hym w t an hawberke and his helme ranne forth without ony more abydynge as the hardyest knyght that was as men sayd Whan he was departed herde the crye I was sore a ferde toke one of my womennes gownes wente my waye with my launder I founde of auenture the posterne open y t some people had opened soo I went out wente to the woodes faste by the landes where as dwelled an holy heremyte the whiche had a chapell and a lodge at the wodes syde So I abode there and my chamberer whiche was aged came euery daye to fetche the almes at the kynges hous And therby we lyued the heremyte she and I so ye may se how god hath saued me In good fayth sayd y e kyÌ„ge her sone ye ledde an holy lyfe so dyde she for she wered y e hayre wente gyrde with a corde was an holy lady The kyÌ„ge had grete Ioye grete pyte of his moder Than he sente for his taylloures and dyde shape kyrtelles gownes and mantelles for his moder of veluet bothe blewe purple made them to be furred with veer and ermyne fables whan it came to theyr souper they brought in the quene rychely arayed And whan the kynge of Aragon her brother sawe her he toke her in his armes and kyssed her sayd that he wende not that she had ben on lyue The lordes and the ladyes of Galyce had grete Ioye of the quene dyde her grete worshyp for they helde her for a good an holy lady And they were all ameruaylled fro whens she came for they wende she had be deed Her brother the kynge of Aragoon was set at souper at the tables ende and after the quene than her sone the kynge Ponthus for the day of his crownacyon he must kepe his estate The quene was of goodly porte semed well to be a grete lady she was ryght humble had grete Ioye of the goodnes and worshyp that she sawe in her sone Than she sayd to her sone Fayre sone I haue grete desyre for to se our doughter your wyfe for the grete goodes I haue herde of her Madame sayd he ye shall se her hastely yf it please god That daye passed with grete Ioye grete dysportes of ladyes of syngynge of daunsynge and of other maner playes That nyght kynge Ponthus dremed that a bere deuoured quene Sydoyne his wyfe and she cryed sayd A Ponthus my swete lorde suffre me not thus to dye This auysyon fell to hyÌ„ twyes or thryes so he was sore afrayed ther with grete meruayll in his herte what it mente In the mornynge in the sprynge of the daye he called vp his men and sente for his vncle syr Patrycke so they came to hym he tolde them his auysyons he sayd myne herte telleth me that my wyfe hath some sekenes or in some trouble so I wyll no lenger abyde here for I wyll go as faste as I can to se her Whan they sawe his wyll they durste not agayne saye hym Than sayd the kynge fayre lordes I thanke god and you this countree is clensed of the myssebyleuers and I thynke well y t by you two the couÌ„tre hath be saued and the people kepte fro the deth by your good rule as it was goddes wyll So I bethynke me of Moyses Aaron that god set to saue the people of Israell so ye shall haue meryte and the guerdon of god And as for me I am ryght moche bounde to you wherfore fayre vncle I make you my leutenauÌ„t syr Patrycke shall be senesshall constable of this realme for it is grete reason that ye that haue done soo moche good saued the countre ye to haue the rule and the gouernaunce And ye syr Patrycke my dere frende ye saued me soo I shall gyue you londe good so largely y t ye shall not lese your good seruyce Syr Patrycke kneled downe and thanked hym Than the kynge coÌ„maunded them that the estate of y e quene his moder were kepte and that she sholde haue her coÌ„maundement as it were to his owne propre persone also y t they sholde susteyne the poore as well as the ryche that the ryche sholde not greue nor ouerlay the poore And than he coÌ„mauÌ„ded theym to repayre chyrches glasse wyndowes of all other thynges where as they were broken to make them vp agayne I shall take you ten thousande besauntes of golde therto he ordeyned ryght well for his realme all thynges that neded And than he went and herde his masses sent his dyner in to the shyppe and toke his leue of his moder the quene sayd vnto her herynge all men Madame I leue you the realme and the tresoure that I haue all in your grace gouernaunce I haue coÌ„mauÌ„ded coÌ„mauÌ„de all men to obey you as I my propre persone better I leue you myn vncle and syr Patrycke my good knyght y t whiche I haue made my constable seneshall of this realme myne vncle my leutenaunt Soo he toke his leue wepynge she prayed hym that he wolde come agayne in shorte tyme for she wolde fayne se his wyfe and he toke his leue of the lordes the ladyes of the countree and wente to the shyppes euery man arayed hym dressed hym to the see Kynge Ponthus came vnto y e barâ—ns tolde theym what auysyon there was befall hym wherfore he sholde neuer be at hertes ease tyl he had sene his wyfe So he toke the see sayled so longe tyll he sawe the costes of Brytayne ¶ Of y e false letters and treason that Guenelet dyde ayenst Ponthus wherfore he dyed with grete myschefe as ye shall here hereafter GUenelet was abyden keper of the kyÌ„ge and of his doughter for kynge Ponthus had gyuen hym all the gouernauÌ„ce as ye haue herde before wherfore he had grete Ioye Neuerthelesse he myght not kepe hymselfe nor chastyse hymselfe from treason so he bethought hym that he wolde haue the quene Sydoyne to his wyfe by what waye and that he wolde be lorde and kynge of the countree eyther by fayre or by foule so he wolde set hymselfe in auenture Soo the deuyll tempted hym so moche y t he dyde stuffe the cyte and the castelles sente for sowdyours gaue theym syluer in hande for to haue the loue of them of armes So is syluer of an euyll vertue for the good men put them in peryll of deth And whaÌ„ he had stuffed all the fortresses he dyde make a fals seale of kyÌ„ge Ponthus and made two false letters that one to the kynge and that other to the quene Sydoyne the whiche specyfyed that kynge Ponthus recoÌ„maunded hym to the kynge that all his men were dyscomfyted slayne and hymselfe hurte to the deth without ony remedye So he prayed hym that for his welfare for the welth of the countre that he wolde gyue his doughter
¶ How Broadas sone to the Soudan toke Croyne and slewe the kynge Tyber SO befell it as fortune iâ— wolde one of the thre sones came as y e wynde brought his nauy by grete tourment that he passed besyde Croyne in galyce and there he came vp So toke he the londe in a balyngere and toke of the men aboute the ryuage And whan he had taken them he asked of them who was lorde of that countre And they answered sayd that it was the reaâ—me of Galyce and that kynge Tyber was kynge therof Than asked the Sowdans sone what lawe they helde And they answered sayd the lawe of Ihesu cryst ThaÌ„ made he to withdrawe his nauy so as he wolde haue withdrawen hym fro the realme from the countre toke twelue shyppes and made theym to be ledde to the porte of the towne of Croyne charged them that they sholde make them marchauntes of swetâ— gommes of spycery and of clothes of golde and of sylke And than they sholde at euen go lye in the towne in theyr hauâ—ergeons vnder theyr gownes and aboute the poynt of the daye they sholde go vpon the walles of the gate towarde the see And that they sholde geâ—e the gate the walles and that they sholde helpe them to scale to come vp in to the towne And so as he had deuysed it was done So came the twelue vesselles made them marchauÌ„tes and solde spycery clothes of damaske solde grete chepe ynough And sythen the marchauntes lodged in the towne as nyghe the gate as they myght And dyde make redy ryght good mete made theyr hoost to soupe with them whiche thought none euyll nor no gyle whan they had well sported them they wente to rest had take theyr poyntment 〈…〉 poynt of daye vpon the gate and deuysed theyr ordynaunce And whan tyme came they wente vpon the walles and at the same tyme the Soudanes sone whiche was named Broadas the fyrst sone of theym came to the fote of the wall with a grete nombre of ladders so wente vpon hyghe And they aboue the wall drewe theym vp soo many that with in a lytell whyle there were vpon the walles more than a thousande and gate the gate and the towne without ony gayn saynge and dyde there moche harme And syth assayled y e castell and there in was the kynge Tyber and hym they toke by strengthe and y e kynge defended hym as moche as he myght ryght vygorously and he wolde neuer yelde hym and so longe he defended hym that he was deed and slayne and that was ryght moche harme and the quene tho wente out by a posterne had but a mantell wrapped aboute her and went in to deserte And an olde preest toke the kynges sone .xiii. chyldren more with hym wihche he taught and wente out and ledde theym all and hydde theym in an olde roche besyde a gardyne and there were they two dayes without mete or drynke the olde preest whiche was called syr Denys had so grete drede whan y e chyldren wolde go out of y e caue he came tofore them and sayd vnto theym goo not out yf ye wyll not dye and so he withhelde theym two dayes but at the thyrde daye Ponthus sayd to hym mayster better it is to dyâ— with swerde than to be enfamyned and to dye for hunger for thenne sholde we be cause of oure dethe homysydes of our selfe by auenture we sholde mowe fynde some remedy The preest