sorrie that it endured so long When the King of Nauarre saw that all his men were yssued out of the Citie then hee withdrewe him into his Tent and he closed in the Citie with a siege abiding vntill the Truce was expired Now let vs leaue to speake of this warre betwéene these two Kinges and speake of Florence who sayled vppon the Sea with his Loue Clariet Chap. CLVIII ¶ How the Shippe wherein Florence was and his Loue was taken by the Sarazins and all their companie taken and slaine and ledde to the Castle of Anfalerne THe Historie sheweth that after that Florence was departed out of his couÌ„trey with his Loue Clariet howbeit he knewe not what she was so it was that the Maister of the Shippe that he was in was of Marsellis and when hee knewe that Florence was Sonne to King Garyn of Aragon and that he had put his trust in him then hee came vnto Florence and sayd Sir the goodnesse and honour that I sée in you causeth me to say vnto you that which I would not doe to another I well perceiue by you that you are in great doubt of the King your Father least hee should follow you to get you againe but Sir to the entent that you shall be well assured of me and of my Marriners I put into your handes my selfe my Shippe and all my Marriners and I will that they obay you as they haue done mee and that you are Maister ouer vs all and Sir neuer thinke that the king of Aragon your Father shall trouble you we are farre ynough from him by the grace of God we shall so conduct you that wee shall bring you to the holy Sepulchre and afterward bring you backe to Marsellis and then from thence you may goe whether as it please you Sir quoth Florence of the honour and great courtesie that you offer me I thanke you then all they that were within the Shippe sayd Sir refuse not to be our Maister for if the winde had not béene against vs wee had béene farre off by this time Sir haue no doubt we shall all obey you and doe as you commaund vs since it is so our Maisters pleasure Sirs quoth Florence I thanke you of your offer God suffer mee to dâ—serâ—e it Florence was ioyful of the good aduenture that God had sent him and thus hee and his Loue sayled ioyfully in the Sea of Affricke So long they sayled that they passed the Isles of Corsia and Sardania and Cicilie and â—n a Wednesday betimes they arriued néere to the Isle of Candy there arose vppon them a maruailous great winde and Tempest so that perforce they were driuen to the coast of Barbary the Tempest was so great that euery man was in feare of drowning the waues were great and fearefull the Damsell was in great doubt when she saw the mariners in such feare she called deuoutly vpon our Lord Iesus Christ desiring him to haue pitie of her to bring them to a good Port. When Florence perceiued his Loue and al the Marriners in such feare as they were hee comforted them the best he could but it auailed not for the wind draue them whether they would or not towards Bongy néere to a Citie named as then Anfalerne wheras they were faine to cast their anchor in great feare of loozing of their liues Then there fell on them a Galley wherein were a Hundred Sarazins another great Ship wherein were more then foure Hundred men and they all fell vppon Florence Shippe When Florence sawe both the Ship and Galley set vppon his Ship the Maister of the Ship and the Marriners began to wéepe and said vnto Florence Ah Sir you and we all are lost we shall be all slaues with the Sarazins yonder Galley and shippe are full of Sarazins and they are ready comming to sette vppon vs. When Florence heard that he said Sir bée not abashed hee whome God will saue cannot be perished no mortall man can hurt him lette vs put our trust in him take such grace as he will send vs the great number of people cannot hurt vs if God will ayd vs lette vs shewe our selues like men they bee without law and without faith and we beléeue in God by whome wee trust to be saued let vs arme our selues and shew our selues like men to defend our liues When the Maister and the Marriners heard Florence they sayd Sir into the sauegard of our Lord Iesus Christ and to you we commit our selues then they all armed them and euerie man stoode at their defence and Florence sayd Sirs let vs all thinke that we now doe fight for our liues and therefore let vs not be abashed euerie man thinke to do his best that he can I loue by amours behold her here by whome I am so mooued to doe well and to defend both her and me Sir quoth they shame haue hee that fainteth then the Ship and Galley came néere to Florence Shippe then the shotte of both parts flewe so thicke as though it hadde béene snowe there was a great Battaile betwéene them great hurt was done with casting out of barres from the tops two times Florence entred into the Ship of his enemies whereas he did maruailes and slewe so many Sarazins that the water was red with the bloud of them that were slaine on both parts there was an horrible Battaile many of Florence men were slaine