightes to the two Kings And how he appeared between them with a great number and of the Peace that he made between them chap. 16â— How Florence and Clariet arriued there with their companie came to king Huon and of the great ioy that was made at their comming and howe there they were wedded together and the Peace confirmed betweene the two Kinges chap. 162. How king Huon and Queene Escleremond departed and how he gaue great rich guifts vnto the two Kinges and to all other Lordes Ladies Damsels And of the sorrowe that was betweene the Mother and the Daughter at their departing chap. 163. How Queene Clariet was brought to bed of a Daughter at which deliuerance the Queene dyed and how when the young Damsell came to the age of Fifteene yeares the King her Father would haue had her in mariage wherewith all his Lordes were sore troubled chap. 164. Of the great sorrowe that the Damsell I de made when shee heard her Father how he would haue her in marriage And how by the meanes of a noble Ladie and Sorbarre shee departed at midnight and went at the aduenture that God would send her Chap. 165. How Kinge Florence was sorrowfull when hee was aduertized of his Daughters departing who was apparelled like a man and howe shee came into Almaine and how she found certaine Theeues in a Forrest and how she came to Rome to the Emperour like a Squier chap. 166. Howe the Damsell I de was entertained with the Emperour of Roome and howe the Lady Oliue his Daughter was enamoured of Ide weening she had beene a man and how the King of Spaine came before the Cittie of Roome And how the Damsell I de tooke the King of Spaine in Battell and discomfited him Chap 167. How the Emperour of Rome highly receiued the noble Damsell Ide and of the honour that was made vnto her and how the Emperor made her Constable of his Empire And how the King of Spaine was deliuered out of prison and made homage to the Emperour Chap. 168. How the Emperor gaue his Daughter in marriage to the Damsell Ide knowing none other but that she had beene a man and how she was appeached by a Varlet that heard their deuises whiles they were in bed together whereby the Emperor would haue burnt the Damsell chap 169. How God made great miracles for Ide for he made her to change from the nature of a woman to become a perfect man wherof the Emperor and Oliue had great ioy and so Ide and Oliue lay together ingendred a Son named after Croissant and of the death of the Emperor chap. 170. How Kinge Florence sent twoo Knightes to Rome to the Emperour his Sonne desiring him to come see him and to leaue the Empire of Rome to his Sonne Croissant and to set noble men about him to guide him and also to bring with him the Empresse the faire Oliue Chap. 171. How the
in great feare and as much as he might he drew backe from the King and was greatly agreeued for that he had slayne the Kings Sonne not knowing him And blame him not to be much troubled in mind when he sawe no man that appertained to him to ayd him or to maintaine his right but onely the good Abbot of Cluny his Vnckle who could giue him none other ayd but with his words yet he tooke on him courage and right humbly said to the King My Lord I require your grace touch me not but know for troth he that lyeth there dead before you I slewe him in my defence and not knowing that he was your Sonne Charlot for if I had known him I would in no wise haue touched him and you may well know my Lord if I had knowne that it had béene he I would not haue come to you for rescue I would rather haue fled away so farre that no man should haue heard any tydings of me therefore for Gods sake I require you as heartily as I can let mee haue right I submit my bodie to abide the iudgment of your noble Péeres if it can be prooued that I slew Charlot knowing him to be your Son then my Lord let me haue a shamfull death then all the Peeres Barons being there said with a hye voyce how he had spoken reasonably and that if Earle Amerie would any thing say to the contrarie it was time then to speake and to shewe it Chap. XI ¶ How the Traytour Earle Amerie charged Huon before the Emperour that he trayterously with treason pretended had slayne the Kinges Sonne and in that quarrell he appealed Huon to battaile WHEN the King had heard Huon speake he beheld Duke Naymes and desired him to giue his aduice My Lord quoth the Duke I can say none other thing vnto you but as I sayd before demaunde Earle Amerie why he led forth your Sonne all armed and kept the ambushment in the wood to set vpon the two Brethren or else what was it that hee sought for there Then Earle Amerie said My Lord I shall shew you the troth and if I doe otherwise let me dye a shamefull death True it is this night passed your Son sent for me desiring me to ryde with him on hawking and I desired him to abide vntill the morning but he said that he would néeds go afore night then I graunted to goe with him so that he would ryde armed for I doubted the men of Arden to the entent that if we met with any of them wee might be able to resist them and so we did thus we road out of this towne and came into a little wood and there we cast off our Hawkes and there we lost one of them and therewith the same way came the Children of Duke Seuin and there we saw Huon the eldest who is héere present who had taken vp our Hauke your Sonne came in courteous maner vnto him and desired him to render againe his Hauke but the Traytour would not in no wise then Gerard the yonger brother came to your Son and they stroue so together that your Sonne stroke him then Huon without any word speaking lifted vp his sword and so villaynously slew your Sonne then hée and his Brother ranne away so fast that we could not ouer-take them whereof we were sory Thus he knew well your Sonne and he slewe him and if he will say to the contrarie heere is my Gage which I present héere before you and if hée be so hardy as to take it vp I shall make him confesse ere it be night that it is true that I haue said and this I will prooue with my bodie against his Chap. XII ¶ How the Abbot of Cluny would prooue that the saying of Earle Amerie was false and vntrue and how the Earle did cast his Gage against Huon who tooke it vp AFter that Earle Amerie had ended his tale the Abbot of Cluny stept forth and said to the King My Lord you neuer heard so false a tale before as this Traytor Amerie hath sayd for I and foure more of my Monks being Priests here present are readie to sweare and take our solempne oathes that the saying of this Traytour is false and therefore there ought no Gage to be laid in that cause séeing there is true witnesse of the matter Abbot quoth the King the witnesse is to be beléeued Sir Amerie how say you thereto My Lord quoth he I would be loath to speake against the Abbot but the troth is as I haue sayd the Abbot may say as it please him but if Huon be so hardie to deny this that I haue said before you let him come into the field against me and before it be night I shall cause him to confesse it openly When the Abbot heard this he grew offended and looking stearnly vpon Huon sayd Faire Nephew offer your gage for the right is with thée and if thou be vanquished in this quarell if euer I returne into mine Abbey there is no Saint in my Church but I shall with a staffe beat and breake them alâ— to peeces for if God will suffer such a wrong I shall giue such strâ—akes vpon the shryne of Saint Peter that I shall leaue neither gould nor precious stone whole together Vnckle quoth Huon God will I shall not let to take vp his gage for I shall prooue that falsly and vntruly Sir Amerie lyeth as an euill and a false Traytour and shall make him to confesse that I neuer knew that he that I flew was the Kinges Sonne Then the King said that Huon must giue hostage My Lord quoth Huon you shall haue my Brother I cannot deliuer you any that is so néere or deare to me as he is for héere I haue neyther Coozen nor Kinsman that will lay in hostage for mée Faire Nephew quoth the Abbot say not so for I and my Monkes will be pledges for you and if any thing should fall vnto you otherwise then well which God forbid then shame haue King Charlemaine without hée hang vppon gallowes both me and all my Monkes Go too Abbot quoth the King you say ill for I would neuer doe that then sayd the King to Amerie bring in pledges for your part The Traytour answeared My Lord héere be two of my Nephewes shall be pledges for me I am content quoth the King vppon this condition that if thou be vanquished or discomfited I shall cause them to dye an euill death Then the pledges sayd that they would be no pledges vpon that condition let other be pledges who would but they said if the king would take them on the loosing of their Lands they were content and the King graunted them Chap. XIII ¶ How those two Champions came into the feeld whereas they should fight accompanied with their freends THus as ye haue heard both parties deliuered pledges then the King to be in the more suertie put them both in a Tower vntill the day
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
holy Sepulchre he kneeled downe vpon his bare knées and all wéeping made his prayers to our Lord God requiring him to ayd and comfort him in his voyage so that he might returne againe into Fraunce and to haue peace with King Charlemaine And when they all had made their prayers and offered Huon and Garyn went into a little Chapell vpon the mount of Caluerye whereas nowe lyeth the bodies of Godfrey of Bullen and Bauldwin his Brother there Huon called vnto him all those that came with him out of Fraunce and said Sirs you that for the loue of mée haue left your Fathers and Mothers Wiues and Children Lands and Signiories for this courtesie that you haue shewed mee I thanke you Now you may returne into Fraunce againe and humbly recommend mée to the Kinges good grace and vnto all the other Barons and when you come to Bourdeaux do my dutie to the Duchesse my Mother and to Gerard my Brother and vnto the Lords of my Countrey Then Guichard and all the other Knights answeared Huon and said Sir as yet we will not leaue you neither for death nor life vntill we haue brought you vnto the red Sea why then quoth Huon for the great seruice and curtesie that you offer mee I thanke you Then Garyn called two of his seruants and commaunded them to returne vnto his wife and to desire her to be of good chéere and that shortly he would returne the which thing they did and returned and did their messuage When Huon vnderstood that his Vncle Garyn was disposed to abide with him he sayd Faire Vncle you shall not néede to trauaile so much I would councell you to returne vnto your Wife and Children Sir quoth Garyn God will I shall not leaue you no day vntill you returne your selfe Vncle quoth Huon I thanke you of your courtesie then they went to their lodging and dyned and after dinner tooke their horses and so road by Hils and Dales so that if I should recount all the aduentures that they found in their way it should be too long a processe to shew it but as the true Historie witnesseth they suffered much paine and trauaile for they passed such Deserts whereas they found but small sustenance whereof Huon was right sorrowfull for the loue of them that were with him and began to wéepe and to remember his owne Countrey saying Alas noble King of Fraunce great wrong and great sinne you haue done me thus to driue me out of my Countrey and to send mée into a strange Land to the entent to shorten my dayes I pray God to pardon you therefore then Garyn and the other Knights comforted him and said Alas Sir dismay you not for vs God is puissant ynough to ayd vs hée neuer fayleth them that loueth him Thus they road forth in the Desert so long vntill at last they saw a little Cottage before the which sat an old ancient man with a long white beard and his heare hanging ouer his shoulders when Huon perceiued him he drew thether and saluted the olde man in the name of God and of the blessed Virgin Marie then the ancient man lifted vp his eyes and beheld Huon and had great maruaile for of a long season before he had séene no man that spake of God then he beheld Huon in the face and began sore to wéepe and stepping vnto Huon tooke him by the Leg kissed it more then twentie times Fréend quoth Huon I desire you shew me why you make this sorrow Sir quoth he about thirtie yeares passed I came hether and since that time I neuer sawe man beléeuing on the Christian faith and now the regarding of â—our visage causeth me to remember a noble Prince that I haue séene in Fraunce who was called Duke Seuin of Bourdeaux therefore I require you shew me if euer you saw him I pray you hide it not from me Fréend quoth Huon I pray you shew me where you were borne of what lineage and Countrey you be of Nay sir quoth he that will I not doe first you shal shew me what you be and where you were borne and why you come hether Fréend quoth Huon séeing it pleaseth you to know I shall shew you then Huon and all his companye alighted and tyed theyr Horses to Trées When Huon was alighted he sat downe by the old man and said Fréend since you will néedes know my businesse I shall shew you know for troth I was borne in the Citie of Bourdeaux and am Son to Duke Seuin and Huon shewed him all his whole case and Enterprize and of the death of Charlot and how he discomfited Earle Amerie and howe that Charlemaine hadde chaced him out of Fraunce and of the Messuage that he was charged to say vnto the Admirall Gaudise affirming all to be for certaintie When the oulde man hadde well heard Huon he began sore to wéepe Sir quoth Huon since it pleaseth you to know of my sorrowe Duke Seuin my Father is dead seauen yeares past my Mother I trust be aliue and a Brother of mine whome I haue left with her And nowe sir séeing you haue heard of mine affaires I require you giue me your counsaile and aduice and also if it please you to shew me what you be and of what Countrey and how you came into these parts Sir quoth the old man know for troth I was borne in Geronâ—ill am brother to the good Prouost Guyer when I departed thence I was a young Knight haunted the Iustes and Tourneys so that on a daie it fortuned at a Tourney that was made at Poytiers I slew a Knight of a noble bloud wherefore I was banished out of the Realme of Fraunce But my brother the Prouost made such a request to Duke Seuin your Father that by his meanes my peace was made with the King and my land saued vpon condition that I should goe to the holy Sepulchre to punish my bodie for the Knight that I flew and to forgiue my faults Thus I departed out of my countrey and when I had done my voyage I thought to haue returned but as I departed out of the Citie of Ierusalem to take the way to Acres passing by a wood betwéene Ierusalem and Naples there came vpon me ten Sarazins who tooke me and brought me to the Citie of Babilon whereas I was in prison two yeares complet whereas I suffered much pouertie and miserie but our Lord God who neuer fayleth them that serueth him and haue in him full affiance he sent me the grace that by the meanes of a right noble Ladie I was brought out of prison in a night and so I fled into this Forrest whereas I haue béene this thirtie yeares in all this space I neuer saw nor heard man beléeuing in Iesus Christ thus I haue shewed you all mine affaires When Huon had heard the Knights tale he had great ioy and embraced him and saide howe often times he had séene Guyre his Brother the Prouost wéepe for