sayd that he had moche leuer to dye of hunger than to fâ—ll in the daunger of theyr enemyes handes and trembled for drede and by strengthe Ponthus steâ—te out of the caue he his cosyn germayne Polydes and were apperceyued and ledde to the kynge Broadas whiche than named hym to be cleped kynge of the countre And whan the kynge sawe these .xiii. chyldren whiche were meruaylous fayre he asked what children they were And ponthus answered and said y t they were chyldren whiche y e kyÌ„ge made to be nourysshed for goddes loue for to serue hym whaÌ„ they were of greter age And of what seruyse sayd Broadas Syr sayd Ponthus that one sholde haue gouerned his grehoundes and the kyÌ„ges 〈◊〉 houndes And that other the gosshawkes 〈…〉 hawkes of the towre and the other of nedes in the hall and in the chambres O sayd the kynge clothed he his seruynge people so worthely as ye be clothed ye seme to be grete lordes sones after the estate I se you in Syr sayd Ponthus we be but vauasoures and of small gentylmen comen By mahowne I wote not what ye be but of beaute ne of well spekynge haue ye not fayled but it behoueth that ye leue your lawe whiche is no thynge worth take mahownes lawe And I shall do you moche good And yf ye wyll not do it I shall make you to dye a myscheuous dethe now chuse whiche that ye wyll Sothely sayd Ponthus of the dethe mowe ye well ordeyne to your pleasynge but for to forsake our lawe for to take mahownes ne shall we neuer do for to dye therfore No sayd the kynge to the dethe be ye thenne come so sayd he that they sholde dye an euyll dethe ¶ How a crysten knyght saued .xiiii. chyldren that is for to wete Ponthus and his thyrtene folowes in a shyppe vpon the see THan sterte forth a crysten knyght whiche had take mahounes lawe for drede of deth had alwaye his herte to Ihesu cryst the whiche knyght y e kynge loued ryght moche and sayd Syr I take the charge vpon me to delyuer you yf they wyl not byleue in mahoune I shall ordeyne for them in suche maner that neuer shall they hurte youre lawe I praye you sayd the kynge bethynke you And I take theym you to gouerne Than went Ponthus the other to haue be deed but god remedyed theym the knyght ledde them to his place made them strongly aferde afore the kynge And whaÌ„ he was at his place he made his folkes to withdrawe them and than asked of theym for to assaye them in this wyse ye must byleue in mahoumet or ye be but deed And they answered sayd they sholde neuer byleue vpon hym to dye therfore And whan he sawe theym swere he had ryght grete Ioye asked them yf they had ete ony mete that daye and than he made them to ete drynke for they had grete hunger A sayd one of theym wherfore ete we syth that we shall go to the deth Do waye quod Ponthus by the grace of god we shall lyue yf it be to his pleasynge we shall hope in him he shall saue vs. Soo ete they prayed our lorde to haue mercy vpon them The knyght herde what Ponthus sayd praysed hym ryghte moche and sayd in his herte that it sholde be grete pyte yf suche chyldren sholde dye for they were meruayllous fayre fayre spekynge Soo departed he fro
grete and meruayllous dedes of armes he and Broalys and Corbatan his vncle Tho were the thre knyghtes of all the sarasyns whiche susteyned most theyr folke makynge the grete stoures the grete dedes of armes whiche most releued agayne in theyr grete nede ¶ How the kynge Karados was dyscomfyted by Ponthus and his folke POnthus behelde the kynge whiche dyde ryght grete dedes of armes sawe hym ryght rychely armed with perles precyous stones and vpō his helme a ryche crowne of golde and slewe many of the crysten people and had ouerthrowen Guyllam de roches slayne Guyllam de dygnan and bette downe many knyghtes woūded Than said he to Androwe fayre lorde what an aduersary haue we of that kynge of his two knyghtes whiche be besyde hym yf they dure longe they wyll doo vnto vs moche harme And yf these thre myght be sette on fote or to the deth it semeth me that we sholde haue y e hyghe hande of them Syr sayd Androwe de la toure goo to that one we shall go to the other two Than sayd Ponthus I shal go to y e kȳge put me in auenture of all his strength And he wente forth gaue the kynge so grete a stroke that he bette hym downe of his horse to y e erth and at the fallynge he brake his canell bone And Androwe bette downe Broalys smote of his ryght arme that he dyed withall And Harlant the seneshall smote Corbatan agayne so felony that he bette him downe and whan these thre were defowled it nedeth not to aske yf they sarasynes were abasshed for y e dyscomfyture was there ryght grete all theyr power was fallen and they dwelled as shepe wtout shepeherde Than toke they theym to dyscomfyture and to lese londe And than our cresten folke toke boldnes vpon theym and to haue the crye of them so slewe they many of them from thens forth The kynge myght vnnethes releue agayne so slewe hym one that bare the lyon that was Reynault de vytre or deglysson I wote neuer The sarasynes wyst not where to flee or to hyde them On y e coost towarde the nauy was a ryght grete stoure of sarasynes whiche wyste not yet of the deth of theyr kȳge and hadde bette downe Bausaye mayle Geruays daner the mount Iohn̄ payne de rochefort there helde they strayghtly our folke But whan they sawe theyr folke slayne they meruaylled moche and whan our folke w t whome they fought sawe them affrayed they toke herte to them ranne vpō them And also there came to rescowes Geffrey de lesygnen leoncel the herupoys and brytons soo many that they made them to leue the place there was grete slaughter of paynymes and of sarasynes ¶ How the sarasynes were ouercomen drowned POnthus dyde meruayllous dedes of armes for he slewe folke also hors all that he toke with the stroke was deed defouled or beten doune his shelde was to all presented he departed the grete strokes with his bryght swerde So Ioyned there theym togyder Geffrey de lesygnen Androwe leoncel Guyllam de roches Bernarde la roche Harlant the seneshall And whan they were assembled togyder they dyde meruayllous dedes of armes for there where they sawe y e grete prees they bette in and broke in amonge theym and made theym to make waye who that euer it happed w t theyr good swerdes of stele none ne durste abyde theym And Ponthus whiche dyde meruayllous dedes of armes was knowen by the strokes whiche he departed on the ryght syde and on the lefte So cryed he vnto them they be dyscomfyted the paynymes whiche were as bestes without shepherde for theyr kynge and theyr capytaynes were tho deed so coude they take no good counseyll ne sette noo remedy in them so they lete themselfe be to all hewen Soo was there within a lytell whyle suche slaughter that all the feldes were strawed with deed men and with maymed they fledde towarde the nauy drowned them in the water and our folke pursewed theym made them to be drowned perysshed Ponthus toke a lytell vessell slewe well a .xxx. whiche hasted them for to saue theym toke foure all on lyue and asked theym where the tresour the ryches of y e kynge was And they shewed hym a fayre shyppe than he sayd lede me thyder or ye shall dye they ledde hym thyder And Ponthus his cosyn germayne Polydes seuen of his felawshyp sterte in to the shyppe slewe caste out all that they founde therin in to the water So loked they the cofers where as the kynges golde was and his syluer fayre felowes kepe me this vessel sayd Ponthus to his seuen felowes I wyll see yet yf there be ony yet that wyll lyfte vp the heed ayenst vs. Than lepte he out of the shyppe and come to the londe by a vessell but there was none that defended hym but all were slayne or drowned Brytons herupoys Torengeaus Manseaus pooteuynes and normans ranne in to the shyppes and in to the vesselles and the other serched the tentes and the pauylyons and there was none so poore but that he had ynoughe and that one more than that other Men serched the feldes eueryche for his frendes And they founde the vycount of Auerences deed And Ihon̄ paynell Turnebeef and the lorde of villyers so made the normans grete sorowe for they were good knyghtes And what of the Manseaus Hongres de beaumount Margeron and y e lordes of doncelles And Amaulry de sylly Of the herupois Gassos de mountereul Rowlande de chenulle Endes de penaunces and Fresylde la hay Of poyteuynes Gautyer de chateau neuf Androwe de montagu and Hubault de la forest And other brytons Peter de duel Raoul le reis Iohn̄ dauauger hardy de leon Huberte de dygnan Godfrey de roham Aubrey de rays and many other good knyghtes eueryche made theyr frendes for too be borne in to theyr coūtre and the hurte for to be kepte Ponthus made the grete shyppe and the grete tresoure for to come vnto his place at vennes And he departed grete foyson vnto good knyghtes and vnto the good folke of armes soo largely that he was ryght hyghly praysed and alowed therfore The kynge was withdrawen agayne to quypercorentyne there assembled al y e grete lordes The kynge feested the straungers and gaue them grete gyftes after that euery mā was of degre And than he sayd vnto theym lordes ye be come gramercy vnto you in to goddes seruyce in to the seruyce of the holy chyrche and of the poore people And by the grace of the hyghe lorde and by your grete prowesses and hardynes ye haue delyuered this countree of mysbyleuers whiche wolde haue dystroyed our holy lawe And it is sothe that his purneyaunce hath gyuen you this holy gyfte and this grace for ayenst one of you there was syxe of them So