the good Maister was slaine the most part of his men Also from the land there were shotte Bombardes and Gunnes at Florence ship so that thereby and with the great barres of yron the shippe was sore impaired for it was striken thorow in a hundred places in such sort that the Sea entred in with great abundance When the Damsell saw that mortall discomfiture how their company were slaine and their ship néere full of water and saw no more persons left aliue with Florence but six she was then in great feare and she thought that shee had rather enter into the Sarazins ship then to be drowned in the Sea shee sawe the Galley the which lay ioyning to the shippe she leapt into the Galley to saue her life When Florence sawe his Loue in the Galley hée was néere out of his wits for sorrow and hee sawe well that if he tarried still in his owne shippe hée should be drowned then he leapt into the Galley whereas his Loue was and there he slew many a Sarazin but there was so much people that with force of Darts and speares hée was borne downe then they tooke and bound his handes so sore that the bloud ran out at his nailes Thus Florence was taken and all his men slaine and drowned except some that were taken then Florence wept for pitie of them sayd Ah my Father how falsly haue you wrought against me thus by your folly I am in great daunger I shall neuer returne into my Countrey without God helpe me often times hée beheld his Loue whome the
perforce wée shall bee the first that shall receiue death and because I sée well that I cannot escape from hence I require you my deare Fréend and by the troth that you beare vnto Huon my Lord and yours that incontinent you take my deare Daughter Clariet whome I hold héere in mine armes and finde some meanes that you may depart out of this Citie and beare her straight to the Abbey of Cluny the which is in Burgoyne and deliuer her into the kéeping of the Abbot there and recommend me vnto him hée is Vncle to my Husband Huon and great Vncle to my Childe Lady quoth Bernard I know well that if I be taken here I shal be vtterly slaine howbeit if I could sée or knowe that my abiding héere could aid or succour you both for mine honour and for the loue of my good Lord and Maister Huon I woulde neuer depart hence from you but my resistance and force is but of small value and because I woulde serue you as I am bounde to doe I am readie sournished to take vppon mee that aduenture as to beare your Child away and to set her in sauegard by the grace of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ When the Duchesse vnderstood Barnard she was well comforted and as for her selfe shee regarded neither her life nor death when shee knewe that her Child should be saued Then shée deliuered her Childe vnto Barnard to the entent that in the night time hée should yssue out Then the Emperour and his Lordes came before the Castle and when the Duchesse knewe that shee came to the gate and at a windowe shee desired to speake with the Emperour who was there readie present and said Madame say what you will to mée at your pleasure and when shée sawe the Emperour shee sayd Sir I knowe well that you are the head and cheefest of all the christened and noblest whereby you are bound to defend and to kéepe from ill all noble men and women I that am the Daughter of an high and mightie Emperour and that for the loue of my good Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ haue forsaken mine owne false béeléefe to beléeue vppon the Christian faith Sir I require you for his sake that made and created you to haue pitie and compassion of mée and of all those that be héere with mée to respite our liues and to put from you all rancour and malice and pardon them that nothing had to doe with the beginning of this warre When the Emperour hadde heard the reasonable request of this faire Ladie hee cast from him all the mortall hate that hée had vnto her and vnto them that were within the Castle with her Then hée mooued with pitie and compassion of the noble Ladie aunsweared and sayde Madame for the loue of our Lord Iesus Christe I repell from mée all my displeasure so that you render vnto mee this Castle and to put it vnder mine obeysance to vse it at my pleasure and to yéelde your bodie as my Prisoner and all those that be within and thus you shall haue all your liues saued Sir quoth the Duchesse laude and praise bee giuen to our Lord Iesus Christ for this grace that you shewe vnto mée and to my companie Then the Emperour went backe and made expresse commandement throuhout the Citie that no man should bée so hardy as to doe any hurt or iniurie to any manner of person within the Citie but to suffer euerie man to abide in their owne houses peaceably without killinge whereof the Burgesses and communaltie of the Citie were right ioyfull Thus as yée haue heard the Citie of Bourdeaux was taken by the Emperour who was chosen in Almaine and committed by the Emperour Charlemaine vntill his Sonne Lewis