Mahound I pray you haue pitie on me for I am no slaue but I am Daughter to the Admirall Gaudise of Babylon who is dead and slaine by a Frenchman the Mariners heere haue taken me and would carrie me to mine Vncle king Iuoryn of Mombrance and I know surely that if he had me he would burne me Faire Lady quoth the Admirall dismay you not for yee shall abide with mee whether they will or not then he commaunded the Mariners to bring the Ladie to him but they answered that they would not so doe then the Admirall commaunded to take her from them perforce and then they of the shippe began to make defence But anon they were all slaine and the Lady taken and brought to the Admirall who had great ioy therof howbeit he was sorie because one of them that were in the ship scaped away and fled to Mombrance notwithstanding the Admirall cared not greatly for it séeing he had the Ladie whome he brought into his Pallaice When the Admirall saw her so excéeding faire hee was taken in her loue so that incontinent he would haue married her after the Sarazins law whereof shee was right sorowfull and said Sir reason it is that I doe your pleasure séeing yée haue rid me out of the handes of these Pyrates of the sea But sir I require you for the loue that ye beare me that yee will forbeare your pleasure at this present time for Sir I haue made a faithfull vow and promise that for a yeere and a day from henceforth I will not lye with nor touch any man boldly for the which vow sir I am now sorie eueÌ„ for the loue that I beare to you but Sir I am right ioyfull that yee will doe me so much honor as to haue me to your wife our great god Mahound reward you Now sir for the loue of him I pray you be content vntill my vow be accomplished Faire Ladie quoth he know for troth that for the honour of my God Mahound but more for the loue of you I am content to tarrie this yeere yea and if it were Twentie yeeres to be sure of your loue then Sir quoth she Mahound reward you but she said to her selfe Ah deare Lord god Iesu Christ I humbly require thée to giue me that grace to kéepe my troth to my Louer Huon for ere I shall doe the contrarie I shall suffer as much paine and gréefe as euer womaÌ„ did and I will neuer breake my troth for feare of death Now leaue we to speak of her and say somewhat of the theefe that scaped out of the shippe Chap. XLIX ¶ How the Pyrate fled to Mombrance to Iuoryn and how he sent to defie the Admirall Galaffer of Anfalerne and of the answeare that he had there YE haue heard heere before how the faire Escleremond was receiued by the Admirall Galaffer and of the manner that shee found to keepe her selfe true to Huon and how one of the Mariners scaped away and fledde by land till at last he came to the Citie of Mombrance where he found Iuoryn to whome he shewed all the whole matter as ye haue heard and how his brother the Admirall Gaudise was slaine by a young french knight and how he and his companie found the said knight and his Néece the faire Escleremond whom they had thought to haue brought to him But quoth he the Admirall Galaffer hath taken them from vs by force and hath taken our shippe and slaine all your men that were within it so that none escaped but I alone When king Iuoryn vnderstood the Mariner he said Ah mightie Mahound how hast thou suffered that my brother Gaudise hath thus pitiously been slaine and also my Néece his Daughter to consent thereto certainely the gréefe that I féele at my heart constraineth mée rather to desire death than life And also moreouer to see him that is mine owne Subiect and houldeth his landes of me to keepe my Néece and thus to slay my men Alas I cannot well say what I should doe therein a little thing would cause me to slay my selfe Then in great displeasure he called his Lords and caused the Mariner to come before them there he made him to shew again all the matter bâ—fore them both how his brother the Admirall Gaudise was slaine and also how the Admirall Galaffer held his Néece by force and how he had slaine his men which when the Lords had heard they said thus to Iuoryn Sir our aduice is that yée should send one of your secret messengers to the Admirall Galaffer and commaund him incontinent to send you your Néece and to make amends for that he hath slaine your men and that he send you word by writing what cause hath mooued him thus to doe and if it be so that pride doth so surmount in him that hee will not obey your commaundements then by a iust quarrell ye may goe and make warre vpon him and take from him all his lands that he houldeth of you When Iuoryn vnderstood his Lords he said Sirs I perceaue well your opinion is good and then a Messenger was appointed and his charge giuen him and so he departed and rode so long till he came to Anfalerne where he found the Admirall Galaffer whome he saluted in the name of Mahound and then hee declared his Messuage at length but assoone as Galaffer had heard his messuage he said Friend goe and say to king Iuoryn that as for the deliuerance of his Néece I will not doe it and as for his men that are slaine it was through their owne folly and as touching that I should come to him I will not come to him let him do what he can but if he come to assaile me I shall defend as well as I can When the Messenger heard that he said Sir Admirall séeing yee will doe none otherwise in the name of our god Mahound and in the name of great king Iuoryn héere I defie you he sendeth you woord by me that he will leaue you neither Citie Towne nor Castle but he will put them all to flame and fire nor leaue you one foot of land but also if he may take you ye shall die a shamefull death When the Admirall saw how hee was defyed hee was more inflamed then a burning fire-brand and said to the messenger Go and say to thy Lord that I set nothing by his threatning and if I may know when hée commeth I shall do him that honour that I will not abide till hée enter into my country but I will méete with him before and say vnto him from me that if I can take him I shall soone ryd his soule out of his body So the messenger departed and came to Mombrance where wheÌ„ Iuoryn saw him he said Frend what saith Galaffer will hée send me my Néece Sir quoth the messenger hée will not doe it hée saith hée doubteth you nothing and if yee be so hardy as to come and assayle him then hée will meet
commeth and ouer-runnes all the Country and he hath with him a young man I know not of what countrey hee is of but this last day hée slewe a Nephewe of mine whome I right dearely loued and who was called Sorbryn hée was Sonne to my Sister for whome I haue such sorrowe at my heart that it cannot be appeased and he hath led away his Horse called Blanchardyn the which is the best horse in ten Realmes his like is not in all the world wherefore I desire you as I may deserue your seruice to abide with mée and to doe so much that I might haue the saide younge man taken Prisoner and the horse againe to me restored and if you can this doe I shall so reward you that you shall alwaies be rich and all those in your companie Sir quoth Gerames if hée come any more hether that you shewe mée him I shall doe my best to bring him and the Horse also vnto you Freend quoth the Admirall if you will shew me this courtesie I shall abandon all my Realme to bee at your pleasure and commaundement With these words the old Gerames yssued out of the Ship all his companie and entred into the Citie of Anfalerne with the Admirall Galaffer when they came to the Pallaice Gerames sayd Sir I and my companie require you to shewe vs the Damsell for whose sake you maintaine this war Fréend quoth the Admirall if you were a young man I would not shew her vnto you but I see well you bee olde and ancient wherefore no young Ladie will set any thinge by you then the Admirall tooke Gerames by the hand and led him into the Chamber whereas Escleremond was assoone as the Ladie saw Gerames she knew him wherewith she began to chang colour and fell down in a swound in the Chamber making a great out-crie When the Admirall Galaffer saw that he was right sorrowfull and said Faire Ladie why doe you make this sorrow are you troubled at the sight of this olde man that I haue brought hether Nay surely Sir quoth shée it is for a paine that hath taken mée in the right side whereby I haue often times great annoyance but Sir if it were your pleasure I would gladly speak with this french Knight for customably they know many things and peradueÌ„ture he may shew me such things as shal be for my health for French-men are right discréet in giuing of good counsell Madame quoth the Admirall it pleaseth me well that you speake with him secretly Then the Ladie called Gerames and said Fréend I pray thee giue me some good counsaile that I may be eased of the paine that I endure Madame quoth Gerames for the honour of you and of the Admirall that is héere present I shall ayd you in such wise that you shal be eased of the paine that you endure Then Gerames who was subtill well perceiued the mind of the Ladie then he approached néere vnto her and they sat downe together on a Couch there by Gerames quoth the Ladie I pray you what aduenture hath brought you hether Madame quoth he wee bee come hether by reason of tempest of the Sea but Ladie quoth he I pray you what is become of Huon By my faith quoth she I beléeue hee is dead for when you departed from vs such a maruelous tempest rose on the Sea that all that were in our Shippe were perished and the ship drowned and broken in small peeces except Huon and I we saued vs on a Table of wood wherevpon we arriued in an Isle that was neere vs and when wée were on the Land there came vnto vs Ten Marriners and they tooke me from thence and â—â—it Huon there blindfold his hands and féet fast bound so that he had no power to reléeue himselfe and those Ten Marriners brought me hether and the Admirall Galaffer hath slayn them al therefore I thinke surely that Huon is dead Iesus haue mercie vppon him and thus I am héere with this Admirall who hath assured me to wed mée but as yet he neuer medled with me bodily but I haue made him to beléeue that I made a vowe to Mahound for twoo yeares to come that no man should haue vse of my body and that is for the loue of Huon whome I cannot forget the Admirall hath beleeued me and for as long as I liue I shall neuer forget Huon and shall alwayes be ready to die in the payn to kéepe me from the bodily company of any man liuing Ah Sir Gerames if you might doe so much that I might escape from hence with you you should do me a great courtesie for if I might escape from hence and come into a christian Realme I would yéeld my selfe into some Abbie of Nunnes to the entent that the reasidue of my life I might pray for the Soule of my Louer Huon Madam quoth Gerames be not dismayed for if I can escape from hence whatsoeuer come to me thereof I shall carie you with me Then the Admirall came vnto them and sayd Fréend you hold ouer-long talking with the Damsell come away you haue taried there long ynough then Gerames departed from Escleremond strayning her by the hand and the Admirall Galaffer tooke Gerames by the arme and brought him into the Hall to Supper and after Supper they communed of the Feates of the warre Now let vs leaue speaking of them and returne to King Inoryn of Mombranâ—e and noble Huon who was with him Chap. LVIII ¶ How King Iuoryn came againe before Anfalerne and how Gerames and Huon fought together and at laste they knewe each other And how they entred into Anfalerne and shut the Admirall without NOw sheweth the Historie that about twoo dayes after King Iuoryn had made his course before Anfalerne then Huon came vnto Iuoryn sayd Sir cause your men to be armed and let vs goe visite the Admirall Galaffer for a man that is in warre ought neuer to lye still vntill he hath brought his enemie to vtter ruine for it séemeth that he setteth but little by you when he kéepeth still your Neece against your will hée being your Subiect and one that holdeth his Lands of you Freend quoth Iuoryn you say truely I shall doe by your counsaile then he made to be cryed through the Citie that euerie man should make him readie to go with the King before Anfalerne Huon who was desirous to haue battaile armed him and tooke Blanchardyn his good Horse mounted on him without any stirrop and tooke a great Speare in his hand with a good sharpe head Now the same time as Huon was in the Pallaice king Iuorins daughter was leaning in a window in her chamber accompanied with diuers Ladies and Damsels shee beheld Huon and shée said By Mahound it is a goodly sight to behould yonder young man sitting on the horse Blanchardyn how well he becommeth his armour a goodlier man cannot be found nor a more hardie for the last day he slew Sorbryn the valiantest
her he did of his helmet and ranne and embraced her and when the Ladie saw that it was Huon the ioy that shee had was so great that it was maruaile to sée it there was such ioy at their méeting that it cannot be recounted Huon and the Ladie embraced kissed each other many times and she said Ah Huon ye be right hartily welcome for I thought that I should neuer haue séene you more Ladie quoth Huon I ought greatly to loue and cherish you and I am right ioyfull that it hath pleased God that I haue now found you in good health and prosperitie for a more truer man than ye be there is none liuing When all the companie had made their salutations one to another they went to dinner and were richly serued for there was great plentie in the citie and the Sarazins were without the Citie wheras they fought and slew each other there was such slaying on both parts that the fieldes were couered with dead men and fore wounded many a horse ran about the field and their Maisters lying dead these twoo Kings fought one against the other puissance against puissance and twoo Sarazins that were escaped out of the Citie of Anfalerne came to the Admirall Galaffer and said Ah Sir your Citie is lost by the Frenchmen who be entred into it there is neyther man nor woman therein but they are all slaine the old knight that came to you and his xiij companions be all seruants to the young man that slew your Nephew when the twoo Frenchmen fought one with another they tooke togither acquaintance and they be all subiects to the young man that was with king Iuoryn and it is he that slew the Admirall Gaudise and discomfited the gyant Agrapart we knew him well when he entred into the citie we would haue shewed you thereof but we durst not vntill yee were returned from the battaile Now they be in your Pallaice which pleaseth them for there is neither man nor child liuing but all are slaine except some xxx Ladies and Damsels who were with her that should be your wife and they be put out of the Citie yée may sée them sitting without the gate pitiously wéeping When the Admirall Galaffer heard that he was heauy sorowfull and said to his men that were about him Sirs I pray you hastily giue me some councell what I shall doe for it is néedfull Sir quoth they it is now of necessitie that yée goe to king Iuoryn and knéele downe at his foote and pray him to haue mercie vppon you other councell as now we cannot giue you Sirs quoth Galaffer I shall doe as yée haue said then the Admirall Galaffer with his sword in his hand went through the preasse and came to king Iuoryn alighted from his horse and knéeled downe before him and said Sir King I yéeld to you my swoord with the which if you please strike of my head for well I haue deserued it But Sir I pray you for the loue of Mahound haue mercie of me I offer to make you such amends as you your Lords shall iudge so that yée will aid me to take the Frenchmen that bee in my Citie and haue taken away my wife your Néece Escleremond Sir the young man that yée so loued who came but lately to your Court with a Minstrell is the same Frenchman that slew your brother the Admirall Gaudise these tydings I haue heard by twoo messengers that knew him in your Court and now there are with him xiij other Frenchmen whome I had retayned with me to maintaine my warre but they be al subiects to the yong man and now all xiii bee in my pallace and my wife with them Chap. LIX ¶ How Iuoryn caused Mouflet the old Minstrell to be brought to the gibet to haue beene hanged and how hee was rescued by Huon IVORIN heard Galaffer and saide Alas I was vnhappie that I knew not this yong man that had slaine my brother if I had it shold dearly haue béene bought Therefore Sir Galaffer cause your men to withdraw from the battaile and I shall withdraw mine and I shall know of my Barons what counsaile they will giue me Then both parties blew the retrait and King Iuoryn said to his Lords Sirs what counsaile will yee giue me as touching the Admirall Galaffer Sir quoth they giue him againe his lands since he asketh mercie if he hath done ill he offereth to make amends Then Iuoryn called Galaffer and sayd Sir Admirall I render againe to you all your lands and pardon you of all mine ill will and beside that I shall helpe you to destroy the Frenchmen that are in your citie of Anfalerne Then Galaffer kneeled downe and thanked King Iuoryn for the courtesie that he shewed him and offered to doe and so would haue kissed his feet but Iuoryn would not suffer him but lift him vp Thus these two kings agréed together and sware together to haue the death of Huon and his knights Then Huon and his companie abandoned vp the citie of Anfalerne because hee had so few men to kéepe it and so kept the Castle the which was strong inough standing on a rocke on the sea side it was indéede impregnable so it were well victualled at the corner of the Castle there was a strong towre and vnderneath it was the Port whereas ships came to their anchor When Iuoryn and Galaffer saw that the towne was giuen vp by the Frenchmen they entered into it with all their great puissance and lodged about in the towne but in taking of their lodgings Huon and Gerames and such as were with them shot out darts and quarrelled in such wise that there was not so hardie a paynim that durst peere before the Castle if he did he was slaine or hurt When Iuoryn Galaffer saw the dealing of the Frenchmen they raysed vp a gibbet before the Castle thereby to make the Frenchmen afraide and then they tooke Mouflet the Minstrell and bound his hands behind him so sore that the bloud came out at the nayles then they hanged his violl about his necke and then he was brought before Iuoryn who sayd to him A thou false traitour ill hast thou remembred the goodnesse that my brother Gaudise hath done to thee when he that slew him thou hast brought into my Court thereby to do me despight But I shall neither eate nor drinke till thou hast thy desert and that is to bee hanged Alas quoth Mouflet neuer in all my life haue I done or thought any treason nor knew not that that I brought to your Court him that slew your brother the Admiral Gaudys who was my Lord and Master therefore Sir great sinne it were for you to put me to death for that I am not guiltie of Thou lyest false traitour quoth Iuoryn and so commaunded a thirtie men to leade him to the gallowes and when they were come thither they caused the minstrell to mount vp on the ladder The Frenchmē in the