the body to the nauyll after he cutte of his heed in sygne of a traytoure in two peces made hym to be drawen out coÌ„maunded y t he sholde be borne to the gallous whan the kynge and his doughter sawe the kynge Ponthus they lepte fro the table came rennynge theyr armes abrode halsed hym kyssed hym Quene Sydoyne wepte for Ioye kyssed his mouth his eyen and she myght not departe frome hym Kynge Ponthus had so grete pyte for the dysease that they had suffred that the teres fell from his eyen so sore his herte was And whan theyr hertes were somwhat lyghted the kynge sayd Fayre sone it had but lytell fayled that ye sholde haue loste the syght of your wyfe me Than he tolde hym of the grete treason of the false letters of the hunger that he made them to suffre Kynge Ponthus blessyd hym was all abasshed sayd that neuer erst was borne suche a traytoure nor neuer was thought suche a false treason I bethynke me sayd he of Ihesu cryst y t had .xii. apostles of the whiche one solde hym And so we came hyder .xiii. felowes as it pleased god wherof one was wors than Iudas but thaÌ„ked be god he is well payed of his rewarde A sayd the kynge yf ye had lenger abyden ye had be yet more mocked God wolde it not sayd kynge Ponthus Now lete vs leue this talkynge sayd the kynge for this mater is well fynysshed to my pleasure and lete vs thynke for to lede Ioye dysporte and also tell vs of your dede how ye haue spedde Ryghte well I thanke god sayd kynge Ponthus Than he tolde hym of the batayll of the dyscomfyture how the countre was clensed well laboured and than there were some that tolde all the rule the maner how he was crowned They had all grete Ioye to here of the fayre auenture that god had sente hym Than they set theym downe to souper and songe daunsed ledde Ioye Quene Sydoyne was mery glad it is not to aske how in her herte she thanked god mekely to be escaped from soo grete peryll That nyght they were wel eased for both theyr hertes had ben in dystresse They talked of many thyÌ„ges had ynoughe of Ioye and dysporte togyder for they loued full well togyder They loued god and holy chirche were ryght charytable pyteuous of y e poore people That nyght the sowdyours of Guenelet fledde awaye who so myght go wente All y e people thanked god of y e comynge of kynge Ponthus they wente on pylgrymages processyons yeldynge graces to god for euery man wende he had be deed ¶ How the erle of rychemonde toke leue of Ponthus came in to Englonde tolde the kynge of the grete dedes of armes y t Ponthus had done ON the morowe after arryued the nauy of Englonde of brytayne of normandy whan they herde the treason of Guenelet they hadde moche meruayll how euer he durste thynke suche falsenesse The kynge of Brytayne receyued theym with grete Ioye And kynge Ponthus withhelde with hym the Erle of Gloucestre well a .xii. knyghtes more and sayd that within .xv. dayes he wolde go in to Englonde to se the kynge and y e quene her doughter Genneuer sayd to the erle of Rychemonde recoÌ„maunde me to theym and yf my lady Genneuer be not wedded I shall bryÌ„ge her an husbonde yf it please the kynge her to take hym So he tolde hym in his ere y t it was his cosyn germayne Polydes the whiche was a ryghte goodly knyght full of good condycyons lykely to come to grete worshyppe In good fayth sayd the erle ye saye trouth I can thynke the kynge wyll be ryght glad of hym haue hym in grete chere for the grete loue he hath to you So he conueyed hyÌ„ as fâ—rre as he myght and after toke his leue of theym So they departed came in to theyr owne countre with grete Ioye The erle of Rychemonde came to the courte and fouÌ„de the kynge the quene and the kynge of scottes that was come to them The kynge asked hym of the tydynges And he tolde hym of the begynnynge and endynge of all auentures And how the countre was delyuered of the sarasynes how that the countre and the people hadde be saued by the Erle of desture syr Patrycke in suche wyse that it was well laboured pleopled of men by y e trewage that they yelded wherby they lyued in peas And than he tolde hym of the grete treason falsenes of Guenelet afterwarde he tolde them of y e grete gyftes the good chere grete gentylnes y e kyÌ„ge Ponthus had shewed them And whan he had all tolde he called in couÌ„seyll y e kynge y e quene her doughter Genneuer the kyÌ„ge of scottes tolde them how kynge Ponthus wolde come thyder within .xv. dayes and had withholde with hym the erle of Gloucestre how he had spoken to hym of y e maryage of his cosyn germayne of Genneuer The kynge asked what maner knyght he was he answered y t he was the goodlyest knyght he knewe saue onely kynge Ponthus I tell you sayd he that he resembleth moche of person and of condycyons saue that he is somwhat lesse By my fayth sayd the kynge I accorde me yf it please my doughter And she kneled downe sayd what it pleased hym to coÌ„maunde her she sholde do The quene the kynge of scottes praysed agreed to the maryage And y e kyÌ„ge of scottes sayd syr it nedeth not to mary your doughter to a kynge or a lorde y t wolde not dwell in this realme for a kyÌ„ge or a grete lorde perauenture wolde not dwell in this countre that were not good for the people nor for the countre And wete well that as longe as kynge Ponthus lyueth there shall be noo man so hardy to assay to greue his londe Than sayd the kynge that he had sayd soth Genneuer that loued so moche the kyÌ„ge Ponthus sayd in her herte that the knyght pleased her more than ony other enquyred of hym frome ferre of the Erle and of the knyghtes that haue ben at y e warre that haue sene hym and the more that she enquyreth the better she fyndeth And the more she loueth hym Now hath she no desyre so grete as to se hym and she prayeth vnto god that he may come soone ¶ How kynge Ponthus made a grete feest at vennes and a grete Iustynge for to feest y e strauÌ„gers where as he wonne the pryse aboue all other THan kynge Ponthus tourned agayne to vennes whan he had conueyed the lordes of Englonde and of the countrees beyonde Soo they wente for to here masse and after they wente to mete And than sayd kynge Ponthus vnto all the barons of Brytayne Fayre lordes yf it pleaseth you we must
kyssed them togyder with alyaūce of loue and so had they deuysed togyder of the rule and of the comyn profyte vpon that syr patryke departed and came to the kȳge and sayd vnto hym Syr ye ought to thāke mahowne of his grace for I haue conuerted the kynges brothers herte of this coūtre that is the erle of Desture he shall be of our Mahownes lawe And we shall make you to haue y e grete trewes the grete honour of this countre so shall he I ryde tofore the townes we shall speke to the cytezeyns and barons to theym whiche wyll obeye ye shall take to mercy the other shall be punysshed The kynge had ryght grete Ioy of this and made y e kynges brother to come before hym and made theyr alyaunce togyder And the kynge rode tofore the townes and fortresses with well a thyrty thousande fyghtynge men so that all the coūtree was full of them the ende was that all the coūtree sholde be trybutary and yelde trewe vnto the kynge So dyde they there ryght grete thynges whiche sholde be to longe to tell And I passe forth for to abredge this mater and leue to speke of y e kynge whiche reygned there well aboute twelue yere so as by a vengeaūce of god And syth was the coūtree made clene of the wycked lawe so as ye shall here more playnly here after ¶ How ponthous and his felawes arryued by fortune in lytell bretayne how y e seneshall Harlant foūde them vpon a roche HEre shall I tourne agayne to y e chyldren whiche were in the see ryght heuy in grete drede of theyr lyues But fortune whiche is ryght meruaylous brought them to the partyes of morygne that is lytell brytayne Soo was the wynde stronge and the torment of y e see grete whiche made theym to arryue vp at y e last that was towarde a forest where was an abbay there was a roche the sayle the mast were broken the shyppe smote vpon the roche but god saued them for the sayle yerde fell bytwene two roches the sayle yerde saued them came all vpon the roche nyghe to y e londe as god wolde So Ioyned they theyr handes togyder towarde heuen thāked god and alway be sought hym with good herte and god whiche forgate not the clamour of his seruaūtes herde the voyce of the chyldren he sent them socour in shorte tyme so as ye shall here In what tyme reyned in bretayne kynge Huguell a worthy man and a true but he was olde of grete age And he had but one doughter of all his chyldren whiche was by a syster of the duke of normandy The moder was ful of the goute and myght not bestere her The doughter was the fayrest the swetest the courtoysest that ony man myght fynde in ony countre And there was no myrth but of her goodnes So it befell that Herlant the seneshall of brytayne a ryght good knyght and a true the whiche was keper of all brytayne that daye hunted in the forest of suffone and as of auenture an harte wente vnto the water tofore the roche there y e chyldren were Harlant loked sawe them on the roche came thyder and cryed to them asked what folke they were And