shoulde bée of full age and able to rule the Empire Chap. CV ¶ How the Duchesse Escleremond deliuered her Daughter Clariet to Barnard to beare vnto the Abbot of Cluny of whome the Abbot was right ioyfull YEE haue heard the pitiful taking of the Citie of Bourdeaux and of the treatie and appointment that the Duchesse Escleremond had made with the Emperour when shee had made her appointment shee went vnto her companie pitiously weeping and shewed them all the manner of her treatie whereof euerie person was glad that their liues should bée saued but they made great sorrowe for that the Duchesse should become a Prisoner and then she called Barnard and sayd Sir when it is night yssue out by the Posterne with my Daughter Clariet and beare her vnto the good Abbot of Cluny who is her great Vncle. Madame quoth hée bée of good cheere and by the grace of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ I shall not rest twoo nights in one place vntill I haue deliuered your daughter vnto the good Abbot of Cluny her great Vncle. Then Barnard tooke leaue of the Duchesse who kissed her Daughter at her departing sore wéeping and pitifully complayning There was a Posterne that opened into the féeldes and it was so small that Barnard was faine to leade his horse in his hand the night was dark but he knew well the waies afterwards he mounted on his horse with the Childe in his armes and so road foorth and passed the Landes of Bourdeaux and was neuer séene by any mortall man vntill the next day he road so all the night that his horse was wearie And when hee sawe that hee was past all daungers and escaped all perils then hee road at his ease for loue of the Child and he complained greatly for the good horse Amphage that Huon had left in his kéeping vntill his returne but hee durst not take that Horse with him for feare that hée should haue dealt the worse with the Ladie Escleremond the which had béene true for the Emperour loued the horse so well that he desired more to haue the horse againe then for to winne the Citie and therefore Barnard durst not take the Horse with him So long Barnard road that hée arriued at Monglew the which is called Lyon on the Riuer of Roane and from thence hée road to Mascon and from thence he rested not vntill he came to the Abbey of Cluny and then hée alighted and desired to speake with the Abbot and when the Abbot sawe Barnard with a Child in his armes hee had great maruaile thereof and when Barnard sawe the Abbot all wéeping hee saluted him and said Sir the right desolate Duches of Bourdeaux your Néece and wise vnto the Duke Huon of Bourdeaux your Nephew hath sent héere vnto you her Daughter Clariet Then the good Abbot embraced him and tooke the child and kissed it more then twentie times and demaunded why hée brought the Child vnto him Sir quoth Barnard the Citie of Bourdeaux hath beene besieged by the Emperour of Almaine and so straightly kept that it was néere hand famished many Knightes that were within are slaine so that Huon your Nephewe by the counsaile of the Duchesse his wife and consent of all
more than I haue spoken of and al by thine owne folly Chap. XXVI ¶ How Huon arriued at Tormont and found a man at a gate who brought him to lodge at the Prouosts howse in the towne AFter that OberoÌ„ had shewed Huon part of that should fall to him and was departed Huon and his company theÌ„ mounted on their horses and so rode foorth so long till they came to the cittie of Tormont Gerames who had béen there before when he saw the citie he said to Huon Alas sir we be ill ariued behould here we be in the way to suffer much trouble Sir quoth Huon be not dismaide for by the grace of god wée shall right well escape for who that God will aide no man can hurt Then they entred into the Citie as they came to the gate they met a man with a bowe in his hand who had beene a sporting without the Citie Huon road formost and saluted him in the name of God saying Fréend what call you this Citie The man stood still and had maruaile what men they were that spake of God he beheld them and said Sirs the God in whose name you haue saluted mée kéepe and defende you from incombrance howbeit I desire you in as much as you loue your liues speake softly that you bée not heard for if the Lord of this Citie knowe that you bée christian men he will slay you all sirs you may trust me for I am christened but I dare not be knowne thereof I haue such feare of the Duke Fréend quoth Huon I pray thée shew me who is Lord of this Citie what is his name Sir quoth he he is a false Tyrant when he was christened he was named Macayr but he hath renounced God he is so fierce and proud that as nowe hee hateth nothing so much as them that beléeue in Iesus Christ but Sir I pray you shewe me whether you will goe Fréend quoth Huon I would gladly goe to the red Sea and from thence to Babilon I would tarie this day in this Citie for I and my companie are sore wearie Sir quoth he and if you will beléeue me you shall