therewith by feare of the Tempest the Shippe came into the Hauen and caste their anchors Then Huon approached to the Ship and demaunded for the Patron and for the maister of them that were in the ship then the Marriners regarded the place whereas they were and they knew plainly by the great Tower that they were in the Port of Anfalerne whereof they had great feare and sayd one to another Ah good Lord God helpe vs for we sée well wee are but dead séeing wee bée arriued héere in this Port for wée knowe well that the Lord of this place is the most cruellest Paynim betwéen this and the red Sea Thus they complayned them one to another and Huon who was néere them vnderstood them well and sayd Sirs haue yée no doubt of death for yée are arriued at a good Port I require you to shew me from whence you come and what yée bée and they answeared sayd Sir séeing you can speake French we shall shew you so that you will assure our liues Sirs quoth Huon haue no feare of death nor of any hurt that yée shall haue for wee that haue this place in kéeping are French-men therefore shew vs hardly your entents Sir quoth they since you would know what wée bee wée are all borne in the Countrey of Fraunce and one of vs is of Saint Omers and some of the Citie of Paris and of diuers other parts of the Realme of Fraunce Fréends quoth Huon I pray you shew me if there be any among you borne in the Citie of Bourdeaux Sir quoth one of them heere is one in this ship that was borne in Bourdeaux an ould ancient man I thinke he be of an hundred yeares of age his name is Guyer and wee are going on pilgrimage for the loue of our Lord Iesus Christ to visit the holy Sepulchre but fortune by force of Tempest of the Sea hath caused vs to arriue héere and this Tempest hath endured these thrée dayes and thrée nights passed whereby wee be so wearie and so sore trauailed that wée can doe no more Fréend quoth Huon I pray you shew him foorth that you speake of Then the Patron of the Ship commaunded that the old man of Bourdeaux should come forth then Guyer the Prouost came to Huon and sayd Sir behold me héere what pleaseth it you to say vnto mée When Huon saw him he knew incontinent that it was Guyer the Prouost and sayd Fréend I require you shew mee where you were borne and what hath mooued you to come hether séeing the great age that you be of and to shew me what is your name Sir quoth he I shall shew you the truth I had a Lord whome I loued entirely hee was Sonne to Duke Seuin of Bourdeaux and hee was called Huon and it fell so out that after the death of his Father about a Seauen yeares King Charlemaine sent for him to doe his homage to receiue his Land of him the young man by the commaundement of his Mother he and his brother Gerard with him tooke their way towards Paris and by the way King Charlemaines Sonne called Charlot was lying in a wood by the counsaile of certaine Traytours and there lay in a waight to haue slaine Huon and his Brother Gerard but the case fell otherwise for Huon slew Charlot not knowing who it was wherefore Kinge Charlemaine banished him out of the Realm of Fraunce and charged him ere he returned to goe to Babilon to do a Messuage to the Admi Gaudise But his Brother Gerard aboad still at Bourdeaux to kéepe the heritage and then the Duchesse his Mother was so full of sorrowe that her Sonne was so banished without cause that shee tooke thereof such a maladie that shee dyed thereof about fiue yeares past and so thereby Gerard is Lord and Gouernour of all the Lands and hee is married to the daughter of the most cruellest Tirant from thence into Spaine and this Gerard hath learned of him many ill customes and hath left all the good wayes that was vsed in the dayes of Duke Seuin and of the Duchesse his Mother and hee hath raysed vp in all his Landes new Tayles and Gables and Impositions and chaced and put from him all noble men hee destroyeth the Burgesses and Marchants Widdowes Orphelings there can no man shew you the ill that hée hath done and doth dayly and he hath disenherited me And on a day the Barons of the Countrey desired me that I would take the paines to goe and search aswell by land as by water if I might finde the young Lord Huon who is our rightfull Lord it is now about two yeares that I haue searched for him in diuers Countreys but I coulde neuer heare one word of him whereof I am right sorrowfull to séeke him I haue spent all my gould and siluer howbeit these good Marchants haue taken me into their Ship and for the loue of God they thought to haue brought me into Fraunce but by fortune we be héere arriued at this Port. Chap. LXI ¶ Howe Huon and Gerames and all their companie with the faire Escleremond departed from the Castle of Anfalerne and sayled thence on the Sea WHen Huon vnderstood the Prouost Guyer he said vnto Gerames Sir come foorth héere I haue found your Brother Then Gerames came to his Brother and embraced and kissed him all wéping and said My deare fréend and Brother you be right heartily welcome Ah Brother quoth Guyer nowe I care not whether I liue or die séeing I haue found you and if it were so that yet once ere I dyed I might sée my Lord Huon then I cared not howe soone I dyed Ah deare Brother quoth Gerames you shall not die so soone and yet you shall sée Huon whose presence you so sore desire it is Huon to whome you haue spoken all this season Then Huon sore wéeping came and embraced Guyer and said My deare Fréend your comming is a ioy to my heart for a more truer Knight cannot bee found Sir quoth Guyer doe you know mée Yea truely quoth Huon and do you know mée Yea Sir quoth Guyer you are greatly desired in Fraunce and Brother Gerames I desire you to shew me where you haue béen since I sawe you for it is about Fortie yeares since you departed out of Fraunce then Gerames shewed him all his life and shewed at length how he found Huon Longe they were talking together whereof they of the Ship were right ioyfull for then they sawe well they were arriued at a good Port and then Huon said to the Marriners Sirs I pray you make this night no great noyse nor make no fire nor shewe no light for héere before the castle is lodged two Admirals Paynims who haue swoorne that they will neuer goe hence vntill they haue vs at their pleasure therefore I counsaile that wee may escape out of this castle wée bée hére about thurteene persons and with vs a noble Ladie wherefore I require you let vs come into your
led them before Charlemaine without any woord speaking and caused them to sit downe with him at his own table that he had wished thither then he tooke his cup and made thereon thrée crosses then incontinent the cup was ful of wine then King Oberon tooke it gaue it to Escleremond to drinke and then to Huon and so to Gerames and when they had all three dranke well he said to Huon Friend arise vp and take the cuppe and beare it to King Charlemaine and say vnto him that he drinke to you in the name of peace if hee refuse it hee did neuer such a follie in all his life King Charlemaine who sate néere to them at his owne table hearing king Oberons words wist not what to thinke and so sate still and durst not speake one word for the great maruailes that he saw there and no more durst none of his men for they were so abashed that there was none there but that gladly would haue béene a hundred leagues thence But whosoeuer was afrayde Gerard was not verie well pleased Then Huon rose from Oberons table and tooke the cuppe and went therewith to king Charlemaine and deliuered it to him The king tooke it durst not refuse it as soone as it was in his hands it was drie voyde not a drop of wine therin Fellow quoth the King you haue inchaunted me Sir quoth Oberon it is because you are full of sin for the cup is of such dignitie that none can drinke thereof without he be a noble man and cleane without deadly sinne and I know one that ye did not long agoe the which as yet you were neuer confessed of and if it were not to your shame I should shew it héere openly that euery man should heare it When the Emperour Charlemaine heard King Oberon hee was abashed and afraid that King Oberon would haue shamed him openly then Huon tooke againe the cuppe and then incontinent it was full of wine againe and then Huon bare it to Duke Naymes who sate next to Charlemaine Naymes tooke the cup and dranke thereof at his pleasure but all the other could not touch the cup they were so full of sinne Then Huon returned to king Oberon and sate downe by him then Oberon called to him Duke Naymes and commanded him to rise from Charlemaines table and to sit downe by him at his table the which Duke Naymes did for hee durst not say nay Then Oberon sayd to him Sir Duke Naymes right good thanks I giue you in that you haue béene so true and iust to Huon and thou King Charlemaine that art Emperour of the Romaines behold here Huon whom wrongfully and without cause you haue disenherite and would take from him all his lands hee is a Noble man and true and besides that I say vnto you for truth hee hath done your message vnto the Admirall Gaudys and I ayded to bring him to his death and then hée tooke out of his mouth foure of his greatest téeth and also did cutte off his white beard and I did â—lose them within the side of Gerames by the will of God this that I haue sayd you may bee surely beléeue for at all these déedes I was present Sée yonder false Traitour Gerard who by his malicious intent hath done this treason and to the ende that you may know the matter more surely you shall heare it confessed by his owne mouth Then Oberon sayd to Gerard I coniure thée by the diuine puissance and power that God hath giuen mee that héere before King Charlemaine and all his Lords thou shew and declare the troth of this treason which thou hast done against Huon thy Brother When Gerard vnderstoode Oberon hee was in such feare that hée trembled for dread for hée felt in himselfe that hee coulde haue no power to hide the troth of the treason then he sayd Sir I sée well to hide the troth cannot auaile mée therefore true it is I went to the Abbey of Saint Maurise to sée my Brother Huon and Gybouars accompanied with Fortie men at armes wee departed from this Citie and layde our ambushment in a little wood about twoo Leagues from this Citie to watch when my Brother Huon should passe by that way Gerard quoth King Oberon speake out hyer that you may the better be heard and that euerie man may heare the treason falsenesse that you haue done vnto your Brother Sir quoth Gerard I wote not what to say for I haue done so ill and falsely against my Brother that more ill I could not doe and I am ashamed to recount it But to say truely that before it was midnight I made my Brother to rise and to depart from the Abbey and when wee came néere the place where as my Father in law Gibouars was with his ambushment I began to striue with my brother so highly that Gibouars might heare mee who when he heard me speake he brake forth of his ambushment and ranne at my brothers companie and so slew them all except these three that be here then we tooke the dead bodies and did cast them into the Riuer of Gerone then wee tooke Huon and his wife and the old Gerames and bound their handes and féete and blindfolded their eyes and so brought them on thrée leane horses into the Citie and I tooke out of the side of old Gerames the beard and foure great téeth the which if it please you I shall fetch from the place where I left them Gerard quoth Oberon you shall not neede to take that labour for when it shall please me I can haue them without you Well Sir quoth Gerard thus when I had set them in prison I went backe againe to the Abbey and then I demaunded of the Abbot and Couent where the treasure was that my Brother had left there and that hée should deliuer it to me bearing him in hand that my Brother Huon had sent for it The good Abbot would not deliuer it to me wherefore Gybouars and I slew him then wée made this Monke héere the Abbot who is néere of kinne to Gybouars to the entent that he should ayd to beare vs witnesse and to iustifie our sayings Then we tooke all the treasure that was there and brought it hether then I charged Tenne Somers the which I had with me to King Charlemaines Court at Paris the which treasure I gaue part thereof to the King and to other by whom I thought to be aided to performe mine vnhappie Enterprize and I beléeued surely that by reason of the riches that I gaue that my Brother should haue receiued death and thereby I to haue béene Lord and Maister of all his Landes and Signiories and all this treason that I haue shewed Gybouars caused me to doe it or else I had neuer thought to haue done it Gerard quoth King Oberon if it please our Lord Iesus Christ you and he both shal be hanged by the necks there is no man liuing shall saue you
Sir Emperour Charlemaine you haue well heard the confession of Gerard of the great treason that Gybouars and he haue done vnto Huon but by the Lord that fourmed me to his semblance both they two and the Abbot and his Chaplaine shall bée hanged for their false witnesse By the faith that I owe to Saint Denis quoth King Charlemaine they cannot escape it Sir quoth Duke Naymes it is great sinne to trouble a noble man you shall doe well if all foure be hanged When all the Lordes heard Gerard confesse that great treason that hée had done vnto his Brother they blessed them and had great maruaile of the false treason that the one Brother did to the other Chap. LXXV ¶ How King Oberon caused to be hanged the foure Traytours Gerard Gybouars and the two Monkes for their false witnesse and of the peace made betweene Huon and Charlemaine And how King Oberon gaue vnto Huon his Realme of the Fayrie WHEN King Oberon had heard Gerard confesse the treason done to his Brother and heard howe Gerard had offered to goe and fetch the beard great téeth and how he had denied him to goe then he sayd I wish them here vpon this Table he had no sooner made his wish but they were set on the Table whereof all such as were there hadde great maruaile Sir quoth Huon to King Oberon humbly I require you that of your grace you will pardon my Brother Gerard all the ill that he hath done against me for he did it by Gybouars and as for me héere and before God I pardon him and Sir if you will doe thus I shal be content therewith And to th entent that we may vse our liues from henceforth in good peace and loue I will giue him the halfe part of my Lands Signiories and Sir in the honour of our Lord Iesus Christ haue pity of him When the Lords that were there present vnderstood Huon they all for pity began to wéepe sayd among themselues that Huon was a noble knight and that it had béen pity if the matter had framed otherwise Sir Huon quoth Oberon it is not necessarie to request this for all the gold that is in the world shall not respit their deaths I wish by the puissance that I haue in the Fayrie that here beneath in the meadow there be a paire of Gallows and all iiij thereon hanged Incontinent it was don all iiij hanged thus as ye haue hard the traitors were paid their deserts When king Charlemaine had séene the great maruailes that were done by king Oberon he sayd to his Lords Sirs I beléeue this man be some God himselfe for there is no mortall man can doe this that he hath done When Oberon vnderstood the Emperour he sayd Sir know for truth I am no God but I am a mortall man as you be and was engendred on a woman as you were and my father was Iulius Cesar who engendred me on the Ladie of the Secret Isle who had béene before louer to Florymont sonne to the Duke of Albany she bare me nine moneths in her wombe and I was begotten by Iulius Cesar when he went into Thessaly after Pompey the Great he was amorous of my mother because she prophesied that my Father Iulius Cesar should winne the battaile as he did and when I was borne there were with my mother many Ladies of the Fairye and by them I had many gifts and among other there was one that gaue mee the gift to be such a one as you sée I am whereof I am sory but I cannot be none otherwise for when I came to the age of thrée yéeres I grew no more and when this Ladie sawe that I was so little to content againe my mother shee gaue me againe that I should be the fairest creature of the world and other Ladyes of the Fairie gaue me diuers other gifts the which I ouerpasse at this time and therefore Sir know for truth that aboue all things God loueth faith and troth when it is in men as it is here in Huon and because I know for certaine that he is true and faithfull therefore I haue alwaies loued him After that king Oberon had ended his words and shewed the Emperour Charlemaine of all his estate he called Huon and sayd Sir arise vp and take the beard and the téeth and beare them to king Charlemaine and desire him to render you your landes as he promised Sir quoth Huon I ought so to doe then Huon came to King Charlemaine and sayd Sir by your grace and if it may please you receiue here the beard and téeth of the Admirall Gaudis Huon quoth the King I hold you quit and I render to you all your lands and signiories and pardon you of all mine ill will and put all rancour from mée and from hencefoorth I retaine you as one of my Péeres Sir quoth Huon of this I thanke God and your grace Then the Emperour Charlemaine clipped and kissed Huon in token of peace and loue When the Lords saw that they wept for ioy and thanked God that the peace was made and especially Duke Naymes was ioyfull then within a while diuers of the Lords departed from the Court Then king Oberon called Huon vnto him and sayd Sir I commaund you as dearely as you loue mée that this same day foure yeare to come that you come into my Citie of Momur for I will giue you my Realme and all my dignitie the which I may lawfully do for at my birth it was giuen me that I might so doe for it lyeth in mée to giue it whereas I thinke best and bicause I loue you so entirely I shall set the crowne vpon your head and you shal be King of my Realme And also I will that you giue vnto Gerames all your Landes and Signiories in these parts for he hath well deserued it for with you and for your loue hee hath suffered many great trauailes Sir quoth Huon séeing this is your pleasure I ought well to be pleased therewith and I shall accomplish all your commandements Huon quoth Oberon know for troth I shall not abide longe in this world for so is the pleasure of god it be houeth me to go into paradice where as my place is appointed in the fayrie I shall bide no longer but beware as dearly as you loue your life that yée faile not to be with me at the daie that I haue appointed beware that yée forget it not for if yee faile I shall cause you to die an ill death and therefore remember it well When Huon heard king Oberon he was right ioyfull and stooped downe to haue kissed his féet but then Gloriant and Mallaborn tooke him vp Then said Huon Sir for this great guift I thanke you Chap. LXXVI ¶ How King Oberon departed and tooke leaue o f king Charlemaine and of Huon and Escleremond and also how king Charlemaine departed from Bourdeaux WHen king Oberon had imparted to Huon as much as he