they answered said they were dryuen thyder by aduenture And than the seneshall smote his horse with y e spores and came thyder vnto them for the see was withdrawe yet y e horse went to the bely So made he them lepe vp behynde him behynde his knyghtes his squyers brought them to the drye londe And than he asked them what they were of whens they were And they answered and sayd they were of the countre of Galyce And one of them whiche hyght verrac sayd vnto the Seneshall Syr se Ponthus there whiche is the kynges sone of Galyce also his cosyn germayne Polydes And the other ben barons sones of galyce And whā he herde that Ponthus was the kynges sone he made to hym ryght grete chere dyde him grete worshyp· And set hym in wordes of many thȳges And the chylde whiche was wyse answered hym ryght wysely And thā he tolde hym how Broadas the soudans sone had sealed Croyne slayne his fader and taken the coūtre And how he had be sette in a shyppe also y e maner And whan the seneshall herde the dyscomfyture of y e countre the sorowe of the realme of Galyce he had grete pyte of the kynge and of the countre and that suche folke had the lordeshyppe vpon crysten people So made he them to lepe vpon theyr horses ledde theym to vennes vnto the kynge y e whiche was there as at that tyme. And whan that y e kynge sawe them And had vnderstondynge of the dethe of the kȳge of Galyce the exyle of y e coūtre he was all abasshed wepte and had ryghte grete sorowe for he loued the kynge meruayllously And sayd that many tymes he had done hym good and worshyp vpon the partyes of spayne where he had be in werres ayenst the sarasyns in the kynges felawshyp of Fraunce And I say you well sayd the kynge that it is ryght grete harme to all crystendome for the kynge was a meruaylous good knyght a semely And also the coutre is bothe fayre and good And amonge all other thynges we bourtons sholde haue more harme therby than ony other nacyon for we sent our marchaūdyse to chaūge with theyr good wynes So haue we loste more than we knowe of but god of his grace delyuer the countrees of that false byleue And syth that god hath gyuen me that grace to haue the kynges sone and the barons sones of that countree I thanke hym therof ryght hyghly for I shal make them to be nourysshed and to be lerned as myne owne propre chyldren and than called he the Soneshall and betoke hym Pouthus and to eche of the barons he sente one And departed them for a thre yere And than he sette terme for to se them agayne And prayed eche of them that they sholde be taught of the wood and of the ryuer and of the chesses and of tables and of all maner of dysportes And he whiche taught his best him sholde he conne moost thanke And so departed he theym as ye haue herde ¶ How Harlant by the commaundement of the kynge ladde with hym Ponthus for to nourysshe SO were the .xiiii. chyldre departed with the barons of Brytaygne Herlant wente his waye to gouerne Ponthus and taught hym of all dysportes of the chasses hawkynge huntynge and of all mauere playes of the tables of other dysportes Ryght grete was the name thorugh all Brytaygne of the grete beaute of the witte of the fayre gouernaūce of y e curtesye of Ponthus al of hym spake ferre nyghe amonge all other thynges he loued god holy chyrch And his first werke was whā he was
sone Madame sothe by my fayth Thā she gaue hym a rynge with a dyamonde ye shall bere this dyamonde she sayd for the loue of me Madame graūte mercy So he toke it set it on his fynger And after that she ledde hym to daunce and prayed hym to synge a songe and he dyde her cōmaundement as he whiche was tho taken with the loue of her So sange he a meruayllous songe and a swete And he was beholde of ladyes and of gentylwomen whiche praysed hym moche sayd eueryche in theyr hertes that well sholde she be worshypped that he vouched safe to loue And after that they hadde daunced she made to come wyne spyces gaue the senesshall a cuppe of golde full of wyne sayd vnto hym Seneshall I gyue you with my hande the wyne and the cuppe And the sene shall thanked her And whan they had sported theym ynough the seneshall sayd Madame ye shall gyue vs leue to se the kynge your fader she gaue them leue and prayed the seneshall that they sholde come se her agayne often he sayd so they sholde So loked eche of them on other at the departynge she helde her as couert as she myght whā they were departed they asked togyder that one lady of that other what saye ye of Ponthus there was none but y t they praysed hym meruayllously wherof there were some of them that sayd A well eurous sholde that lady be whiche shall haue suche a loue she shall mowe saye that she hath the floure the goodlyest of the worlde So praysed the ladyes Ponthus and it dyde Sodoyne grete good to here this she durste saye no thynge but that she sayd he is fayre ynough but men can not yet saye the sothe wherto he shall tourne therfore he ought not yet to be ouermoche praysed And that she sayd vpon her herte but that was for to here the maner of the spekers The feest dured thre dayes full and there were Iustes and many straunge playes made ¶ How tydynges came to the kynge of brytayne that the sarasyns were comen in to his realme ANd amonge all other thynges there befell meruayllous thynges for there came messangers whiche sayd that the sarasyns were come downe towarde breste had taken the londe and were more than thyrty thousande wherof the courte was all to troubled And at the houre of mydday there came vp a knyghte and two squyers sarasynes in message on kynge Karados behalfe the sowdans sone And that was one of the thre sones wherof ye haue herde That knyght was grete brode in the sholders fyers and proude and had trewes wherby that he myght come and speke So sayd he on hygh that the sowdans sone was come vpon that countre for to do awaye the crysten lawe and for to publysshe mahowmettes lawe And he sente to the kynge of brytayne that he sholde leue his lawe take mahonnes lawe And ouermore that he yelde trybute of euery fyre hous of the realme and yf he wyll not he wyll dystroye brytayne put it al to the swerde The kynge herde the menaces the pryde Soo was there none that answered agayne ne said one worde Thā Ponthus sawe that no man spake a worde and he sterte forth and went to saye I am a chylde I am symple but I shall not here our holy lawe so dispysed tofore me but that I shall speke So wente he kneled tofore the kynge asked hym leue And the kynge graunted hym whan he sawe that the other wolde not speke than he sayd to the knyght sarasyn I answere that your lawe is but dampnacyon of the fende deth of euerlastynge fyre And ours is saluacyon Ioye whiche shall alway endure whā that we yelde you trybute we be false nor neuer shall we do you sernage god wyll Than sayd the sarasyn yf there be ony two that wyll fyght ayenst me y t mahowne is not greter than your Ihesu Cryste I shall fyght with them Than answered Ponthus neuer god wyl ne shall we set two ayenst one I am yonge feble but I caste my gloue in pledge to defende that worde saye that Ihesu cryst is the sone of god and mahowne is the sone of the deuyll he caste it downe tofore the kynge and the sarasyn toke it vp and said Chylde I sholde fyght with y e with another I aske none but me sayd Ponthus The kynge the barons were gretly wrothe that Ponthus had waged batayll but they myghte not amende it And than the kynge sayd A Ponthus ye haue betrayed vs and set vs at grete vnhertes ease whiche haue be soo hasty to caste your pledge be so yonge ayenst that knyght whiche is so grete so harde Syr sayd Ponthus wote ye not how Danyel whiche was a childe saued Susanne by the meane of god meruayll not of the myght of god whome that he wyl helpe hym nedeth not to drede I holde me sure hop◠in hym So ne doubte no thynge of me Whan the kynge herde hym speke he wept and tourned his vysage asyde of the goodnes of the hardynesse of pyte that he hadde of the chylde prayed in his herte that god wolde hȳ saue Syr make me knyghte with your hande sayd Ponthus and gyue me armes and I shall go doo my deuoure And the kynge made hym knyght and gyrde hym with the swerde kyssed hym wepynge that he myght saye no worde syth armed hym with his best armour of his tresourye and toke hym the best hors that he had And whan he was on horsbacke armed he was soo goodly to se soo ryght so well shapen the feet the legges so streyght and sate soo well on horsbacke y t it was a fayre thynge to se his thyrtene felowes wepte for pyte of drede Harlant the seneshall was heuy so were there all maner of folke whiche sawe that he was so yonge had to do with so grete an aduersary for men sayd that he was y e hardest the strongest of the sarasyns Ryght grete was the crye whan Ponthus was armed for to fyght for the fayth so moche that the wordes came to tofore Sydoyne but it nedeth not to aske yf she had grete heuynesse and drede of her knyght and she sent hym a pensell to sette vpon his spere and whan he sawe the pensell his herte awoke and he thanked her And she sette her all styll in her closette in her oryson prayenge for hym ¶ How Ponthus ouerthrewe the sarasyn that sayd that his lawe was better than the crysten ANd whan all was redy the paynym sayd to hym Chylde go seke another for to helpe y e for thou arte ryght yonge I haue pyte of the for y u art ryght fayre so sholde it be ryght grete harme yf it befell that I slewe the. By mahowne it sholde be good to vnsaye that thou hast sayd praye mahowne