not enter into this Citie to lodge for if the Duke knewe it none could saue your liues therefore if it be your pleasure I shall lead you another way beside the Towne Sir quoth Gerames for Gods sake beléeue him that counsaileth you so truly Know for troth quoth Huon I will not doe thus I sée well it is almost night the Sun goeth lowe therefore I will lodge this night héere in this Towne whatsoeuer befall for a good Towne should neuer be forsaken Sir quoth the strange man séeing it is so for the loue of God I shall bring you to a lodging whereas you shal be well and honestly lodged in a good mans house that beléeueth in God named Gonder he is Prouost of the City and well beloued with the Duke Fréend quoth Huon God reward thée so this man went on thorow the Towne vntill he came at the Prouosts house whome they founde sitting at his gate Huon that was a faire speaker saluted him in the name of God and the Prouost arose vp beheld Huon and his companie and he had great maruaile what they were séeing they saluted him in the name of God then he said Sirs you be welcome but a Gods name I desire you speake softly that you be not heard for if the Duke of this Citie knewe this you should vtterly bee loste but if it please you to tary this night héere in my house for the loue of God all that I haue in my house shall be yours to doe therewith at your pleasure I abandon all to you Sir I thanke God I haue that in my house that if you abide héere this twoo yeare you shall not néede to buy any thing without Sir quoth Huon of this faire proffer I thanke you and so he and his companie alighted and there were seruants ynough to take their Horses and to set them vp then the Host tooke Huon and Gerames and the other brought them to Chambers to dresse them then they came into the hall wheras they found the Tables set and couered and so sat downe were richly serued with diuers meats When they had done and were rysen Huon called Gerames and said Sir goe in hast into the Towne and get a cryer and cause to be cryed in euerie market place and stréete that whosoeuer will come and sup at the Prouosts house aswell noble as vnâ—â—â—le men women and children rich and poore and all manner of people of what estate or degrée soeuer they be shall come merrily and fréely and nothing pay neither for meat nor drinke whereof they should haue as they wished and also hée commaunded Gerames that all the meat that he could get in the Towne he should buy it and pay readie money for the same Sir quoth Gerames your pleasure shall be done Sir quoth the Host you know well all that is in my house I haue abandoned vnto you therefore sir you shall not néed to seeke for any thing further take of my goods at your pleasure Sir quoth Huon I thanke you I haue monney ynough to fournish all that néede and also Sir I haue a Cup of great vertue for if all the people that be within this Citie were héere present they should haue drinke ynough by reason of my Cup the which was made in Fayry Land When the Host heard Huon he began to smile beléeued that those words had béene spoken but in iest Then Huon not well aduised tooke the Horne of Iuorie from his necke and tooke it to his Host to kéepe saying mine Hoste I take you this to kéepe for it is a precious thing therefore kéepe it surely that I may haue it againe when I demaund it Sir quoth he I shall surely kéepe it and when it please you it shall bée readie and so tooke the Horne and layd it vp in a Coffer But after fell such an houre that Huon would haue had it rather then all the goods in the world as you shall heare more hereafter Chap. XXVII ¶ How Huon gaue a supper vnto all the poore men of the Citie and howe the Duke was Vncle to Huon and howe the Duke had Huon into his Castle THVS when Gerames had this commaundement of Huon he went into the Citie and made to be cryed in diuers places as he was commanded to do When this crye was made there was no Begger Vacabound nor Ribauld Iugler Minstrell old nor yong but by great flockes they came all to the Prouosts house in number more then foure hundred and Gerames bought vp bread meat flesh and other victuals all that he could finde in the Citie and payed for it thus the supper was dressed and euerie man set at the Tables Huon serued them with his Cup in his hand and made euerie man to drinke of that he put out of his Cup into other pots
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