Pilgrimes who right humbly saluted the Ladie Escleremond Sirs quoth the Lady I pray you shew mee out of what Countrey yée are come Madame quoth one of them knowe for troth that we are come from Ierusalem and haue made our offering to the holy Sepulchre wée haue suffered much pouertie in our iourney wherefore Ladie wee require you humbly for the loue of our Lord Iesus Christ to giue vs some meat Sirs quoth shée you shall haue ynough and then she commaunded two of her Knights to sée that the Pilgrimes should haue meat and drinke and so they were set at the end of the Hall and a Table couered for them and thereon bread flesh and wine they were well serued Then the Duchesse Escleremond went to visit them and demaunded where they were borne and whether they would goe Madame quoth they wee bee all thrée borne at Vyenna and thether wee would returne Sirs God bee your guide quoth the Ladie and she gaue them Ten Florents whereof they had great ioy thanked the Duchesse but alas that guifte was ill bestowed as you shall heare héereafter They departed tooke their way and trauailed so longe that vpon a Tuesday they arriued halfe a League from Vyenna and there they met Duke Raoul who was going a kauking hée was a great and puissant Lord of Lands and Signiories and hardy in déedes of armes great pittie it was that he was such a Traytour for a more subtill man coulde not be knowne for all the daies of his life he was euer a moouer of warre and strife and to doe treason without hauing regard either to kinne or other God confounde him for by him and his cause Huon suffered so much ill that it cannot bee recounted This Duke Raoul was to marrie thus as hée was in the feelds a hauking and twentie Knights with him he met the said thrée Pilgrimes and anone hee knewe them Then he road vnto them and said Sirs yée be welcome home they were ioyfull when they sawe the Duke their Lorde salute them so humbly and for ioye thereof they shewed him such newes that by the occasion thereof twentie Thousand Knights lost after their liues and Raoul himselfe receiued the death and Huon had such trouble that hée had neuer none such before as you shall heare héereafter Then the Duke said to the Pilgrimes Freends I pray you shew mee by what Countreys you haue passed to come hether Sir quoth they we haue passed by Fraunce and first we were at Bourdeaux and there we found the Duches Escleremond wife to Huon of Bourdeaux of whome you haue heaâ—d so much speaking for she is so faire and so well fauoured so swéet pleasant and gracious as can bée deuised shée is Daughter to the Admirall Gaudise whom Huon hath slaine and taken her to his wife great pitie it is that Huon should haue such a wife for she were méeter to be wife to a puissant Kinge for whosoeuer had such a wife to lye by might well say that there were none like her in all the world would to our Lorde God Sir that shee were your wife When the Duke heard that hee chaunged colour and greatly coueted the Ladie in his heart so that he was striken with such violent and burning loue that he had to the Ladie Escleremond as he promised and sware that he would haue her whosoeuer sayd the contrarie and said that he would slay Huon them haue Escleremond to his Wife Thus Duke Raoul sware the death of Huon then hée departed from the Pilgrimes ill was bestowed the almes that Escleremond had giuen them Chap. LXXIX ¶ How Duke Raoul of Austrich by the report of the Pilgrims was amourous of the faire Escleremond and of the Tourney that was proclaimed to the entent to haue slaine Huon THus Duke Raoul returned to the Citie of Vyenna right pensiue sent for his priuie counsaile and then he commaunded them to assemble as many people as they could bicause he sayd that he would goe to his Vncle the Emperour of Almaine to whome he sent a secret Messuage that hee should cause a Tourney to bee proclaimed in some conuenient place to the entent that the Knights of Almaine and of other Countreys should assemble there The false Traytor did it for a craft to the entent that Huon by his prowesse and hardinesse shold come to that Tourney The Messenger roade foorth vntill he came to Strasbrough whereas hee found the Emperour who was vncle to Raoull for he was the Emperours brothers sonne When the Emperour heard the messuage hee was ioyfull and not a little pleased to heare such newes froÌ„ his Nephew Duke Raoull whome he loued entierly and to doe him pleasure he sent to all Lands vnder his obeysance to all Knights and Squiers such as of custome were woont to iust and tournay desiring them to come at a day assigned to the citie of Mayence for there he would kéepe open Court Now the Emperour knew not for what entent his Nephew Raoull had deuised that tournay Alas he did it but to find the place to slay Huon to thintent to haue his wife Escleremond Then Duke Raoull assembled his Barons especialle such as he had perfect trust in he shewed them at large the cause why he had assembled all the people to goe to the tournay Therefore Sirs quoth he I will that yée sweare to me the death of Huon of Bourdeaux for I will that yée and I put all our vttermost to slay him and then I will wed his wife of whome I am so amourous that I cannot sléepe nor take any rest The same time that they thus made promise and sware the death of Huon there was among them a varlet with Duke Raoul who in his youth had serued Huon of Bourdeaux now when he vnderstood that if Huon came to the Tournay there hee should be murdered as priuily as he could he departed from Vyenna and neuer rested vntill hee came to the Citie of Bourdeaux whereas he found Duke Huon in his Pallaice with his Lords who had béen before aduertised that there should be held a great Tournay at Mayence in Almaine and he deuised with his Lords how to goe thether The same time the Varlet came thether and humbly saluted Duke Huon who said to him Friend where hast thou béen so long Sir quoth the Varlet I come now from Vyenna in Austrich where Duke Raoul who is Lord thereof hath proclaymed a Tourney in euery Countrey but Sir if you goe thether you shall bée slaine for this Tourney is deuised for none other entent bicause it is too well knowne that there can bee no hye déedes of armes done in any place but that you will bee present at it And when they haue slayne you then Duke Raoul will haue the Duchesse your Wife in mariage therefore Sir for Gods sake aduise you well that you come not there in as much as you loue your life for you cannot escape there be twentie Thousand men that haue
but they within cast them downe so that they had no power to rise vp againe for there was cast downe vpon them earth timber and stones Fierce was the assault that the Almaines made they within made noble defence for Huon and Gerames shot so with their crosbowes thar at euery shoote they slew some man or sore wounded him and long endured this assault so that finally the Almaines were constrained to recule backe a bow shoote whereof they within were very ioyfull Then the Emperour Tirrey being sorrowfull and full of rage came to his men and rebuked them shamefully commaunding them that incontinent they should returne again to assaile the Citie saying that they should not faile to winne it Then the Almaines to please their Lord retourned in great hast with their ladders pikes and came into the dikes whereas then there was no water raysed them vp to the walles but they were no sooner vp but they within beat them downe againe and put them in danger of their liues for they cast downe Timber stones and faggots with fire and hoat oyle and lead vppon them so that the assailants were faine perforce to recoile backe and they within shot arrowes so thicke that it seemed like snowe The Emperour was sore displeased and Duke Sauary when they saw none other remedie many were slaine and sore hurt and the Emperor and Sauary his Brother seeing that they could nothing profite sounded the retrait and so returned to their Tents sore displeased for their great losse that they had for they lost that day more then two Thousand men lyinge dead in the feeld and in the Dikes and more then thrée Thousand sore hurt Then Duke Sauary sayd to the Emperor Sir me thinks it is but folly to assaile this Citie it is strong and well furnished with men and good Knightes to defend it wherefore we may well perceiue that without great damage we cannot winne it without it be by famine for hee that is Lorde thereof is hardy and cruell and to be feared and doubted for he is expert in armes wherefore it is impossible to take the Citie perforce When the Emperour vnderstoode him hee was right sorrowfull and made againe newe promise not to depart thence vntill hee had Huon at his pleasure Huon who little set by the threatnings of the Emperour went into his Pallaice and said to his men Sirs we ought greatly to thanke God for the defence of our Citie many Almains â—ee slaine and hurt I doubt them nothing for our Citie is strong before it be lost it will cost many men their liues I desire you all take good héed that we be not beguiled Sir quoth they we shall take good héed thereof as well for you as for the sauegard of our liues Thus Huon and his men deuised together howbeit they were sore greeued for at the beginning they were about twentie Thousand men then they were not aboue six Thousand Now let vs leaue speaking of them and speake of the Emperour who was right sorrowfull for his losse Chap. LXXXXIIII ¶ How Huon sent Habourey his Messenger to the Emperour to require peace and of his answeare WHen the Emperor hadde heard Duke Sauary his Brother speake he made a solemne oath that whatsoeuer fortune should fall hee would not depart thence Winter nor Summer till hee had wonne the Citie and then he sent for his Réerband as farre as his Empire stretched commaunding euerie man to come to him all excuses layd apart and so they did Now of their comming by the way I make no mention but so long they trauailed that they came within a League of Bourdeaux and when the Emperour knew thereof he had great ioy and mounted on his horse with other Lords with him and road met them and spake to them and made them good cheere Thus his force encreased Huons diminished daily often times Huon issued out vpon his horse called Amphage made daily many great Skirmishes sometime hée wan and sometime hee lost he slew many Almaines so that they all feared him for there was none that durst abide him his horse was so cruell that none durst approach néere him without he were slaine Huons men quit them valiantly so that if they lost at one time they wan iij. times for it but their force could not long endure for their enemies were so many they so few they had made so many issues that they had lost many of their company for of xx M. they were left but v. C. men wherof Huon was sorowfull Now when he saw that he had but v. C. men he called to him Gerames Othon Barnard Richard saying Sirs I see that euery day we diminish wherfore we cannot long endure against the Emperors force therefore I thinke that it were good that wee sent to the Emperor to know if he wil heare speaking of any peace Sir quoth they wee thinke your aduise right good and it were good to knowe if hee will agrée thereto or not Then Huon called Habourey his Messenger and commaunded him that incontinent he should goe to the Emperour and say vnto him that if it bee his pleasure to heare speaking of any peace I shall quoth he condescend therto and to make him amends at his pleasure for the wronge and damage that I haue done vnto him and his men Also shew him how that I will become his man and doe him homage for all the Landes that I haue the which I was woont to hould of the King of Fraunce but séeing I haue no succour from him I am driuen perforce to purchase for my profit in some other place And besides that shewe him that the fiue Hundred Prisoners that I haue of his men I shall deliuer them quit without any raunsome paying and also when Lent commeth I and a Hundred knightes with me at my cost charges shall passe the Sea and goe to the holy Sepulchre to pray for the Soules of his Nephews that I haue slaine and for all other that haue been slaine by occasion of this warre Sir quoth the Messenger I am readie to fulfill your commaundement whatsoeuer fall thereof and so hee departed went to the Emperours Hoast entred into the riche Tent and then hee kneeled downe before the Emperour and sayd The almightie God who on the Crosse dyed to saue all humane kinde kéepe and defend from all ill the Emperour all his Barony Sir Duke Huon of Bourdeaux sendeth to you salutation and good amitie requiring you in the honour of god that he may haue peace with you by that hee will become your liege-man and doe you homage and hould his Landes of you and will deliuer quite the fiue Hundred men of yours that he hath in prison in the Citie and moreouer hee offereth himselfe and a Hundred Knights to passe the Sea this next Lent and to goe to the holy Sepulchre to pray to our Lord God for the soules of your Nephewes
to muze casting downe his lookes to the earth and by reason that his long Mantle had swept the powder away from the pauement there appeared letters of gould written vpon the pauement he red them and the tennour of them was Whosoeuer reads this Letter shall find that vnder this pauement there is a Celler with victuall both bread flesh and wine and of all sundry meats for man or woman to eate of But the Letters sayd that whosoeuer should enter into this Celler except he be without deadly sinne as soone as he toucheth any of the meat suddainly he shall die When Huon had read all the Letters hee hadde great maruaile and feare and thought within himselfe that when hée departed from Bourdeaux hee was confessed before his Priest died and since that time hee could not remember any thinge that hee had committed that should bee deadly sinne and then hee made his prayers to our Lord God deuoutly sore weeping and when hee had ended his prayers as hee kneeled vppon his knees before the chaire hee sawe hanging vppon the side of the chaire a little key of gould he tooke it vp in his hand and beganne to muze on the writing that sayd Whosoeuer enters into this Castle though they be valiaunt and wise or noble Knightes yet they shall not knowe well what to doe Then he said vnto himselfe rather then I should die for famine it were better to die shortly then longe to endure in this hunger and thirst Then Huon recommended himselfe to the ayd and helpe of almightie God and tooke the key and opened a little wicket and drew the dore vnto him Then he looked downe into the Celler the which was as cleare as though the Sunne in the middest of the day hadde entred in at the windowes and so hee went downe about Seauen-score greeces then hee regarded on the right hand and saw a great Ouen with twoo mouthes the which cast out a great clearenesse then he saw néere thereunto Ten faire young men they were all of the Fayrie foure of them made the Past for bread and two deliuered the loaues to other twoo and they did sette them downe vppon a rich cloath of silke then the other twoo men tooke the loaues and deliuered them vnto one man by twoo loaues at once and hee did sette them into the Ouen to bake and at the other mouth of the Ouen there was a man that drewe out the white loaues and Pastes and before him there was another young man that receiued them and put them into Basketts which were richly painted When Huon had well aduised them he had great maruaile and came and saluted them saying Sir I pray to our Lord God to saue you and all your companie and when they heard Huon speake they gaue vnto him no manner of answeare but beheld each other and when Huon saw that none of them wold make him any answere he was sore abashed and greatly troubled in his mind howbeit he sayd Sirs you that be héere I coniure you in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost and of the Angels and Archangels and of all the Court celestiall that yée answeare mee to that I doe demaund of you Then they all ceased from their labour and businesse and beheld Huon and rubbed off the paste meale from off their hands and fingers and the Maister of them beheld Huon and saide Fréend you do vs great wrong to coniure vs we will that you well know if you were either Sarazin or Paynim you should neuer depart from hence without death your troth and noblenesse hath preserued you you ought greatly to thanke God I knowe well that you haue great hunger for it is Tenne dayes since you did either â—ate or drinke any thinge except all onely of the fruit that you founde in the Garden the which as yet is not ripe nor readie to eate Therefore Huon faire Sir I know well that you haue great hunger and therefore if that you will drinke or eate enter into yonder rich Chamber the which you sée open where you shall finde the Table readie set and the cloth layd and the pots of siluer and the vessell of gould bordered with precious stones and pearle and the Basons of gould and Ewers with water to wash your hands and there sit you downe at the Table and there you shall find meats and drinks such as you will with for and as long as you will tarie here in this Castle you shall haue euerie day like seruice or better if you list for any meat that you will wish for you shall haue it at your pleasure and of wine in likewise twoo times of the day without you will fast But sir I require you of one thing that from henceforth you do not coniure me nor any of my companie and then you shall haue euerie thinge at your desire Sir quoth Huon from henceforth I shall not speake vnto you so that by the coniuration that I haue coniured you you will shewe mee what people you bee that abide heere in this Castle and what you call this Castle and who is Lord thereof and by whome all the riches that is heere within is kept I will goe eate some meat and then I pray you for to shewe it vnto mée Then they answeared Huon right fiercely and said Ah thou false and vntrue Knight for to demaund any such thing of vs at this time I shall shewe you but afterward by mee nor by none other of my company you shall neuer heare word spoken Sir quoth Huon the requeste I am sorrie of and I heartily desire you yet if heereafter I speake vnto you alone that you will answeare mee Nay surely quoth hee that will I neuer doe but I shall shew you that I haue promised seeing you are so desirous to know it Sir knowe for troth that Iulius Caesar Father to the good and noble King Oberon caused this Castle to be made by craft of the Fayrie the which Castle cannot bee gréeued nor taken perforce so it fortuned vppon a day that Iulius Caesar after hee had vanquished the great Pompey he came into Alexandria to â—â—olomeus King of Egipt and discomfited him and tooke from him all his Landes to giue it vnto his Sister the faire Cleâ—â—â—tra who was Quéene of that Land and after shee maried Marcus Antonius and after that Iulius Caesar had this done to refresh him he came hether with the Queene of the priuie Isle and brought her the same night into this Castle and there were thrée Kinges of the lineage of Tholomeus who when they knewe that Caesar was in this Castle they made an armie and with many Shippes and Galleys they came and layde seege before this Castle and lay at the seege a long space and could not hurt it the value of one pennie so long they lay héere that they were sore displeased therewith and so they thought to depart home into their owne countreys but by