grete gentylnes how he wolde helpe hym vp Moche they praysed hym and gaue hym grete loos Soo they came to Geffrey de lesygnen that myght not bestere hym So he sayd vnto Androwe de la toure fayre frende and felowe I shall abyde tyll the nexte tuesdaye comynge for to holde you felawshyppe for to goo vnto the fayre Sydoyne yf ye sette no better remedy in you that I haue done in me Syr sayd Androwe de la toure of y e auenture of armes may noo man Iuge for they be ryght meruayllous and ye myght not doo therto of this auenture for it was befall of your horse wherof noo man may beware And I thynke not for to haue shame yf I pursewe suche knyghtes as ye and Bernarde de la Roche Soo they spake of many dyuerse thynges and so he was taken lyfte vp as softely as men myght was ledde vnto Moūtfort where y t he was dyght y t he myght ryde with a palet ¶ How y e thyrde tuesdaye Ponthus conquered landry and sente hym vnto Sydoyne THe nexte tuesdaye came from euery parte people to se the batayll at the houre of pryme the blacke knyght with y e whyte teres came of y e other syde came landry than they caste theyr speres in the restes with y e guffanons hangynge with grete Ire eche of them smote other without ouerthrowynge soo they passed forth came agayne ryght rudely so moche that they persed theyr sheldes and brake theyr speres and than they toke theyr swerdes and eche gaue other grete strokes where they myght reche So they were a grete whyle on horsbacke so befell that Ponthus dressed hȳ well smote landry wtall his strength that he made hym astonyed whan Ponthus had do so he sawe hym staker soo he toke hym by the helme drewe hym with all his strength so y t he cast hym to y e erth but neuertheles he rose vp agayne whan Ponthus sawe hym at the erth he sayd that he sholde not assayle hȳ on horsebacke y e other on fote for it sholde tourne hym to shame but anone he alyght put his shelde tofore hym his swerde in his hande came rennynge vpon hȳ And Landry dressed hym made hym redy to defende hym for he wyst well he had not a do w t a chylde Ponthus came smote hȳ a stroke the swerde glaunced smote away a quarter of his shelde landry smote hȳ ayen grete strokes where he myght reche hym and ryght well he defended hym to his power lyke a good knyghte for he was meruaylously stronge harde manly soo he endured moche Ponthus gaue hȳ grete strokes where he myght hyt hym So he meruaylled moche how he myght endure ayenst hym so longe Soo they brake theyr sheldes theyr helmes they were so wery at the fyrst assaute that they must nedes reste theym to take theyr brethes they lened vpon theyr swerdes for werynesse And than Androwe spake fyrst sayd Syr knyght I wote not what ye be but soo moche I saye you y t I wende not in the mornynge to haue founde so moche strength worthynes in you as I haue proued but before or ye haue conquered me in armes ye must do more than ye haue done yet ye sayd Ponthus by the holy fayth ye shall yelde you to the fayre gentylwoman or myne herte lyeth bere her this gyfte of this swerde Than he lyft vp his swerde smote Androwe as he whiche hadde grete angre shame that he endured so longe ayenst hym And so began the batayll soo harde that the blode ranne from them doune to the groūde And Ponthus hadde gyuen hym a grete stroke vpon the temple so that his helme was broken so tourned he his shelde toke his swerde with bothe his handes and smote Androwe so grete a stroke that he was all astonyed and it was no meruayll for ryght longe had the batayll endured bytwene them bothe y t with grete payne they myght stonde So ofte he smote hym that he apperceyued well that Androwe was wery astonyed of strokes that he had gyuen receyued so he hasted hym more more soo moche that he sawe hym staker so he came put hym with all his myght and caste hym downe and fell bothe to the erth but Ponthus fell vpon hym soo y t Androwe myght not ryse Ponthus sayd vnto hȳ Syr knyght yelde you Androwe sayd no worde endured moche payne had grete sorowe to yelde hym So sayd he to hȳ agayne as he whiche was ryght courteys Syr knyght yelde you to the fayre gentylwoman I praye you and that there be no more debate bytwene you and me for we haue preued vs ynough togyder And than Androwe knewe well the grete courtosye of the knyght whiche that he faught with sayd vnto hym to her shall I yelde me gladly syth that it pleaseth you It suffyseth me sayd Ponthus than he rose vp ryght wery and moche trauayled of the grete strokes and of the grete batayll that had so longe endured soo he came to his hors with moche payne lepte vp and wente in to the forest where he sawe the thyckest soo faste that euery man loste the syght of hym And Geffrey de lesygnen many other came to Androwe asked how he dyde he sayd well after the disease that he hadde but that he had foūde his mayster A sayd Geffrey fayre frende we shall go you I togyder to the ryght fayre lady we shall yelde vs to her mercy Syr sayd Androwe I shall bere you felawshyp for it were no reason that ye sholde go without me And so bourded that one felawe with y e other Soo he was vnarmed had grete foyson of woundes but he stode in no daunger for he had no woūde that myght lette hȳ to ryde So wente they on the thyrde daye after to yelde theym to fayre Sydoyne And the kynge made theym grete chere grete Ioye as to two of the beste knyhgtes that men myght fynde in ony londe moost named of worthy knyghthode So they came to Sydoyne put them in to her mercy And she whiche was ryght wyse and gentyll receyued them with grete Ioye fested them dyde them grete worshyp gaue them mantelles of sylke furred with veer gyrdelles fayre ryche on euery gyrdell a ryche gypsyer the knyghtes thanked her sayd well was befall them of her pryson that she was not harde for to endure Lordes sayd she I wote not who is y e knyght that sendeth you hyder but he ye do me ryght grete worshyp without cause for fayrer goodlyer ben ynough in this realme who that wyll seche them chose them Madame sayd choknyghtes we must byleue the comyn for all haue the sen you for the fayrest Soo they bourded ynoughe of many thynges abode
that she hath suffred and how that she may no lenger abyde than tuesdaye in Pentecost that than she shall be maryed vnto the kynge of Bourgoyne y e whiche is full of euyll tatches but Guenelet made the maryage that had grete gyftes of y e sayd kynge So Sydoyne sendeth you worde by me that ye wyll sette remedy in this mater vpon all the loues y t is bytwene you her And whan he herde of the grete trouth of his lady the teres fell frome his eyen he sayd yf god wyll he sholde set remedy so they spake of dyuers thynges ¶ How the kynge of Englonde knewe Ponthus of what lygnage he was exscused hym that he had not more honoured and worshypped hym THe tydynges wente in to the courte that there was come a man of lytell Brytayne y t knewe well Ponthus the whiche named hymselfe Surdyte whan the kynge and all his housholde wyste of it they were sore ameruaylled And the kynge and the quene sayd to the kynge of scottes it was neuer but that my herte sayd thought that he shold be of greteter byrth than he made hymselfe by the noble dedes of hym A sayd y e quene I meruayll me no more though he wyll not haue our doughter for I haue herde saye that he loueth our cosyn Sydoyne of Brytayne without ony shame Truely sayd the kynge it may well be whā he wyll not be maryed in this coūtre So at souper tyme Ponthus came in to the hall his knyght with hym the whiche was rychely arayed as in clothes of sylke furred with sables so he was a ryght goodly knyghte to se. The kynge of Englonde and the kȳge of scottes came ayenst Ponthus sayd vnto hym A Ponthus why haue ye made vs to do ourselfe suche dysworshyp as ye haue done for ye sayd that ye were but a poore knyghtes sone so therby they were disceyued we haue gretely offended for bycause we haue not done you worshyp as we ought for to haue done but all the blame is in you for in good fayth we dyde but as we knewe whan Ponthus sawe the grete courtesye of y e kynge how he dysblamed hym selfe he sayd vnto hym All thoughe I be a kynges sone it is but a lytell thȳge for a man dysheryted is but lytell praysed so it is a lytell thynge of poore noble his dedes ben ryght symple and therfore men ought to sette lytell by hym A sayd the kynge saue your grace he that hath the noblesse the bounte with the good condycyons and worthynes that is in you it is worth a kynges raunsom for ye be lykly to conquere your owne and dyuers other Ponthus was asshamed of the grete prees and chaunged his wordes in to other maters The kynge made hym to syt at souper bytwene the quene and his doughter whyther he wolde or not but it was with grete payne After souper they wente to dysporte them in the gardyn at dyuers dysportes Ponthus came to the kynge of Scottes and the kynge of Irlonde and the kynge of cornewayle and some of the grete lordes and they set theym downe in an erber and than he sayd to the kynge Ryght hyghe and myghty prynce and to you al my lordes and frendes I wolde made a request vnto you all my lordes frendes I wolde make a request vnto you of a nedefull mater of myne