you liue you shall meddle no more with that matter but by the beard that I beare on my chinne I shal neuer dine nor eate meat after this dinner til I sée him hanged and drawne for all your bearing of him against me Then he commanded the tables to be set vp and when Gerard vnderstood the king he was ioyfull thereof in his hart but he made no semblance of ioy because of the Lords that were there present When Huon and Escleremond had heard how the King had sworne the death of Huon the dolorous weepings and teares that they made were so extreame that hard it were to declare it and Escleremond sayd to Huon Ah Sir now I see well that great pitie it shall be the departing of vs two but if I had a knife I would not abide your death but first I shoulde slay my selfe before this false and vntrue king Her complaints were so pitifull that most part of the Lords wept for pitie and the old Gerames sorely wept and sayd Ah good Lord God in what howre was I borne in great dolour and paine haue I continued my youth and now in mine age thus shamefully to die Thus all three made such sorrow that it would haue made a hard heart to lament All three thought no otherwise but to die because they had heard King Charlemaine make such promise but that which God will saue no man can let and god saue the good king Oberon for king Charlemaine shal be forsworne as ye shal heare hereafter Now let vs leaue speaking of this pitious companie and speake of the noble king Oberon of the Fayrie who as then was in his wood Chap. LXXIIII ¶ How king Oberon came to succour Huon and made Gerard to confesse all the treason that he had purchased against Huon his brother YE haue heard before how King Oberon was displeased with Huon bicause he had broken his commandement But when Huon had béen at Rome and confessed all his sinnes and was assoiled of the Pope then King Oberon was content and in his heart forgaue all the ill will that he had to Huon and as he sat at dyner he began to wéepe When his Seruants saw that they had great maruaile and sayd vnto him Sir we desire you to shew vs why you doe weepe and be so troubled there is some displeasure done vnto you therefore for the loue of our Lord Iesus Christ wee desire you hide it not from vs. Sirs quoth the Kinge I remember nowe the vnhappie Huon of Bourdeaux who is returned from the farre parts and he hath passed by Rome and there hath taken his Wife in mariage and is confessed of all his sinnes for the which sinnes he hath béen by me sore punished But it is time if euer I will doe him any good now to ayd him and to succour him against King Charlemaine for he hath sworne neuer to goe to bed vntill he haue hanged drawne the poore Huon but by the grace of our Lord God Charlemaine shall bée forsworne for at this time I shall succour and ayd him for he is as now in such a danger that without he be succoured incontinent death is néere him he was neuer in his life in such perill He is now in the Pallaice at Bourdeaux his Wife the fayre Escrelemond and the old Gerames with fetters on their feete being in great sorrow and king Charlemaine is set at dinner and hath made his oath to hang Huon but yet whether hee will or not he shall be periured for I will goe to my Fréend Huon and helpe him at his neede therefore I wish my Table and all that is thereon neere to King Charlemaines Table and somewhat aboue his about two foot hyer also I will bicause I haue heard say that often times of a little Castle commeth a greater therefore I will that on my table be set my Cup my Horne and my Armour the which Huon conquered of the Gyant Angolaffer and also I wish with me a C.M. men of armes such as I was woont to haue in battaile He had no sooner said the words but by the will of god and the puissance of the Fayrie his table and all that king Oberon had wished was set iust by king Charlemaines table more higher and greater then his was When king Charlemaine saw the table and the Cuppe Horne and coate of maile he had great maruaile and said to Duke Naymes Sir Duke I beléeue you haue enchaunted mée Sir quoth the Duke neuer in my life I meâ—leâ— with any such matter the Lords such as were there were greatly abashed howe that matter came to passe Gerames who sat néere to Huon when he saw the Table the Cup and horne of Iuorie the Armour thereon he knew them well and said to Huon Sir be not dismayed for on yonder Table that you may sée is your Cup horne of Iuorie and coat of maile whereby I perceiue that you shall bée succoured by King Oberon Huon beheld the Table had great ioy when he saw it then he lifted vp his hands to heauen and thanked our Lord God that hée would visit such a poore sinner as hee was saying Ah Kinge Oberon in many great needs haue you succoured me Therewith arriued King Oberon in the Citie whereof the Burgesses the Commons were greatly abashed when they saw such a number of men of war enter into their citie without any knowledge before When king Oberon was within the Towne all his company he said to his Lords Sirs looke that you set good watch at euery gate so that no man go out the which they did diligently for at euerie gate they set x. M. men Then King Oberon tooke the way to the Pallaice and at the gate he left x. M. men commanding them vpon payn of their liues that they should not suffer any man to passe out and also he commanded that if they heard him blow his Horne of Iuorie that incontinent they should come into the Pallaice to him slay all such as they should find there Then king Oberon went vp into the Pallaice and many of his