his Lordes Seruants and said to himselfe if I may the Emperour shall deerly abuy that bargaine Then Huon went to the Garden and gathered fruit to bear into the Shippe and then hee went to the Fountaine whereas the Trée of youth was there by and there by the commaundement of the Angell hée gathered thrée Apples and trussed them safely and then he dranke of the Fountaine at his pleasure Then hee departed and tooke the little path the which was betweene the Garden and the streame that yssued out of the Fountaine the which streame ranne and fell into the great Riuer whereas the Shippe lay and when hée was entred into this streame he sawe the goodlyest precious stones that euer he sawe they were so faire and so rich that the value of them could not bee esteemed the grauell of the streame that yssued out of the Fountaine were all precious stones and they cast such light that all the Mountaine and Rocke did shine thereof whereof Huon had great maruaile Also he sawe the Shippe so faire that he was thereof greatly dismayed and abashed the Riuer ioyned to the rich Garden whereas Huon had gathered fruit of Fourteene sorts the which hee put into the Shippe and then recommending himselfe to our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ he entred into the Shippe and vntyed the ship from the chaine then the shippe departed from that Port this Riuer was called Diplayre Thus this shippe went as fast as though a bird hadde flowne and thus as yee haue heard Huon sayled all alonge in this Shippe vppon the Riuer of Diplayre right desirous to bring out of danger his Wife the faire Ladie Escleremond Chap. CXII ¶ How Huon of Bourdeaux sayled in a rich Shippe and of the perilous Gulfe that he passed by and how hee arriued at the Port of the great Citie of Thauris of Persia THus as yee haue heard was Huon vppon this rich Riuer in his Shippe the which was bordered with white Iuorie and nayled with nayles of fine gould and the fore Castle of white Christall mingled with riche Caâ—sidony and therein a Chamber the sealing wrought with starres of gould and precious stones the which gaue such clearnesse in the darke night as though it had beene faire day and the bedde that Huon lay vpon there is no humane tongue can estéeme the value thereof therein lay Huon euerie night and in the day came abroad in the Shippe it was yrkesome to him for that hee was alone without companie and sayled euerie day betwéene two Rockes without sight of any Towne or Village man or woman and when hee had béene in this Shippe thrée dayes and thrée nights hee beheld before him and sawe how the two Rockes beganne to drawe together and couer the Riuer and it séemed vnto his fight that the Shippe should enter into a darkenesse howbeit the Riuer euer still kept his full breadth but the néerer he came the darker the passage séemed and when the shippe came néere vnto it shee went so fast that Huon thought that no bird in all the world could flye so fast and then it beganne to be sore blacke and darke and the wind rose and it hayled so extreamly that hee thought the Ship should haue perished and Huon was so cold that hee wiste not howe to get him any heat Then he heard pitifull voyces speaking diuers languages cursing the time that euer they were borne Then hee heard thunder and saw lightning so often that certainly hee thought to haue beene perished and neuer to haue escaped out of that danger Thus Huon was in this shippe in great feare of loozing of his life and when he was hungrie hee did eat of the fruit that he had brought thether then againe he was comforted in that the Angell had said vnto him that he should sée again his Wife Escleremond and his Daughter Clariet When hée had beene in this case the space of thrée dayes he sat downe vpon the Sea board of the Ship and then hée heard such a brute so great and so horrible that if the thunder had fallen from the Heauens and that al the Riuers in the world had fallen downe from the Rockes they could not haue made so hideous a noyse as the Tempest of the Gulfe made the which is betweene the Sea of Persia and the great Sea Ocean it was neuer heard that euer any Shippe or Galley escaped that way without perishing When Huon saw himselfe in that danger deuoutly hee called vppon our Lord God and said Ah good Lord now I sée and perceiue that without thy ayd and succour I am lost and come to my end but séeing that it is your pleasure and will that I shall perish héere I beséech your beneuolent grace to accept my Soule into your fauourable handes Huon had no sooner spoken those words but a winde aroase with so great a Tempest that hee thought then surely to haue beene cast away Then he saw comming against him great barres of yron red hoat that fell downe from on high into the Riuer before Huon in such sort that when they fell into the water by reason of the heat of the barres troubled so the water that fearfull it was to behold it Thus Huon was a great space before he could passe the Gulfe the which was so perrilous and the Shippe went so sore by force of the wind so that the shippe went out of the middest of the streame and was neere to the Land so that the Ship was grounded and could goe no further When Huon saw and perceiued that the Shippe was vpon the grounde hee thought then surely to haue béene drowned Then hee tooke an anchor and put it into the water to knowe how many foote the water was of déepenesse and hee found it but fiue foote Then hee tooke one of his anchors and cast it a shoare and then drewe by the coard vntill the shippe came neere to the bancke-side then hee yssued out of the Shippe and leapt a land and then hee sawe suddainly about him a great clearnesse whereof he was greatly dismayed and abashed and wist not what to thinke then hee sawe before him that all the grauell in the water were mingled with precious stones and when Huon saw that he tooke a scoope and cast into the shippe so much of those precious stones that it gaue as great a light as though tenne Torches hadde beene burning and so much of this grauell Huon did cast into the Shippe that hee was wearie of labour and when hee sawe the Shippe sufficiently charged then hee entred againe and drewe vp the anchor and trauailed so sore that hee brought againe the shippe into the middest of the streame then the ship went so fast that a bird could not haue followed it Thus he was tenne dayes before he could passe that Gulfe and thus day and night hee sayled with great feare and sore oppressed through hunger and thirst for hee had nothing to eat nor drinke but fruit so that thereby hee
eat it vp euerie whit whereby incontinent in the sight of all them that were there present he became into his first youth as he was when hee was but of the age of Thirtie yeares his white beard fell away and a new beard came his iawes that were leane and pale the flesh grew againe new quicke flesh so that he became a faire young man and well fournished of bodie and members a fairer man could no man sée nor lighter nor lustier whereof hée had such ioy at his heart that he ran and embraced Huon and kissed him more then Tenne times When they that were there present saw that great maruaile they were greatly abashed said one to another that Huon was worthy to be beléeued for out of such a Princes mouth quoth they neuer yssued a lye there was much ioy made the Tables were set and they went to dinner there satte the Abbot and Huon and Clariet his Daughter Of their Seruice and meates I will make no rehearsall for they were richly serued After that they had dyned and grace sayd all the Monkes of the Couent came and knéeled downe before Huon and humbly required him of pardon for Damp Iohan Saliuer who was too hasty to speake and all was through negligence of youth and ill aduised When Duke Huon saw all the Monkes before him vppon their knées desiring him to pardon the Monke of his folly hee sayd vnto them Sirs I am content to fulfill your desires for I am not come hether to trouble any man When the good Abbot had well heard Huon his Nephew pardon his Monke hee thanked him and said Sir by Saint Bennet if you had not pardoned him he should not haue come out of prison this yeare Then the Monkes went to the Prison and they shewed vnto the Monke that was in prison what maruailes were done in his absence and howe their Abbot who was a Hundred and fourtéene yeares of age was now become of the age of Thirtie yeares Sirs quoth hée I am glad of my deliuerance but I cannot beléeue that it is so as you say nor I will not beléeue it vntill I sée it then hee went into the Hall whereas the Abbot and Huon were together and when hee sawe the good Abbot young againe then hee kneeled downe and cried Huon mercie and â—equired him of pardon the which Huon graunted Then there was great ioy and the Abbot sayd Nephewe send for men of warre on all sides and I shall pay their wages to the number of twentie Thousand men for I haue gould and siluer ynough and let vs send for all our Fréends and we shall bee a great number of men able to fight with the Emperour who hath wrongfully and without cause disenherited you and keepeth your Wife in prison whereof my heart is so sorrowfull that I can no longer endure it Sir quoth Huon if I can finde any other way to come to peace with the Emperour then my Speare and shéeld and no man slaine I would thinke then that I had well sped for if I might doe so much with the Emperour that he would render vnto me my Landes and Signiories and my Wife and men and that thereby I might become his Liege-man I would then thinke that I had made an honourable end for I haue done him great dammage Faire Nephewe quoth the Abbot I woulde faine knowe by what manner you coulde bring this matter about Vncle quoth Huon this night I will studie vppon the matter the which I trust in our Lord Iesus Christ to bringe to a good and prosperous end Chap. CXXXVII ¶ How Huon of Bourdeaux departed from Cluny and went to the noble Citie of Mayence vppon a Friday and how he came nere vnto the Emperours Oratorie After that Huon and the good Abbot had deuised together of diuers things Huon wrote a Letter vnto his men being at Tournous that they should come vnto him to the Abbey of Cluny hee sent a Gentleman of the Abbey to fetch them and when hée was come to Tournous and had deliuered his Letters vnto Barnard they made them readie and trussed their Somers and departed from thence and they road so longe that they came in at the gates of the Abbey of Cluny the same time Huon and the Abbot were leaning out at a window the Abbot saw fiftéene Somers charged and seauen Mules and Mulets whereof he had great maruaile of whence they were and said to Huon Faire Nephew can you tell vnto whome appertaine these Somers or what be they that bringeth them Sir quoth Huon know for troth that I haue conquered them and they are mine and yonder is Barnard that doth conduct them who hath had much paine and trouble before hee could find mee Faire Nephewe quoth the Abbot great ioye I haue at my heart that hee hath sought you so long to find you at the last nor I could not haue sent a more noble man you ought greatly to loue him and also he is our Kinsman and alwayes hee hath beene vnto you true and faithfull Sir in him I haue found all that you say and Sir the great Somer that you sée yonder with twoo great Coffers well banded they be full of precious stones and Iewels more woorth then foure good Cities I will leaue them héere with you to keepe for the marriage of my Daughter and with those words hee kissed her Deare Nephew quoth the good Abbot and besides that you will giue her I shall depart with her largely of my Treasure Therewith Barnard came thether and all the other of his companie and when the Abbot perceiued Barnard he came vnto him right ioyfully with his armes abroad and clipped and kissed him and made vnto him great feast and chéere and to all his companie Then Duke Huon and the good Abbot his Vncle and the faire Ladie Clariet his Daughter went into their Chamber and discharged the Somers and opened euerie Coffer When the Abbot had séen the riches that were in them hee was neuer so abashed and sayd Ah Duke Huon faire Nephewe I thinke you haue brought hether riches to buy therewith the whole Realme of Fraunce Then Duke Huon tooke a Coller of gould full of precious stones that the clearnesse of them illumined all the house and Huon did put the Coller about his Daughters necke and kissed her mouth and sayd My deare and louing Daughter I giue you this Coller I neuer gaue you any thing before it is so rich that the stones therein are woorth a Realme or a Duchy When the Ladie saw the rich Coller shée was right ioyfull and kneeled downe before her Father and humbly thanked him then Huon shewed all his Treasure vnto his good Vncle the Abbot and when all had beene séene and viewed the Abbot did put them into the Coffers Then Huon apparelled himselfe with rich apparell and he seemed then to be a Prince of high degrée he was so faire to behold that all such as sawe him had great pleasure to
nothing and haue suffered much paine cold and hunger and haue endured great pouertie and in great feare of death and desperation When Huon had wâ—ll heard and vnderstood his déere Wife who spake so pitiously sorrow and gréefe so closed his heart that hee had no power to speake one word and the teares fell from his eyes and trickled downe his chéekes for the pitie that he had of his louing Wife Escleremond and also the Iaylor for verie pitie thâ—t hee had was constrained to wéepe and so went downe into the Prison and brought the Ladie vp and then Huon and she beheld each other and could speake no word of a great space but renue and embraced and kissed each other and so fell downe to the ground both in a traunce and they lay vntill other Knightes came thether fearing that they had beene dead there was none but that wept for pitie Then the Emperour came thether himselfe and sore wept and repented himselfe of the illes that he had done to the Ladie and made her â—o suffer and then the Knightes and Lordes reuiued them then they clipped and kissed together and Huon sayd Faire Ladie I require you to pardon mee in that I haue taried so long from you and haue left you in such pouertie paine and daunger of death and haue escaped for the which I humbly thanke our Lord God of his grace Sir quoth shee we ought greatly to thanke almightie God when hee hath sent vs that grace to sée each other and to come together againe and that you haue peace with the Emperour Then the Iaylour went to all the Prisons and tooke out all Huons men and brought â—hem vnto him and they had great ioy when they saw their Lord Maister in sauegard and thanked our Lord God and humbly saluted Huon and sayd Sir blessed bee the houre of your comming whereby wee are deliuered from the paines trauailes and pouerties that we haue been in My right deare Freends quoth Huon thus goeth the world you and I are bound to thanke our Lord God for that hee sendeth vnto vs. Then the Emperour tooke Huon by the one hand and Escleremond by the other and ledde them into his Pallaice whereas the Tables were set and there sat downe together the Emperour and Huon and the Duchesse and all the Prisoners at another Table and were all richly serued Of their meats and Seruices and ioy that they made I will make thereof but small rehearsall And when they had all dyned the Emperour ordained Ladâ—es and Damsels to serue the Duches Escleremond and ordained Chambers for the Duke and her and for all the other they were there serued of all thinges that they desired and they had new apparell according to their degrées Anon the newes and tidinges were knowne in the Citie of the Peace made betwéene Huon and the Emperour and how hee had his Wife the Duchesse Escleremond rendred vnto him and his men deliuered out of prison whereof Bâ—rnarâ— as hee was in the Towne hearkening for newes was right ioyfull and went in hast vnto the Pallaice whereas he found Huon in his Chamber with his Wife the faire Esâ—leremond and assoone as hee sawe the Duchesse the water fell from his eyes for ioy then he saluted Huon and the Duchesse and the Ladie knew him incontinent and said Ah sir Barnard well I ought to loue and cherish you that yée haue so sought for my Lord and husband as that now at last through your tedious trauaile you haue found him and brought him hether Madame quoth he I haue done nothing but what I was bound in duty to doe I am sory for the great paines and trauaile that my Lord hath suffered and then hée shewed such newes as he knew whereof many great Lords and knights had great ioy to heare him for she maruayles that he discoursed vnto them Then when they had béene there the space of Eight dayes and that their men were well refreshed the Emperour assembled all his Lords said Sirs it is my will to lead and conduct Duke Huon and the Duches to Bourdeaux and to set them in possession of their Lands and Signiories and I will haue Ten Thowsand men to goe with mee and them and to bring mee againe hether to Mayence according to his commaundement the men were made readie and when the Emperour had ordained for Huons estate as it appertained for him and his Wife and his men and when euerie thing was readie they all mounted vpon their horses and the Duchesse had a rich Littour so they departed from the Citie of Mayence and ceased not till they came within twoo Leagues of the Abbey of Cluny The good Abbot who knew nothing of the agréement made betwéene the Emperour and Huon had gathered together of men of warre about twentie Thousand and they were lodged in the Towne of Cluny and the Abbot was aduertised of the Emperours comming into those parts and he heard no newes of Huon whereof he was right sorrowfull and sore displeased and thought that the Emperour hadde taken Huon Prisoner then hee yssued out of the Towne and ranged his men in good order of Battaile without the Towne in a faireplaine and there abiding for the Emperour whome he saw comming Chap. CXL ¶ How the Emperour arriued at Cluny and how the Abbot set vpon him and of the peace that was there made and how the Emperour conueyed Huon to Bourdeaux and rendred to him all his Lands and of the parting of them and the Emperour and how Huon made his prouision to goe to king Oberon WHen the Emperour sawe the Towne of Cluny he demaunded of Huon if he could tell him to whome that towne appertayned Sir quoth he it belongeth to an Vncle of mine who is Abbot thereof and wée must passe that way and also I must néedes speake with him before I goe to Bourdeaux The same time the Abbot who was then mounted on a puissant and strong Courser well armed at all points sawe the Emperour comming towards Cluny and then he said to his men Sirs thinke this day to doe well and valiantly for yonder before vs we may sée the Emperour our enemie comming wherefore wée cannot escape the Battaile I am sure he hath taken Huon my Nephew but by the faith that I owe to my Lord and to Saint Bennet my Patron that taking shal be déerely bought then they couched their speares and spurred their horses and came running towards the Emperour and when the Emperour saw them hee called Huon and said Sir yonder yée may sée men of warre all armed come running against vs I wot not what they meane to doe but they séeme to be our enemies as far as I can perceiue and they are a great number and therfore they are to be doubted and feared Sir quoth Huon it is mine Vncle the Abbot of Cluny who hath raysed vp his men to succour me for he is not aduertised of the Peace made betwéen you and mée surely he thinketh