Than he tolde them how y e sowdan had sente his thre yongest sones for to conquere vpon crysten realmes and how he delyuered them grete army and nauy and tresoure and how that he sayd vnto them he that shall moost conquere and be moost worthy of knyghthode he sholde be best welcome to hym And how one of them londed in Galyce and by wyle and treason they gate the towne of Columpne in Galyce and of the grete sorowe myschefe that he dyde and how they slewe the kynge his fader And than he tolde theym how that an olde preest hydde them two dayes and two nyghtes in an olde caue in a roche and of y e grete fere that they had and as the wolfe gooth out of the wode for honger ryghte so I and my thyrtene felowes of grete lordes sones wente out of the caue and how they were taken and also how the knyght saued theym and how they landed in lytell Brytayne and how theyr shyppe brake vpon a roche and how they were saued And as he tolde his tale many of the lordes the teres fell frome theyr eyen for to here the peryll and the shrowe that he escaped from ¶ How Ponthus departed out of Englonde with a grete company of people ANd after whā he had all tolde his tale he said vnto theym that he wolde goo for to conquere the myssebyleuers that helde his londe that was his faders for I thanke god sayd he I haue ben in the felawshyp of them where as the pryde of two of theym hathe ben dystroyed soo is there no more on lyue but the thyrde that holdeth the realme y t was my faders and that I oughte for to haue and I vnderstande y t the countre is well gouerned wysely fewe people of the countre slayne for they lyue in seruage paye trybute euery pece a besaunte of golde for the grete tresoure that the kynge reyseth he suffreth euery man to lyue in what byleue that euer he wyll Syr sayd the kynge of Englonde I offre you my body with good herte all thoughe I be olde and aged after my men and my tresoure Syr sayd Ponthus I thanke you hyghly The kynge of scottes the kynge of Irlonde and the other kynges the lordes all they offred hym body men and goodes soo there was none but y t they offred themselfe to hym Ponthus thanked the kynge and all the lordes ryght humbly and wysely and sayd vnto the kynge and to the other kynges and lordes y ◠that god of his grace yelde theym the worshyppe that they offred hym My lordes sayd he to the kynges I shall neyther lede kynges nor other grete lordes but men of armes sowdours a twelue thousande the whiche that I wyll wage I thāke god I haue ynough wherof and he sayd trouth for at the laste batayll he founde ynoughe in kynge Corborans shyppe ryghte grete tresoure so moche that it was meruayll to here with grete payne it myght be nombred They offred hym ynoughe of golde haueour but he wolde none take of them but toke of euery kynge of the best men that they had so many that he had well a twelue thousande men well arayed in good shyppes Soo he waged theym at theyr owne wyll they had grete Ioye for to go with hym he ledde with hym y e erle of Gloucestre the erle of Rychemonde and the erle of Derby chyeftaynes and captaynes of the englysshe men Of scottes the Erle of Douglas and of euery countree a lorde to gouerne the men of theyr countre
of margaretes that it was meruayll for to se the grete ryches that it was worthe for it was praysed more than thyrty thousande besauntes of golde The kyÌ„ge sawe theym and sayd to his doughter Fayre doughter ye be not maryed to prynce dyssheryted god hath gyuen hym and you fayre good and ryche and noble lo ye ought to thanke god After that Ponthus gaue to the kynge ryght fayre gyftes and good Iewelles as precyous stones perles and cuppes of golde and to the barons of Brytayne he gaue gyftes of golde ryches after that they were he was moche praysed for his grete gyftes and of his grete largesse The day of the maryage were the lordes of Englonde of Irlonde of scotlonde rychely arayed and they of brytayne dyde them grete worshyp Grete was the feest grete was the Ioye of mynstrelles and of heraldes Grete gyftes gaue them Ponthus There was many rhynges bytwene y e courses And there were made many meruayllous thynges Ponthus made auowe whiche was moche spoken of for he sayd thus bycause that men sholde nâ—t saye the kynges doughter hath taken a man without londe therfore I make myne auowe that neuer shal I come in her bedde tyll that I be lorde of the realme and londe whiche was my faders crowned or elles I shall dye therfore And I auowe to god y t I neuer kyssed her nor requyred her of thynge that sholde tourne to disworshyp whan that I departed out of this countree nor thought more to doo vnto her than vnto myne owne moder Soo he sayd thus bycause of the wordes the kynge had meued before tyme for the whiche he departed from brytayne And whaÌ„ Sydoyne wyste y t he had made this auowe she was ryght Ioyfull therof all thoughe she had leuer haue had his felawshyp so it was moche spokeÌ„ of some sayd that he was a ryght good man and a trewe knyght and some sayd that he had delayed the grete frendshyp disporte that she supposed to haue hadde with hym Than sayd the kynge in good fayth I was to hasty to byleue suche tales so lyghtly The feest was ryght grete but the kynge wolde not that yere sholde be Iustes for the auenture of that befell of the kynge of bourgoyne for fere that some myschefe sholde haue befallen And than they began to synge daunce and made many geÌ„tylmanly dysportes And at euen Ponthus came in to the chambre to Sydoyne and said vnto her A my swete loue all my Ioye my herte my lyfe all my sustynaunce I haue ben to hasty of the auowe that I haue made but in good fayth I made it for to saue your worshyp for the wycked tongues of the worlde are alwaye redy to reporte the worste And for trouth my fayre loue I shall suffre greter dysease than ony body for the grete desyre that I haue to be bytwene your armes but god wyll I shall be there hasty for it is the gretest desyre that myne herte hath My swete loue and lorde sayd she wote it well that all your pleasure is myne we ought to desyre no thyÌ„ge so moche as worshyp and good name so ye haue done well for to put awaye the doubte of the mysse sayers Inoughe they talked togyder than they halsed and kyssed there was moche Ioye feestynge of armes tyll the .xv. dayes were passed There was y e monstre and the brytons were nombred foure thousande fyue hondred armed men And of the normans twelue hondred and were all waged payed for syxe monethes It was a fayre thynge for to se theym assemble with the nauy of Englonde ¶ How Ponthus departed from Brytayne for to go â—onquere his countree PPonthus toke his leue of y e kynge and of Sydoyne And by flatery this Guenelet dyde soo moche that he abode with the kynge with Sydoyne as all gouernour keper of them And Ponthus toke hym a party of his tresoure to kepe So at the departynge there was wepynge ynoughe of Sydoyne and of the ladyes Ponthus kyssed her toke his leue and betoke her the moost parte of his Iowelles rychesse to kepe Than he departed wente by londe passed by nauntes came to sable danlon to derbendelles there was his grete nauy And there arryued Geffrey de lesygnen Androwe de la toure with grete felawshyp And than Ponthus receyued theym with grete Ioye as the two knyghtes straungers of the worlde that he loued beste than he gaue theym grete gyftes And than came Guyllam de roches a good knyghte Paraunt de rocheforte the lorde de douay Pyers de donne Gerarde de chateau goutyer Iohn meleurier with the herupoys Of the manseaus beaunmount la vale Sygles de doncelles and other of the countre of mayne Of Tourayne baussay mayle hay of other tourangeaus Of poytw the vycount of toures the erles brother of marche maulyon chastemur la garnache dyuers other Ponthus gaue them grete gyftes that they all were abasshed of his largesse sayd that there was none to serue hym he is worthy to conquere and to gouerne all the worlde by his grete courtesye and largesse To euery baron knyght he delyuered shyppes after that they had people And than they toke the see and departed with grete Ioy. It taryed not longe that all the nauy assembled soo it was a good syght to se the shyppes and the sayles drawen vp that it semed a grete forest So they had wynde at wyll passed the yle of doloron And whan they were a .vi. myle from the columpne Ponthus made the ancres for to be caste and all the shyppes to abyde he sayd to the lordes to the chyefteynes it were good to entre in to the countre by nyght for the mone shyneth and therfore lette vs londe a thre or foure myle from columpne and than to withdrawe our nauy agayne for I wolde not sayd Ponthus that they of y e countree sholde knowe vs for certayne causes Than he ordeyned aboute y e sonne goynge downe that they sholde departe and so they dyde And soo they londed a foure myle frome the cyte of columpne Whan they were londed they sente theyr shyppes in to the hyghe see bycause that they sholde not be aspyed Than they hydde them in a valey vnder a grete wood and helde themselfe as preuy as they myght ¶ How Ponthus founde his vncle the Erle of desture syr Patrycke y e knyght in a chapell by columpne THan Ponthus toke an hors rode out at the wood syde for to se yf he myght fyÌ„de ony man of the couÌ„tree for to wete and to knowe the rule of the londe So it befell y t he came to a lytell chapell ryght deuoute It happened of fortune y t the erle of desture Ponthus vncle syr Patrycke y e knyght y t saued him his .xiii. felawes were rysen afore day So these two knyghtes loued togyder as bretherne and they