Lords with him he was richly apprrelled in cloath of gold and the border thereof was sette with rich precious stones goodly it was to behold for a fayrer little person could not be found hee passed iust by King Charlemaine without speaking of any word and went so néere to him that he shouldred him so rudely that his bonnet fell from his head Ah good Lord quoth Charlemaine I haue great maruaile what this dwarfe may be that so rudly hath shouldred me and almost ouerthrowne my table he is fierce when hee thinkes scorne to speake to me howbeit I will see what hee will doe I cannot tell what hee thinketh to doe but me seemeth hee is right ioyfull and also he is the fayrest creature that euer I saw When Oberon had passed by the King he came to Huon and wished the fetters from all their féete and
shew you at length all mine aduentures without hyding of any thinge from you Sir knowe for troth my name is Huon and I was borne in the Countrey of Fraunce in a Citie named Bourdeaux and I departed from thence about two yeres past since the which time I haue suffered much paine and pouertie When I departed from thence I had with mee Seauen Knightes and my Chaplaine and a Clarke to serue him and we tooke our Shippe at Bourdeaux and wee sayled downe the Riuer vntill wee came into the maine Sea then the wind rose against vs and so continued a long space so that our Patrone knew not where he was and so at the last we came to a Port whereas wee found many shippes of strang Countreys and there we got vs a new Patron and as shortly as we might wée sayled foorth on our iourney But when wée were come againe into the hye Sea a great Tempest arose so that wee were neere hand all perished this Tempest endured Tenne dayes so that wee were faine to abandon our shippe to the wind and vppon the eleauenth day we arriued at the perilous Gulfe whereas wee found Iudas who betrayed our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ wee were then in such feare that wee looked for nothinge but when wee shoulde perish and end our liues but God alwayes his Seruants and such as beleeue in his holy Lawes and keepe his Commaundements will euer kéepe and preserue them hee sent vs a wind the which draue vs from that perilous Gulfe and brought vs vnto the Castle of the Adamant and there hee shewed the Admirall at length the beautie of that Castle and howe there arriued a shippe with Sarazins who were Pirats of the Sea and howe they fought together and also he shewed him all the aduentures of the Castle that he had there as well of his men that dyed by famine as of them that hee left there and also hee discoursed howe hee â—ame by victuâ—ls and also hee shewed how hee departed from thence and was borne away by the Griffen and how he strake off one of her Legges when hee fought with her after the Griffen had set him vppon the Rocke the which Legge hee shewed vnto the Admirall whereof he had woonderfull great maruell and then also he shewed him how he fought with the fiue young Griffens and slew them and also of the old Griffen and also of the Fountaine wherein hee bathed himselfe and of the faire Garden and of the Trée of youth that stood by the Fountaine and of the vertue of the fruit thereof and howe hee did gather of the same and more woulde haue done but that hee was forbidden so to doe by an Angell sent from God but before I was commaunded to the contrarie I did both eat of the fruit and dranke of the water of the Fountaine whereby I was whole incontinent of all the great wounds that the Griffens had giuen mée when I slewe them And Sir quoth Huon knowe for troâ—h that of this Trée I gathered thrée apples by the commandement of the Angell and haue kept thâ—m surely then the Angâ—ll shâ—wed mée the way howe I shoulde goe from the Rocke and vnder the Rock side I found a great faire Riuer and there I found this shippe that we be now in and entred into it and then there came a wind quoth he and draue my shippe so fast that a bird could not haue ouertaken it Then hee discoursed vnto the Admirall howe hee passed by â—he Gulfe of Persia and what torments hee suffered there and howe hee was there ten dayes and how he was driuen to the shâ—are whereas he found â—hose precious stones and he thought that it had beene nothing 〈◊〉 grauâ—ll and that hee purposed nothing else but to ballâ—â—ice therewith his ship that the ship might sayle the more surely and he saide Sir God vppon whome I stedfastly beleeue so aided and succoured mee that I am escaped from thence in sauegard When the Admirall had well heard and vnderstood Huon hee had great maruaile for hee neuer heard before of so great and woonderfull aduentures and was sore dismayed and abashed and saide Fréend I haue great maruaile of that I haue heard you say for it is neere hand six-score yeares since I came first into this world and I neuer heard that euer any man escaped aliue out of the Gulfe of Persia therefore you may well say that the God vpon whome you doe stedfastly