saw neither Castle nor Church Rocke nor Riuer but hee sawe that they were in a faire meadowe whereof Huon and Escleremond were sore abashed and blessed them hauing great maruaile of that they had séen then the Monke desired Huon to let him go Monke quoth Huon to drawe or to struggle cannot auaile thee for thou shalt not escape out of my handes vntill thou hast shewed me the Citie of Momur whereas King Oberon is Huon quoth the Monke I am content to doe it but first I pray thée to take from my necke the stole Monke quoth Huon thy reasoning cannot auaile thée for thou shalt not escape from me vntill thou hast set both me and my Wife néere vnto the Citie of Momur for thou shalt goe with vs foote by foote Well quoth the Monke since it is thus I am content to fulfill your pleasure but one thinge I say vnto you you neuer did a wiser deed then that you would not let me goe away for if the stole were not wherewith you doe hold me and the precious stones that you haue about you you shold neuer haue departed from hence I thought to haue beguiled you so that you might haue let mée gone my wayes whether I would goe Monke quoth Huon if I can you shall not depart from me vntill you haue set mee and my Wife within the Citie of Momur Sir quoth the Monke that will I not doe nor I cannot doe it though I would but I shall sette you both vppon the Mount of Hircama and from thence you may well sée vnto the Citie of Momur and all the countrey of the Fayrie and then I will returne vnto my companie who by this time are passed the great Sea of Tâ—rtaâ—y Monke quoth Huon I am content so that thou wilt sette vs in that place whereas wée may see the Citie of Momur Chap. CXLV ¶ How the Monke bare Huon and Escleremond ouer hils and Valleys in the ayre vntill hee came into the Countrey of Kinge Oberon THen the Monke tooke Huon vppon the one arme and Escleremond vpon the other but alwayes Huon held the stoale still about the Monkes necke to the entent that the Monke shoulde not beguile him and thus by the Fayrie and enchauntment the Monke bare Huon and Escleremond vnto a hye Rocke to rest them and from thence hee bare them as fast as the bird flyeth in the ayre at last they alighted in a faire meadowe then the Monke said Sir in an euill houre I met with you for you haue caused me to suffer great paine and nowe Sir I can goe no further for you are now in the Land of King Oberon whereas wée haue no puissance but first I will bring you vnto your lodging whereas you shall rest then before them they sawe a Castle newly made the which was so faire rich and strong that if I should describe it to the vttermost it would be ouer-long to rehearse Then the Monke tooke his leaue of Huon and of the Duchesse Escleremond his Wife and left them in the Castle that hee had made Huon suffered him to goe and thanked him of his curtesie the Monke suddainly vanished away they wist not whether and then Huon and his louing Wife entred into the Castle and came into a rich Chamber well fournished and there they found a Table sette with diuers meates and drinkes but there was no man to speake vnto then they sat downe at the Table and did eat and drinke at their pleasure and then they went from thence and when they were gone a little way they looked behind them and saw neither Towne nor Castle wherof they were sore abashed and recommended themselues vnto our Lord God then they went foorth into the meadow and could see neither Towne nor Castle House nor Village nor man to demaund the way of and they went so long that they came to the foote of a Mountaine whereon they mounted with great paine and trauaile and when they were vppon the toppe of the hill they rested them and then within a little season Huon sawe appeare before him a great Citie and vpon the one side thereof a faire and rich Pallaice the wals and Towers of the Citie and the Pallaice were al of white Marble pollished the which did shine so bright against the Sunne as though it had been all of Christall then Huon said vnto his Wife Madame yonder before vs we may sée the noble Citie of Momur whereas King Oberon is Sir quoth Escleremond our Lord God hath done vnto vs a great grace in that hee hath brought vs hether in the sauegard of our persons Then they went foorth vntill they came néere vnto the Citie of Momur and before the Citie they sawe a maruailous great Riuer and verie déepe and two bowe shoots in largenesse and it was maruailous pleasant to behould and when they came to the Riuer-side they founde there a man with a little Vessel awaiting vppon all them that woulde come vnto the Citie to passe them ouer Then Huon and Escleremond his Wife entred into the little Shippe and saluted the Guider thereof but hee woulde giue them none aunsweare but maruailously behelde them and when they were ouer the Marriner who was named Clarimodes and he was Sonne to a Damsell of the Fayrie then he demaunded of Huon what he and his Wife were and sayd mée thinkes you be none of the Fayrie wherefore I am not content that I haue passed you ouer Then Huon gaue him none aunsweare but went foorth and entred into the Citie and as they passed they were greatly regarded of them within the Citie and sayd one to another it is great maruaile to sée these two persons enter into this Citie for King Oberon who lyeth sicke in his bedde gaue great charge vnto Clarimodes that no straunger should passe the Riuer to enter into this Citie Huon heard them and was thereof right sorrowfull when he heard that the King lay sicke in his bedde so he passed foorth and came vnto the Pallaice euery man there beheld him and his Wife and had great maruaile to sée any mortall persons to enter into that Pallaice and they were thereof abashed and wist not what to thinke At the same time Mallâ—bron and Gloriand were walking together in the hall they saw Huon and Escleremond entring into the Hall and incontinent they knew them and came vnto them and embraced them and sayd Ah noble Duke Huon and Duchesse Escleremond you are welcome of your comminge wee are right ioyfull then Mallabron went from them and went into the Chamber whereas the King lay sicke and sayd Right déere Sir your good Fréend Huon and Escleremond his Wife are come into your Hall When the King heard that Huon and Escleremond were come for the great ioy that he had he quickly arose out of his bedde Therewith Gloriand Huon and Escleremond entred into the chamber where King Oberon was and when the King saw them he came vnto them and sayde My right déere Fréende Huon
and you my déere Loue Escleremond of your comming I am right ioyfull then hee embraced and kissed them both more then Tenne times and sayde Huon my right déere Freend for the great truth and noblenesse that I find in you I shall make you King of all the Fayrie and your Wife Escleremond shall be Lady and Quéene of the same and besides that I will giue vnto you all my dignitie When the Kinge had well saluted them then hee sat downe vppon a Couch and made Huon and Escleremond to sit downe before him and then hee commaunded Gloriand that incontinent he should fetch vnto him his bowe and when hee had it in his hand hee tooke an arrow and did shoot therewith then incontinent it séemed that all the world had arriued in the Town and Pallaice there came thether so many Knights and Ladies of the Fayrie that all the Towne and Pallaice was full and when they were all assembled together in the Pallaice Kinge Oberon commaunded to carrie him into the great Hall in his rich Couch then he commanded silence to be kept among them all and then he sayd Lordes and Ladie that bée héere assembled all yée knowe that euerie mortall thing cannot long endure I speake it for my owne selfe because I am Sonne to a mortall man and was engendred vppon the Ladie of the prime Isle who can neuer die because shee is one of the Fayrie engendred of a man of the Fayrie and Daughter to a woman of the Fayrie and whereas it is so that Iulius Caesar was a mortall man therefore it behooueth me to passe out of this world by the commandement of our Lord God who hath ordained that it should be so And because of my loue during the time that I haue béen conuersant héere with you therefore I will not leaue you without a Lorde but first in my life dayes I will puruay you of one who shall bee Duke Huon whome I loue well and déerely and also I will that his Wife the Duchesse Escleremond shall abide with him for in no wise I will seperate them asunder therefore I ordaine that Huon who is héere present be your King and Lord and Escleremond your Queâ—ne and Ladie and from hencefoorth I put my Realme and dignitie into his handes and I will that hee vse it as I haue done in my life time howbeit King Arthur hath sore pressed vppon mee to haue my Realme and dignitie but I will that none shall haue it but alonely Huon of Bourdeaux who is héere present and whome I will crowne King in all your presence Chap. CXLVI ¶ How the noble Kinge Oberon crowned Huon and Escleremond and gaue them all his Realme and dignitie that he hadde in the Land of the Fayrie and made the Peace betweene Huon and King Arthur WHen the people of the Fayrie both Knightes and Ladies had well heard and vnderstood King Oberon they were right sorrowfull in that hee should leaue them and sayd Sir since it is your pleasure and that it is your will oâ— reason wee must bee content to receiue Huon of Bourdeaux for our kinge and Madame Escleremond his Wife for our Quéene When the King vnderstood his Lordes and people then he caused to be brought thether two Crownes the one was set vppon Huons head and the other vppon Escleremonds head then Oberon sent for his Horne Napkin and Cup and the good Armour hee deliuered them vnto Huon to doe with them his pleasure great ioy and feasting was made in the Pallaice by the Knights Ladies of the Fayrie Then king Huon looked out at a window and sawe vpon the Mountaine that he passed ouer at his comming thether a great number of Tents and Pauillions and hée sayd vnto King Oberon Sir vppon yonder Mountaine I see a great number of men assembled and many Tentes and Pauillions picht vp Huon quoth king Oberon know for troth that it is kinge Arthur who meeneth to haue my Realme and dignitie but hee cometh too late for the promise that you made vnto me you haue kept therefore he fayleth and commeth too late for if you hadde not come I had giuen him my Realme and dignity I know well that hee will be heere soone to see me and hee will be sorrowfull and angrie of your comming hether but if I can I shall doe so much that you shall bee both in peace and rest for good reason it is that he doe obay you Therewith kinge Arthur and all his Chiualrie entred into the Citie of Momur and came alighted at the Pallaice and with him his Sister Quéene Morguele Fay and Transeline their Néece they came and saluted king Oberon who receiued them with great ioye and sayde Great kinge Arthur you are welcome and Morgue your Sister and Transeline your Néece and Sir â—â—ray you to shewe mée what faire Childe is that I sée there before your Sister Morgue Sir quoth Arthur hee is called Marlyn and is Sonne to Ogier the Dane who hath wedded my Sister Morgue and I haue left him in my Countrey to rule it vntill I returne Sir quoth king Oberon the child shall haue good fortune hee shall bee in his time feared and redoubted for Ogier his Father is a good and a valiant knight And noble kinge Arthur you are welcome and of your comming I am right ioyfull I haue sent for you to shewe you the pleasure of our Lord God that I shall depart out of this world and to the entent that you should be content in that I haue giuen you heretofore in the Fayrie so much dignitie and puissance wherewith I desire you to be contented for behold here Duke Huon of Bourdeaux and his Wife the Duchesse Escleremond vnto whome I haue giuen my Realme and my dignity to vse it as I haue done héeretofore and therefore I pray and commaund you that you will obay him as Kinge and Soueraigne of all the Fayrie and you to liue together with good loue and peace When King Arthur heard King Oberon he answeared fiercely and sayd Sir I haue well heard you and you know well that your Realme and dignity you gaue me after your decease and now I sée well that you haue giuen it to Duke Huon Sir lette him goe into his owne Countrey and vnto his Citie of Bourdeaux whereas hee hath left his Daughter Clariet and let him goe and marrie her for as heere he hath nothing to doe I hadde rather to bee cleane exiled for euer and chaced out of my Realme then I should obay him or doe vnto him any homage for he shall haue nothing to doe ouer mee without hee winne it with the point of the Sworde When Kinge Huon hadde well heard King Arthur of Brittaine he answeared fiercely and said King Arthur knowe for troth for all your wordes and threatninges I will not spare to say vnto you that whether you will or not it must behooue you to obay and to be vnder me since it is the pleasure of my Lord Kinge