hadde saued the people from the deth made them to yelde trybute to the hethen kynge in abydynge the mercy of god of theyr delyuernaunce Soo they were vp before day to come on pylgrymage to that chapell that they sholde not be aspyed of y e sarasynes So it befell whā Ponthus sawe y e chapell he wente thyder and a lyght and wente in and it was in the sprynge of the daye so he loked and sawe two men knelynge before y e auter for the whiche he had grete Ioye for he supposed they were crysten men syth they were in y e chapell in theyr prayers And whan y e two knyghtes herde hym come they were sore aferde wende to haue ben aspyed of the sarasynes And Ponthus asked theym what they were name you hardely tell me what ye be what lawe ye holde of sayd Ponthus god wyll I shal not hyde my name nor my god for in good fayth I am a crysten man thā sayd his vncle ye be ryght welcome for your felawshyp pleaseth vs well also we be crysten men in herte but we pray you that ye well tell vs what ye be In good fayth sayd he my name is Ponthus I was y e kȳge of galyce sone whan his vncle the erle of desture herde it he ranne to hym his armes abrode and halfed hym kyssed hym and sayd A my ryght dere neuewe blessyd be god that he hath gyuen me the grace that I may se you or I dye Whan Ponthus sawe that he was his vncle felte the good chere and the good wyll y t he made hym he had grete Ioye sayd vnto hym For the loue of god syr what ye gyue me grete Ioy in myn herte yf it be as ye say The day began for to wexe clere so eche of them knewe other and whan they knewe they kyssed wepte bothe two neyther myght speke a worde whan they myght speke the erle sayd A fayre lorde neuewe how durst ye come hyder thus allone for yf ye be aspyed ye are lyke to be deed Fayre vncle sayd he I am not allone but I haue here with me more than .xxviii. thousande men of armes as of the floure of Englonde of Scotlonde of Irlonde of Brytayne of other countrees aboute Whan his vncle herde it he kneled downe and Ioyned his handes thanked god hyghly of his grace than he tolde hym the gouernaunce of the londe how the countre and the people were saued but that they yelde trybute to the kynge Broadas And than he shewed hym syr Patrycke the knyght that had saued hym And they twayne had saued all the countre Ponthus came to hym toke hym in his armes and sayd that he was all his So they spake ynough of dyuers thynges And Ponthus ledde theym for to se his meyny and whan they sawe them they had grete Ioy It behoueth sayd the two knyghtes that ye ordeyne you your bataylles And so he made his ordynaunce and set in a valey foure thousande men of armes that whan the kynge sholde come out of the towne for to fyght they sholde fall behynde hym that he sholde not withdrawe agayne to y e towne And also they delyuered to syr Patrycke fyue hondred men of armes for to laye in a certayne place that whan the kynge all his power were come out of the twone they sholde go in as thoughe they were sente for to kepe the towne and thus it was ordeyned amonge theym Than sayd syr Patrycke fayre lordes this assemble is made by the pourueyaunce of god that hath sente vs Ponthus the ryghtfull lorde of this countree The Erle of desture sawe his sone Polydes y t whiche was a ryght goodly knyght so he kyssed hym and made hym grete Ioye Than sayd the erle of desture lorde sette you in ordynaunce for I shall goo tell the kynge Broad as that crysten men are entred for to robbe this countre he shall come out with as many men as he may shall come rennynge without ony ordynaūce wherfore he shall be the more easy for to dyscomfyte And sende ye forth a lytell balyngere for to fetche a thre score shyppes to come to the londe sette some hous on fyre soo he shall not knowe of your grete power wherfore he shall come all dysarayed without makynge ony ordynaunce Than the Erle toke his leue and departed came to the towne reght erly he came to the kynge as a man afrayed the kynge rose vp and he salewed hym by mahowne than he sayd to the kynge Syr the crysten men be come for to pyll and to robbe your countre and they ben but two myle frome the towne be they many sayd the kynge Syr I wote neuer but as I may apperceyue there ben a thre score shyppes Fye sayd he be they no more by mahowne in an euyll tyme be they come So I shall tell you for I dremed this nyght that I became a grete blacke wolfe and y t ye set vpone me a grete whyte greyhounde a braket and y t the greyhounde slewe me A syr sayd the erle to the kynge ye oughte not to byleue in dremes ye saye trouth sayd the kynge Go and make to blowe vp the trumpettes do crye that euery man do arme them Soo we shall take the fals rybaudes and robbers on the see the whiche I shall make them all to be slayne and to be drawen at the hors tayles Ye saye well sayd the erle whiche thought it sholde not go soo The erle wente forth armed hym made to crye that euery man sholde arme them So euery man armed them and lepte on horsbacke The kȳge was rychely armed and wente out of the towne without makynge of ony ordynaunce but who so myght go wente Soo there wente forth mo than .xii. thousande on horsbacke with out fote men archers arbelasters of suche as had none horses ¶ How Ponthus slewe Broadas y t slewe his fader Ponthus had ordened his bataylles sette in a valey foure thousande mē of armes for to fall bytwene them the towne And syr Patrycke came with his fyue hondred fyghters in to a preuy place for to wynne the towne he abode tyl that he sawe his tyme to departe The kynge smote his hors w t the spores to y t parte where he sawe y e smoke towarde y e see and sawe not past a .iii. score shyppes now on them they be all shente theyr god shall neuer saue theym but y t they shall dye an euyll deth he abode not tyll he was passed the place where the .iiii. thousande men were than he behelde afore hym sawe y e grete bataylles in ordynaūce so he was ameruayled of this dede wende to haue withdrawen hȳ for to haue set his men in ordynaūce he ordeyned a grete party for he was a wyse knyght an hardy in armes and as he made his ordynaunce he herde
for some of them dyde yelde them and were conuerted Ponthus gaue them good ynough to lyue vpon and the remenaūt that myght flee they fledde wherof some were slayne by y e spanyardes and by theym of y e realme of Castyle other perysshed in dyuers places myscheuously Wherof y e Sowdan of babyloyne was syth ryght sorowfull for to haue loste thus his thre sones and his men he was ryght angry with mahowne sayd before all men as a man out of his wytte that the god crucyfyed had ouercome hym that he was of greter vertue than mahowne whan he hadde not saued his sones his men And so there was grete complaynt for theym in babyloyne in damaske Ponthus made leches to be sought for to hele the people that were woūded and hurte in the batayll hymselfe vysyted them often made men to brȳge them all that theym neded he fested felawshypped the lordes and gaue theym grete gyftes And also he founde in a toure the grete tresour of kynge Broadas the whiche was a grete thynge to tell And whan he had ouer ryden the countre and clensed of the mysoyleuers he founde moche people the londe well laboured bothe of vynes and of cornes From all the countrees the people came rennynge for to se theyr ryghtfull lorde as it had ben to myracles they loued hym well for his grete renowne and worthynes his bounte and his courtesye for there was none so symple nor so poore but that he wolde speke to here hym mekely he was ryght pyteuous of the poore people he loued god and holy chyrche And whan he had done all his dedes he came to the columpne to his crownacōn where he was full solemply crowned by the handes of the bysshop at whiche daye he helde a notable a royall feest And thyder came to hym the kynge of Aragon his vncle that was his moders brother the whiche had grete Ioye to se hym of his vyctorye he tolde hym how kynge Broadas had warred vpon hym and how there was takē a trewes bytwene them for a certayne tyme in to the tyme that god had set remedye and thrughe his grace he hath ryght well purueyed of the pyte by you Thus complayned the kynge to his neuewe yet he tolde hym that he abode y e comynge downe of the kynge of Fraūce the kynge of spayne that sholde haue come this somer but I thanke god it is now no nede The feest was grete of the kynges crownacyon there was made many straunge thynges The grete lordes of the countre they came dyde theyr homage And also the fayre ladyes hadde grete Ioye that they were comen out of hell and of seruage where as they had lyued in sorowe heuynes now they be aswaged in to Ioye myght in to paradyse as them semeth They lyked well theyr kynge in so moche that they had Ioye to loke vpon hym and all maner of people thanked god hyghly of theyr delyueraunce There was songes and many mynstrelsyes whiche were to longe to tell ¶ How Ponthus knewe his moder amonge y e poore people that wente askȳnge theyr brede for goddes sake how he put his crowne vpon her heed THe kynge dyde brynge presente by .xii. fayre ladyes and .xii. olde knyghtes grete gyftes Iowelles to the good knyghtes chyeftaynes some of fayre coursers other of fayre cuppes of golde and syluer of fayre clothes of golde of sylke and many other grete Iowelles soo y t all men were ameruaylled of his largesse He was a man ryght pleasaunt and of grete courtesye of good condycyons So there befel a grete meruayll for the custome was that before the kynge sholde be serued .xiii. poore people for the loue of god and his apostles So it befell the erle wente vysytynge the tables as god wolde he behelde the table of the poore people and sawe a woman that loked vpon the kynge as she behelde hym the teeres fell downe frome her eyen The erle loked vpon her auysed her so wel that by a token she had in her chynne he knewe well that it was y e quene moder vnto kȳge Ponthus And whan he knewe her sawe her in so poore estate that her gowne was all to clouted and all to rente he myght not kepe hym from wepȳge so his herte swymmed for pyte to se her in soo poore araye And whan he myght speke he thanked god and wente behynde the kynge his neuewe sayd to hym Syr here is a grete meruayll wherof sayd the kynge The best and y e holyest lady that I knowe my lady the quene your moder is here in where is she sayd he and he with grete payne myght tell hym for pyte and whan he myght speke he tolde hym in counseyll Syr se her yonder w t the .xiii. poore folke at y e fyrst ende and y e kynge Ponthus behelde her and she apperceyued it and put her hode afore her eyen wepte And the kynge had grete pyte in his herte and sayd vnto his vncle Fayre vncle make noo semblaunt that none aspye it but whan we are vp fro the table I shall goo in to the warderobe thyder brynge her pryuely to me and so it was done Whan the tables were taken vp and graces yelden to god the kynge departed pryuely and wente in to his warderobe and the Erle of desture his vncle brought thyder the quene his moder pryuely And whan kyge Ponthus sawe her he kneled downe before her toke his crowne set it on her heed And she toke hym vp all wepynge kyssed hym often she kyssed hym and halsed hym sore they wepte she her sone the erle And whan they myghte speke kynge Ponthus sayd vnto her A madame so moche pouerte and dysease ye haue suffred endured A my swete knyght and sone sayd she I am come out of the paynes of hell and god hath gyuen me paradyse whan it hath pleased hym to gyue me soo longe lyfe that I may se you with myne eyen and that I se vengeaunce for my lorde your fader that tho tyraūtes put to the deth and also that I se the countree voyded of the messebyleuers and the holy lawe of Ihesu cryste to be serued I wote well that this trouble and sorowe hath endured well a .xiii. yere as by chastysynge of god for the grete delytes lustes that were vsed in this realme soo me semeth now that god hath mercy on his people that he hath kepte you and sente you for to delyuer the countre of the mysbyleuers Ryght well spake the quene wysely as an holy lady that she was Now I praye you sayd the kȳge tell me how ye escaped how ye were saued Fayre sone I shal tell you whan y e crye was grete in the towne in y e mornynge your fader slayne I was in my bedde your fader armed
vnto Guenelet that better he myght not besette her And for to make the maryage he gaue hym all his tresour that he broughte out of Englonde The letters were ryght well deuysed in the letter of quene Sydoyne was how he prayed her and requyred her for the loue that was bytwene theÌ„ that she wolde take Guenelet his cosyn And whan the kynge his doughter sawe the letters it is not to aske of the greate sorowe that they made heuynesse Quene Sydoyne swowned ofte wepte wysshed after hym the whiche myght not out of her mynde she drewe and rente her fayre heere and made so grete sorowe that it was pyte to se So the ladyes all the couÌ„tre were in grete heuynes for hym and sayd Alas what domage what pyte the floure of knyghthode the floure of all gentylnes my roure of all good maners And the comyn people they wepte sorowed for theyr frendes for theyr kynnefor they wende y t they all had ben deed There myght no man comforte quene Sydoyne Alas sayd she he where as all bounte trouth dwelled in by whome I thought to haue all Ioye the whiche was so free so true loued me so well and was so lykly to haue holde the people in rest peas how hath god suffred suche an auenture ayenst hym and ayenst me Alas so rowfull creature what shall I do So there was none so harde an harte but that he sholde haue had pyte on her This sorowe dured more than eyght dayes with out ony cessynge And Guenelet came and sayd to the kynge how that kynge Ponthus requyred hym that he sholde gyue hym his doughter soo he flatered hym ryght fayre sayd that he sholde serue hym her and worshyp them kepe them and the realme And that kynge Ponthus had gyuen hym golde syluer more than the realme was worthe So he offred it to hyÌ„ sayd Syr I praye you go speke with your doughter that she wyll consent The kyÌ„ge was aged so he wyste not what to saye And Guenelet dyde so moche by his subtyll wytte that he made the kynge to consent The kynge came to his doughter and comforted her in the fayrest wyse that he myght sayd vnto her that dyscomforte dyde but greue her without ony helpe to her nor to his realme And syth that kynge Ponthus requyred it that she sholde haue Guenelet that for the loue of hym And for the grete tresour that he hadde gyuen hym also that he sholde obey vnto hym and kepe his realme for sayd the kyÌ„ge he is wyse shall abyde in this realme for to rule it for yf I gaue you to ony kynge he wolde lede you in to his countre soo sholde this londe abyde without ony gouernoure whan quene Sydoyne had herde her fader thus speke she hadde grete meruayll sayd that god be pleased he shall not be her husbonde and that she sholde rather dye And than the kyÌ„ge that loued her soo moche sayd â—yth that it pleaseth you not ye shall not haue hym but â—adde her be of good comforte Soo he came to Guenelet and sayd his doughter wolde haue none husbonde at this tyme. O sayd Guenelet refuseth she me it shall not be al at her wyll So he came to her made moche of her gaue her fayre langage how that he thought to serue her to obey her she to be lady of all that no thynge shall be done in the realme but by her commaundement how he hath the tresoure of her sayd lorde that was wonne vpon the sarasynes the whiche was gyuen hym by his letters Moche made he of her and flatered her but alwaye it auaylled not for she swore vnto hym that she sholde not be wedded of all that yere for man that speketh with tongue O said he yf your fader coÌ„mauÌ„de you wyll ye dysobey hym My lorde may coÌ„maunde me what soeuer it pleaseth hym sayd she but for to dye I shal abyde all this yere after say I not but that I wyll obey hym ye said Guenelet make ye refuse of me wyll ye not obey the letters of your forsayd lorde the whiche ye desyred and loued soo moche that there was no thynge but that ye wolde do for hym And syth ye lyste not to obey hym nor to his prayer nor to his letter also ye lyste not to obey the coÌ„maundement of your fader By y e fayth I owe to hym but yf ye take other counseyll I doubte that ye wyll be angred so he thretened her whan by fayrenes he myght not haue her And than he sayd syth that he hath the letter of her forsayd lorde and the consent of the kynge her fader that she sholde do it whyther she wolde or not ye sayd she am I in that partye ye sayd he by my fayth ye shal se what shal befall Rather said she I shall suffre euery lymme of me to be hewen from other ye sayd he it shall be sene all betyme So he departed as a mad man for he wened not to fayle of her Quene Sydoyne was all abasshed thought in her herte that it was not the fyrst treason y t he had done SooÌ„ she thought well that the letters sholde be falfe for other tymes he had done vnderstonde y t kyÌ„ge Ponthus thus was deed so called she two squyers .iii. yemen of her chambre that she had called Elyos and two other gentylwomen sayd vnto them that doubted her of Guenelet shewed them how he was hote wenynge to haue her eyther by fayre or by foule for he is malycious perauenture he wolde werke by stryngth So I haue purposed we shall go in to yonder toure and do bere thyder some vytayll there shall we abyde vnto y e tyme we haue some rescowe of our frendes or some of the barons or elles haue herde the trouth of my lorde kynge Ponthus ¶ How Guenelet menassed Sydoyne the whiche had drawen in to a toure THey dyde bere brede wyne in botelles and barelles in pottes flesshe chese all thyÌ„ge that theym neded as longe as they had layser than they shette the dore with y e barres bare vp rockes stones for to defende it for Guenelet had thought for to take it ayenst her wyll for to haue done her outrage yf she wolde not haue consented So he came in to her chambre and whan he founde her not he serched the warderobe where he founde a gentylwoman whiche tolde hym she was withdrawen in to the toure how she had vytaylled it and stuffed it And whan he herde it he loked as a madman and came before the toure prayed her full fayre that she sholde open hym the dore swore by his fayth that he wolde not mysse doo her but quene Sydoyne whiche knewe well his vntrouth sayd that he sholde not come in But whan he sawe that