it had béene better for mee neuer to haue béene borne for I sée well that héere I must dye Alas I wot not whether to goe for in this Isle is neither man nor woman to whome I may goe for any refuge Thus sore complayning the Ladie went downe the Mountaine and by that time the Shippe that she came in was floated away and as shee looked into the Sea shee sawe a great Shippe comming towards the Port for fresh water and for wood and when shee sawe that she was right ioyfull and thanked our Lord Iesus Christ and she thought that they had béene Christian men but they were Sarazins Paynims and with them was a King who was their Lord and Soueraigne he was king of Granado and was returning into his Countrey but hee had such fortune vppon the Sea that hee was constrained to come thether then they cast anchor anâ— tooke land and the King when hee saw the Ladie vppon the Sea-side hee demaunded of her what shee was and of what Countrey Sir quoth shée séeing you will know of mine estate I shall shew you then the Ladie shewed before all them that were there present how shee was Daughter to Duke Huon of Bourdeaux and shewed all the aduenture that was fallen vnto her When the Sarazin Kinge heard that hee was right ioyfull and sayd Faire Ladie it is happie for you that I haue found you for I haue no Wife you shall be my Wife and ly with me this night but first you must denie your Lawe and beléeue vppon the Law of Mahomet vppon whome I doe beléeue When the faire Ladie heard the Paynim King shee sayd God forbid that I should leaue the Law of Iesus Christ to beléeue in the Law of Mahomet I had rather haue all my members drawne one péece from another with wild horses then to be wedded wife to such a kind of man as you bée When the King heard the Damsell that shee set so little by him hee had great displeasure thereat and lifted vp his hand and gaue her vppon the chéeke such a blow that the bloud ran out of her mouth and nose so that she fell to the earth whereof he was sore blamed of his men and hee said vnto them Why Sirs did you not heare how shee despised our Law and set no more by me then if I had béen but a boy then he commaunded that they should take and cast her into the Sea and he departed from her in great displeasure that shee answeared him so rudely Then the Sarazins came and tooke the Ladie rudely and caried her into the Ship and so saued her but the King knewe not thereof Then when the King came againe to the Shippe they drew vp their anchors and hoysed vp sayle and had good wind then as the King walked vp and downe in the Shippe he saw the Damsell within the Shippe whereof hee was sore abashed for he thought that his men had drowned her then he looked vppon her and thought that hee neuer saw so faire a Ladie and so he desired her with all his heart and sayd vnto her Faire Lady now you be here your deniall shall not auaile you for this night you shall lye with mee When the faire Ladie Clariet heard the Paynim King deuoutly she called vppon our Lord God and humbly required him to preserue her virginity and to bringe her out of the handes of the Sarazins and then she knéeled down before the King humbly desiring him to haue pittie of her and sayd how she was content to follow his pleasure assoone as he came into his owne Countrey Well quoth the King whether you will or not you must suffer my pleasure for I will not depart from you vntill I haue lyne with you one night and that I may hold you in mine armes and when shée vnderstood him shée beganne sore to weepe desiring God to aid and succour her at that time for otherwise shee sawe well that she was but lost Therewith there arose so great a wind and so horrible that the Sea that was calme and peaceable began to arise and the wind was so great that whether the Sarazins would or not it behooued them to abandon their Shippe to the winde whereof they were in such feare that the Kinge and all other had great doubt of their deathes for their sayles were all to torne with the wind and néere hand the Shippe perished they cryed and called vpon their God Mahomet for succor and ayd The King was in such feare that he had now no list to desire the faire Ladie Clariet of her loue who was sore afrayd and pale for feare this torment Tempest endured all the night and they were driuen the same night beyond Valencia the great and in the morning they saw the Towne of Tours to the which Port the wind draue them and when the Paynims saw that they were arriued there they were right sorrowfull for they knew well that the Towne was christened they sawe no way howe to eschew it but they had rather to â—e as slaues all their liues then to be drowned in the Sea The same time there was arriued at the same Port a noble Knight named Sir Peter of Aragon and when hee sawe the other Shippe comming to the Port by constraint of the winde and saw well without it were succoured the shippe should be perished against the Rocke whereby they within and all the riches should de perished and drowned then he cryed to the Galleys that lay in the Port to goe and succour that strange ship and then the Marriners went to the Sea and came to the Ship When the Sarazins sawe that the were in great feare to bee slaine then there came two Paynims to the Damsell to haue taken her and to haue cast her into the Sea Then shee tooke the Mask of the Ship in her armes and held it so fast that they could not drawe her from it then the Aragonoyse began to approach to the Shippe and cast their hookes to ioyne together The Ladie in the Shippe had great feare the which was no maruaile howbeit she was ioyfull when she knew that they that came were christened then the Aragonoys by the cordes and roapes entred into the shippe and when Peter of Aragon and his companie were entred into the Shippe he saw the Ladie sore weeping then hée demaunded of the Sarazins where they had gotten that Princesse right now quoth hee I sawe howe you would haue taken her and cast her into the Sea if I had not come hastely then one of them said Sir wee bee of Granado and fortune of the Sea hath driuen vs hether we be readie to bee your slaues or else to pay raunsome at your pleasure Paynims quoth Peter all the gould in the world shall not saue your liues none of you shall escape then hée commanded that they should bee all slaine and that none shall escape aliue the which was done incontinent all were slaine except the King
Aragons house and haue passed the time there with the newe come Damsell the most fairest that euer was borne and the most gentlest and best taught right faire and swéet are her deuises Florence quoth the King I charge thée in as much as thou fearest my displeasure that thou commest no more at her beware that thou fallest not enamoured of her if thou doest thou wert neuer so ill acquainted with any Loue nor there neuer came so ill aduenture to the Damsell if shee draw thée to loue her for if I may know that thou goest thether any more I shall sette her in such a prison whereas I shall cause her to end her dayes miserably Father quoth Florence mée thinkes that you doe vs great wronge to forbid vs to play and sport together in all goodnes and honour and God defend that I shoulde entend any wayes to deceiue her Déere Father remember that you haue béen young therfore suffer that youth may passe their time in goodnesse and honour with vs as it hath done with you nowe you are about Four-score yeares or more you ought to thinke of nothing but to serue God and eat and drinke and sléep it ought not to trouble you though our youth passe the time in good workes you ought to bee content that we loue by amours as you haue done before this for to the Damsell I beare all honour and I will loue her howsoeuer it bee taken faire or foule there is no man liuing that shall let mee as longe as life is in my bodie shee is faire and gentle and it is said that I am faire and that it were a méet couple for vs two to be ioyned together in mariage and therefore Father I praye you to blame mee no more nor the Damsell for in all that I can doe I am her Louer and shee is mine When the King hadde well vnderstood his Sonne in great yre and displeasure he sayd Oh thou vngracious Son little thou prizest or honourest me in that thou wilt doe thus against my will know for certaine if I may liue but till to morrow in the morning I shall make a departure of your twoo loues When Florence heard his Father he sayd My déere Lord and Father if God will you shall not doe as you haue sayd for if you doe with mine owne handes I shall slay my selfe for I will not liue one day after When the Kinge heard that hee was right sorrowfull for feare of loozing of his Sonne and studied within himselfe what to doe then he said Faire Son take thine armour and goe and seeke aduentures as I haue done in my time then I shall marrie thée to some Wife such a one as thou canst finde in any Countrey although she be neuer so great or noble I shall cause thee to haue her iâ— thou wilt forsake and leaue this new found Damsell for by her no wealth nor honour can come vnto thée it should bee a great euill vnto thee that after my daies it should bee saide that a newe found Damsell should bee Ladie and Queene of my Realme Thou knowest well howe thine Vncle the King of Nauarre maketh me great warre for a debate that is lately fallen betwéene him and me I knowe well that now at this Moneth of Aprill hee wiâ—l come and inuade my Realme and therefore good Sonne seeke for some other Wife and let this folly passe then I shall make thée a Knight then helpe to aid and defend my Realme against the Kinge of Nauarre thine Vncle thou art bigge and strong inough to defend my Land Good Father quoth Florence speake no more vnto me for I will neuer haue no other Wife but this faire Damsell whome I loue entirely Sonne quoth the King thou abasest thy selfe ouer lowe nor there is no friend nor kindred that thou hast that will keepe any company with thée but they will cleane flye from thée therefore good Sonne put away from thée this folly beware in as much as thou thinkest to haue my Realme after my decease and vppon the paine to bee banished out of my Countrey take not her against my will Then the Kinge called vnto him his Cozen Peter of Aragon and charged him that if Florence his Sonne came any more to his lodging that he should incontinent tell him of it for I promise quoth hée by the faith that I owe vnto our Lord God if he come thether any more I shall cause the Damsell that is in your house to be slaine Florence was right sorrowfull when hee heard to the pleasure of the Kinge his Father Thus as the King rebuked his Sonne there came in a Knight and kneeled downe and sayd Sir I haue brought you ill tidings for the King of Nauarre is entred into your Realme and setteth all your Countrey in flame and fire and néere to your Citie they be to the number of more then Thirtie Thousand men besides the great Battaile that commeth after wherein there is about thrée-score Thousand men they exile your Countrey and they slay men women and Children they spare neither young nor old it is great néed that you make hast and to bring your men together to resist your enemies When King Garyn heard the Messenger he was right sorrowfull then hee called vnto him his Cozen Peter of Aragon who was his chiefe Constable and sayd Sir make readie our men to resist our enemies then he called vnto him Florence his Sonne and sayd Faire Sonne take thine armour and shew thy vertue against thine enemies who waste my Realme and take vpon thée the chiefe charge and lead mine Hoast for I haue no puissance nor strength to do it because of the great age that I am of I haue liued so long that I can no more ride therefore defend thou the Land that thou shalt hold after mee and then thou doest as a wise man should doe Father quoth Florence by the grace of God I will put no armour vppon my backe to defend your Land except you will giue mee in marriage the faire Damsell that is in my Cozen Peter of Aragons house if you will doe me that courtesie and promise mée to doe it I shall deliuer into your hands your enemy as Prisoner to doe with him your pleasure otherwise looke not that I shall doe any thing When the King saw that his Sonne would doe none otherwise then he commaunded all his other men euerie man to arme himselfe and to goe and resist his enemies the which they did incontinent and they yssued out into the fields more then tenne Thousand men and Sir Peter of Aragon hadde the leading of them and they were not out of the Towne aboue twoo Leagues but they encountred their enemies there were many speares broken and many a Knight beaten downe to the earth and slain and their bodies lying without soules among the horse féete right valiantly did Sir Peter of Aragon behaue himselfe that day but hee had not strength ynough sufficient for his
enemies encreased wherefore hee was constrained to retire backe towardes the Citie howbeit before he entred he did great losse and dammage vnto his enemies When the Nauarnes sawe the Aragons retire into the Citie then they pitcht vp their Tents and Pauillions about the Towne and when king Garyn saw his men returned then he called his Sonne Florence and said Sonne take thine armour and ayd to defend the Land the which appertaineth to thée after my decease Sir quoth Florence that will I neuer doe without first you promise me to giue me the faire Damsel in marriage by that couenant that I shall deliuer into your hands as Prisoner mine Vncle the King of Nauarre When the King his Father heard him hee muzed a litttle and sayd My Sonne I graunt thee thy desire so that thou wilt deliuer me thine Vncle the kinge of Nauarre to doe with him at my pleasure therefore take thine armour and make thée readie thine armour is good and thy swoorde is with the best and if thou canst do as thou sayest thou shalt haue the faire Damsell howbeit he sayd to himselfe priuily that he had rather to loose one of his handes then a stranger should be Quéen after him for assoone as my Sonne quoth hee shall be yssued out of the Citie I shall cause the Damsell to be drowned in the Sea for I will not suffer her to liue although I should bee disenherited for it Then Florence hearing his Father promising to him to haue the Damsâ—ll he was right ioyfull but he knew not the inward ill will of his Father then hee sayd Sir then I require you to send for my Loue hether to the entent that she may guird my sword about mee whereby I shall be the more bold and hardy when I come into the Battaile The kinge did as his Sonne required but the Sonne knewe not the Fathers thought the Kinge sent twoo knightes for the Damsell and when shee came there shee was greatly regarded of them that were there for they had neuer séen a fairer nor one that séemed to be extract of a hye generation When Florence sawe her in the Pallaice his heart rose vp and he ranne vnto her and embraced and kissed her and the Ladie suffered him with a good will wherewith the king had at his heart such sorrow that he had neere hand runne vppon them but he forbare it because he saw his Son readie to goe against his enemies then he helped to arme his Sonne richly and in like wise so did the faire Damsell When king Garyn hadde made his Sonne readie the Damsell did guird his Sword about him then the king drew it out of the sheath and therewith made him knight and then his horse was brought vnto him and hee leapt lightly vppon him with his Speare in his hand and helmet vppon his head and shéelde about his necke Then Florence sayd vnto the kinge his Father Sir I leaue with you my Loue whome I loue best in all this world I leaue her in your kéeping for if our Lord God giue me the grace that I may returne I shall bring vnto you mine Vncle the king of Nauarre as a Prisoner The king graunted vnto his Sonne all that he would desire but he knewe not the inward intention that hee was purposed to doe Then the king commaunded Ten of his knights to sée the guiding of the Damsell and to honor her as much as they might vntill his Sonne were out of the Citie and then to drowne her in the Sea to the entent that neuer more tidinges should bee heard of her Chap. CLIII ¶ How Florence went to fight with his enemies and how Sir Peter of Aragon returned towards the Towne to bring thether Prisoners and howe hee rescued the faire Damsell Clariet from drowning and how afterward Kinge Garyn caused the Damsell to be closed vp in a prison WHen Florence was armed and mounted hee tooke vp his horse freshly before the Damsell and blessed him and tooke his leaue of the kinge and of his Loue and so departed and road to the gate and all that sawe him sayde howe they neuer sawe so goodly a knight nor more séeming to bee feared then hee yssued out of the gate and roade towardes the Tents of his enemies with ten Thousand good knights and hardy the Ladies and Damsels went to the wals of the Citie to behold the young knight When the Nauarnes saw him comming there came against him more then fiftéene Thousand men and they came downe in a Valley by couert to haue cutte him the way betwéene the Hoast and the Towne but the valiant knight Sir Peter of Aragon who was with Florence espyed them and so made hast to be afore them and when hee sawe his time to set vppon his enemies Florence who was sore desirous to fulfill his promise to the king his Father tooke his Speare and encountred with a knight with such vertue that he ranne him cleane through and with drawing out of his Speare the Nauarnes fel downe dead then Florence sayd God hath giuen mee a good beginning then hee drewe out his sword and strake another vppon the helmet in such sort that he claue his head to the teeth and the third and fourth hee made dolorously to die and hee neuer ceased vntill he had slaine Tenne of his enemies Thus vnder the meadowes of Courtoys was a horrible Battaile betwéen the Nauarnes and Aragons where there was vpon both partes such slaughter that it was great maruaile to behold it Anon Florence sword was well knowne for by the force of his armes he brake the great preasses for vppon whom soeuer his stroke lighted hee was either slaine or cast to the earth euerie man feared him so much that none durst abide nor approach néere vnto him The same time that Florence was in the Battaile dooing of maruailes the faire Damsell Clariet was vppon the wals of the Citie with other Ladies and Damsels regarding the hye Prowesse that Florence did in the field and the ioy that she had thereof was soone turned into sorrow and wéepings for king Garyn who could not forget the mortall hate that he had to the Damsell called vnto him Ten knightes of them that were secret with him and sayd Sirs this new found Damsell with whome my Sonne Florence is in hot amours shee displeaseth me so much that I cannot find in my heart to looke vppon her my Sonne thinketh to haue her in marriage at his returne but as long as he liueth hee shall neuer see her more whatsoeuer fall thereof therefore goe your way and take and cast her into the Sea amonge the greatest waues that you can finde When these knightes vnderstood the King who commaunded them to doe this murder they were right sorrowfull at their heartes but they durst not say nay nor doe against his will for if they had they knewe well that they should die and they knew that there was neither mercie nor pitie in him therefore they
by vs hee is King of all the Fayrey and he will come to ayd thée and to defend thy land also he will that thou knowest that he is Father to the faire Damsell Clariet whome thou namest the new-found Damsell and because thou hast banished from thée thy Son Florence hee will come to thée to make the Peace betweene thée and thy Brother in lawe the King of Nauarre and hee will make the Mariage betwéene thy Sonne Florence and Clariet his Daughter When kinge Garyn heard the Knight of the Fayrey hee hadde such ioy at his heart that hee wist not what to doe or say and hee came to the Knight and embraced him all wéeping and said Sir know for troth my body my life and all that I haue I submitte into the handes of the good King Huon to do therewith at his pleasure With those words the twoo Knightes vanished away no man wist how nor whether so that euerie man had great maruaile King Garyn and his Lordes lifted vp their hands to Heauen making the signe of the crosse recommending themselues to Iesus Christ and the twoo Knightes rested not vntill they came to the Cittie of Momur to King Huon and shewed him what they had done and sayd to King Garyn shewed Huon of the day of Battaile that was taken betwéene the two Kinges and said Sir haue pitie of Florence and of Clariet your Daughter who are as now on the Sea in a great Tempest then Huon sayde Surely I they shall be shortly before the Citie of Courtoys with a number of people that the earth shal be couered with them to the entent that if either of those two Kinges doe contrary to my will I shall destroy him for euer for shortly I will that my Daughter Clariet shall bee Duchesse of Bourdeloys and shee is so faire that there is none like her and I will shew the great loue that I beare to her Then Huon called to him Escleremond and sayd Ladie you shall sée this day the thinge that you much desire to sée that is your Daughter Clariet to whom I giue her the guift that she shal be beloued of euerie man and I will that from henceforth she shall giue large guiftes and rewards to Ladies Damsels Knightes and Squiers for I will that from hencefoorth shée haue her pleasure without suffering of any more ill or perill for she hath suffered inough This day was faire and cléere within the Citie of Courtoys there was many people assembled and they were in great deuotion some made seruice to be song and some were confessed and ordred themselues towardes the Battaile Then King Garyn commanded euerie man to leape vppon their horses readie armed and the King himselfe mounted then they issued out of the Citie and commanded his Constables and Marshals to ordaine Thrée Battailes in the name of God King Garyn had assembled a great number of men he had more then Fiftie Thousand men there ye might haue séen Ladies Damsels and Burgesses that wept for feare of their Freends whome they sawe going towards the Battaile and they went all to the wals Colledges and Churches to pray to God for the good spéed of their King and of their Fréends Now let vs leaue speaking of these two Kinges who were readie in the fielâ—s ranged in order of Battaile the one against the other and lette vs speake of King Huon who called before him all his Lordes of the Fayrey there was the faire Escleremond and Gloriant and Mallabron and many other Knights of the Fayrey then King Huon said Sirs yée all knowe well that by the will of God King Oberon whiles he liued gaue me all his Realme and Signiorie and puissance that he had ouer al the Fayrie of the world thereby then I may haue all my commaundements fulfilled and since God hath giuen me this gift I will not suffer the man-slaughter and murder that is like to be betwéene the Two Kinges of Aragon and Nauarre therefore I wish my selfe with Two Hundred Thousand men well armed and richly by séeming and all mounted on good horses and also I wish to haue as many â—â—urnished with bowes and Crosbowes on foote Also I wish a Hundred Thousand to be apparelled in Gownes of cloath of gould and silke and also I wish for my Daughter Clariet whome I haue left a long time in paine and miserie whereof I repent me for mine intention is to marrie her to Florence Sonne to Kinge Garyn of Aragon the which Florence is so faire so hardy and so humble and curteous that in all the world there is none like him I wish him and all his companie and Sorbarre with him to be at the Hauen of Courtoys Also I wish my Tent in the meadow betwéen the hoasts of the two Kings and I will that my Tent be such that there be none like it in all the world and vppon the toppe thereof I will there be pitcht a Dragon of fine gold King Huon hadde no sooner made his wish but hee and all his company were there as he had deuised When the king of Nauarre saw so many people and so many Tents and Pauillions so néere him and that he saw the rich and puissant Pauillion of Kinge Huons with the flambing Dragon hee was greatly dismayed Then he called his Lords and Knightes and saide Sirs behold what people yonder are before vs lodging mee thinkes I neuer sawe so many together in all my life I wot not what it should be I am in doubt then he called vnto him two knights and sayd Sirs goe thether and knowe what people they be and what they meane and whether they bee Fréendes or enemies who is chéefe ouer them Sir quoth the two knights we will not goe thether for we know not whether they bée our enemies or not When the King of Nauarre vnderstoode that those knightes nor none other would goe thether hee was sorrowfull and as the king was thus deuising thether came the two knightes of the Fayrey Gloriant and Mallabron and Gloriant sayd Kinge of Nauarre King Huon of Bourdeaux hath sent vs to you and commaundeth you that you make peace betwéen you and king Garyn for he will giue his Daughter Clariet to your Nephewe Florence who is the fairest Ladie of the worlde When the king of Nauarre vnderstoode these twoo Messengers sent from king Huon he was right ioyfull and commanded al his Lords to goe with him to kinge Huon they obayed his commaundement and road with him vntill hee came to the rich Pauillion of king Huons whereas they alighted and were well receiued then the king of Nauarre saluted king Huon who sayd Sir you be welcome and then the king of Nauarre knéeled down before kinge Huon and sayd Sir I am readie to fulfill your pleasure Then Gloriant tooke the king of Nauar by the arme and raysed him vp and set him down by king Huon and Escleremond then king Huon sent for king Garyn who incontinent came
thus doe and that it is your pleasure I am content and I humbly thanke your grace of the honour that you beare me Then the Emperour sent for his Daughter who came vnto him with a glad heart for shée had béene aduertised of the matter why her Father sent for her and then the Emperour sayd Daughter you must promise mée to doe as I shall shewe you Déere Father quoth she it is not in me nor I will not refuse any thinge that is your pleasure Daughter quoth the Emperour you doe well so to answeare mée and because I haue no more but you that ought to haue my Realme after me therfore I will that you take a Husband to the intent that your Landes and Signiories may bee defended by him and therefore I will that you take to your Husband our Captaine the valiant Ide whome I loue entirely this is my pleasure and agréement of all my Lordes if it be your pleasure to haue him he shall be King and you Quéen after my decease Sir quoth the Ladie I am readie to fulfil your pleasure and to obey your commaundements and I thanke God of this faire aduenture that is fallen to mee this day for I shall haue him that I loue best I haue not nowe lost my time when I shall haue at my will him whome I loue best in all the world then shee knéeled downe before her Father and thanked him of his guilt and then she rose and kissed her Father and sayd Right déere Father I require you to hasten that this may bee done let vs goe to the Church to be wedded for me thinkes we ought so to doe When the Lordes heard the Ladie they laughed at her hast and then the Emperour sayd Daughter come foorth and fiance your Husband and you I de approach néere and nowe after my death I giue you all mine Empire and I giue you my déere daughter in recompence of the good seruice that you haue done me When Ide vnderstood the Emperour all her bloud changed and she wist not what to doe all her bodie trembled for feare and she called vppon our Lord God right pitiously to her selfe and prayed him to haue pitie of her and to counsaile her what was best for her to doe for shée saw that perforce the Emperour would marrie her to his Daughter and sayd Ah my Father Florence by you by your disordinate rage I am nowe brought to this case when you made mée to depart because you would haue had me to your wife but before I would haue consented thereto I had rather to haue béen burnt therefore I fled away to eschewe that shame whereby I haue béene since in many perils from the which by the will of God I haue escaped whereof I ought to thanke him I thought to kéepe my selfe within Roome secret and that no man shoulde knowe that I am a woman but I shall be accused by the Emperours Daughter whose loue is so much sette on mée that I haue no power to escape without I steale away priuily from them all and if I shew them what I am I may then haue some villany and bee accused and sent vnto the Kinge my Father or else to send him word where I am and then in great hast he will send for me or else if I will escape I must flye away ouer the Sea howbeit I speake but like a Foole séeing this fortune is fallen vnto me to haue the Emperors Daughter in mariage and his Empire I will wed her and doe as God will giue me grace to doe All this the Damsell I de spake to her selfe Then shée sayd to the Emperour Sir since it is your pleasure to giue me your Daughter in mariage I am ready to take her Then they were ledde to the Minster-church and there they were fianced whereof great ioy was made in Roome then the day of marriage came and the faire Oliue was ledde to the Church betwéene two Kinges and I de went afore verie sadly and so came to the Church there they were wedded Then great was the triumph and ioy in the Citie of Roome many a rich garment of gould and silke was worne that day and euery man ran to sée the new Brides then they went to the Pallaice and so to dinner Of the Feasts sports and rich meates that were there that day if I should shew it the time would bee ouer-long to rehearse it but since Roome was first founded it was not knowne that there had béen such a Feast as this wedding for no bodie thought but that I de had béen a man and after Supper when it was time to goe to rest the Brides were brought into their Chamber then the Ladie Oliue went to her bed then came Ide and the Chamber auoided and shee locked fast the dore to the intent that none should heare them then shee came to bed and layd her downe on the bed-side and sayd to Oliue My right swéete Loue God giue you good night for as for me I can giue you no good because I féele such a disease the which gréeueth me sore and therewith she kissed Oliue who answeared and sayd My swéete Louer you are the thinge in the world that I most desire for the bountie and swéetnesse that I knowe in you then doe with me as it shall please you and to the intent that you shall not thinke that I haue so great desire that you should do the thing which of right ought to be done betwéene man and Wife I am content to forbeare it Fiftéene dayes and because that diuers folkes are héere about to heare vs I am content to giue you truce for wee shall haue time ynough hereafter to sport vs and I know such noblenesse in you that I am sure you will take none other Wife nor touch none other but that you will kéepe your faith and troth to me for I am chast and so shall you find me it sufficeth me to kisse you as for the priuie loue I am content for this time since it is your pleasure to forbeare it Then I de answeared Faire Ladie I wil not refuse your will thus they passed that night with clipping and kissing Then in the morning they arose and made them readie and came into the Pallaice the Emperour beheld Oliue his Daughter to sée if shee were any thing chaunged and sayd Daughter how is it with your new husband Sir quoth shee euen as I desire for I loue Ide my Husband better then I loue you although you are my Father at that word the Emperour and all his Lordes laughed so great ioy and feasting was there made that it endured Eight dayes Then euerie man tooke leaue and went whether as they listed and after the Fiftéene dayes were expired that I de had layne with Oliue I de touched her not but with kissing whereof Oliue was sorrowfull and sayde to her selfe Oh good Lord I was ingendred in an euill houre when I haue married with
man rose in the Pallaice and the Earle himselfe arose and came into the Hall with his Sword in his hand and there hée found the Fiue Traytours who shewed him that for certaine wordes betwéene Croissant and his Sonne there was a Fray betwéene them whereby your Sonne is slaine by the hands of Croissant the which hee did wilfully to the entent to haue all your Landes after your decease because you haue giuen him your Daughter in mariage and before wée could come he was sled but before he departed out of the Chamber he slewe Fiue men besides your Sonne for they were not armed but Croissant was armed he seemed rather a spirit then a mortall man and when we saw that wee could not approach to him because he was armed we slew his Squier When the Earle heard them it was no maruaile though he was sorrowful and then he went into the Chamber whereas his Sonne lay dead when he came there for the great distresse that hee had at his heart he fell downe vppon his Son in a swound and when he came to himselfe hee cried and sayde Ah Croissant your acquaintance is to me verie hard then he commanded his men to arme them and incontinent to goe after Croissant who so pitiously had slaine his Sonne and sayde if I may take him hee shall neuer escape my handes without death Then in the Pallace and in the Towne euerie man armed them the Earle himselfe armed him mounted on his Horse and yssued out of the gate with many people and then they road abroad in the CouÌ„trey searching and demaunding if any man met with Croissant but he could heare no certaine newes of him except of one man that sayd how he met him about fiue Leagues froÌ„ thence and that he went a great pace When the Earle heard that hee saw well that it was but a labour lost to fellow any further then he returned to the town right sorrowfull and sore displeased for the death of his Sonne and yet againe hee greatly complayned for Croissant in that aduenture and saide that a more valiant Knight coulde not bee found neither more courteous nor more wise I would to God that there were betwéene him and me good amitie so that hee had my Daughter in marriage and that after my decease hee might haue my Land then diuers of his men sayd Sir lette him goe hée séemeth to bée rather a Diuell then a man hée is fierce and cruell hee makes no more to slay a man then some 〈◊〉 to drinke good wine lette him goe hee was borne in an ill houre then the Earle entred into the Towne right sorrowfull and sore displeased for the death of his Sonne and alsâ— for Croissants aduenture and then he caused his Sonne to be buried as it appertained great sorrow was made by the Earle and by the Duke of Callaber other Knights that were there but they knew not the troth of the matter whosoeuer made sorow the Earles Daughter was sorrowfull both for her Brother and also for the noble Croissant whome shee had thought to marrie Nowe let vs leaue speaking of them and returne to Croissant Chap. CLXXIX ¶ How Croissant arriued in the Subburbs of a little Towne called Florencolle and lodged among Ruffians and Villaynes and how they fell at strife and how Croissant slewe them and fledde and was in great daunger And howe hee came into the Cittie of Rome whereas there was no man that would giue him one morfell of bread and how he went and lay in an old Pallaice vpon a burden of strawe WHen Croissant saw that he was departed from the Towne of Nise and that he was alone afooâ—e hee made his complaints to our Lord God requiring him humbly to haue pitie of him then hee went foorth and so trauailed Three daies and Thrée nights without meat or drinke but a little bread and water he had such hunger and thirst that he could scarce sustaine himselfe on his féet so at last a little before the Sunne was set hee came to a little Towne called Florencolle whereof the gates were shutte before he came thether then in the Subburbs hee saw a house like a Tauerne and hée sware though he should be slaine he would goe to that house to eate and drinke and to pay well for his shot it had béen better for him to haue passed by for there he was in great perill of his life as yée shall heare Thus hee approached to the house and heard how the Cookes were busie in the Kitchin then he sawe a great fire in a Chamber where there was the greatest Ruffians and players at dice in all the Towne and they had prepared flesh and fish for their Supper When Croissant saw the preparation that was made there for the Sixe Ruffians he entred into the house and saluted the Host and demaunded if he might be lodged there the Host sayd yea and how hee should be there well serued both of wine and of meat such as he wold demaund Then Croissant went in the Ruffians met him and sayd how hee was welcome and each of them pinched other and wincked with the one eye and sayd softly to the master of them this great Trauailer is come well at a point for before he depart he shall pay for our shot and expences and anon we will put the dice into his hands whereby he shal leaue his Gowne Cappe and monney if he haue any Croissant did not vnderstand them because they spake whisperingly then Croissant sayd Sirs if I eate with you paying my shot shall it turne you to any displeasure Fréend quoth the Maister of them it pleaseth me well that you eate with vs then they washed all together and sate downe at the Table néere to the fier they were well serued of euery thing When Croissant was set hee began to féede well his hunger was so great for in Thrée dayes before he had eaten nothing but bread and water therefore hee had the better appetite and also hee found there good wine and fresh and he dranke thereof at his pleasure When they had well eaten and drunke and were well chafed by reason of the good wine the Host rose vp sayd Sirs it is time to make reckoning that euerie man pay his part then the maister Ruffian sayde Sir make you the account for you can doe it better then we and shew vs what wee shall pay Euerie man alike Sirs quoth the Host as néere as I can reckon yée must pay in all Twelue shillings and looke euerie man pay his part Then the Master Ruffian began to sweare bloud and wounds that they should play at the dice to sée who should pay for all then hee sayd to Croissant Fréend you must come play with vs behold heere Thrée dice good and square wee must doe so for one must pay the whole expences before we depart Sirs quoth Croissant we shall not néede to play at dice to know who shall