beleeue hath shewed that hee loueth you well when hee hath saued and preserued you out of that perilous Gulfe your God is puissant and loueth all men that stedfastly and vnfainedly beleeue in his holy Lawes and keepe his Commaundements and hee is false and vntrue that beleeueth not in his Lawes but hee loueth you well when hee hath deliuered you out of twoo such Gulfes and also from the Castle of the Adamant from whence none can depart nor neuer did nor I thinke neuer shall and also hath suffered you to slay the Griffens surely you ought to loue him that hath giuen you that grace and for the great maruailes that he hath done vnto you I will be christened and receiue your Lawe but I feare me if my Lords and men knewe thereof they would slay me shortly for against them all I cannot resist Sir quoth Huon to the entent that you should haue the firmer beléefe in our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ I haue three Apples the which haue such vertue in them that if you will beleeue in our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ I shall giue you one of them the which you shall eate and incontinent after you haue eaten it you shall become young againe of the age of Thirtie yeares and you shall bâ—e as faire and as lustie as you were when you were of that age there is not so olde a man nor so crooked if hee eate of this and beleeue firmely and vnfainedly in our Lord Iesus Christ but hee shall become as yong and as lusty as he was at Thirtie yéeres of age Freend quoth the Admirall if it bee so that by eating of this Apple I shall become as young and as lusty as I was at Thirtie yéeres of age whatsoeuer come of mée I will bee christened and beleeue in the Lawe of Iesus Christ the feare of death shall not let me to doe it for too longe I haue beleeued in this false and detestable Lawe of Mahomet for if I hadde neither seene nor heard no more then you haue shewed vnto mée I ought to beleeue yet in your Law and I shall doe so much that I trust I shall cause all my Realme to beleeue in the same Sir quoth Huon and if you doe as you say you shall be saued and I shall giue you the Apple the which you shall eat in the presence of all your Lordes and men and when they shall sée you waxe young againe know for troth that maruaile thereof shall cause them to beleeue in our Lord Iesus Christ and to
Angory sawe and perceiued that the christian men hadde taken land and were readie to giue battaile and were comming towardes the Citie hee ordained ranged his Battailes and deuided them into foure parts and set them to be led and guided by such as hee thought best then he aduaunced forward and was to the number of fiftie Thousand men When these twoo Hoastes sawe each other there was none of them but that feared the death the day was faire and cleare and so they approached and all at a rush on both partes dashed together in such wise that by reason of the pouder and dust that did rise by their horses the Sunne that was faire and bright waxed darke and â—he shot on both partes flewe so fast and as thicke as though it had snowed At their first méeting many speares were broken and many a Knight borne to the earth so that they could neuer be releeued after but lay on the ground among the horse feete and there died in dolour there were many horses running abroad trayling their bridles after them and their Masters lying dead vppon the earth in the bloud and in the myre Great slaughter there was made vppon both parts and Huon who went breaking the great preasses whereas hee slewe so many Paynims that euerie man feared him he saw where the Admirall of Angoryes Nephew was who had slaine a christian Knight and they ranne so fiercely each at other that the Paynim brake his speare vppon Huon and Huon fayled him not but gaue him so maruailous and so great a stroake that his Speare passed through his bodie and so he fell downe to the earth and died Then Huon ranne at another and gaue him such a maruailous stroake that it passed through his sheeld and bodie and with drawing out of the speare hee fell to the earth and neuer reléeued after and so they thrée and foure more hee serued in like manner and did so valiantly behaue himselfe that he slewe eight before his Speare brake and then he drew out his Sword and therewith hee did such déedes that it was fearfull to behold him hee cut legges and armes and rassed off helmets so that none of his enemies durst approach néere vnto him but they fledde before him as the birde doth before the Hauke hee brake asunder the thicke preasses hee did so to bee feared that his enemies left him for hee neuer strooke any man with a full stroake but hee that receiued it was slaine Also with him was Barnard his Coozen who euer followed him and did maruailes in armes for hee was a sharpe and an eager Knight And also the Admirall of Angory enforced himselfe to doe dammage vnto the Christian men hée sawe where the Admirall of Persia was slaying of his men and came and ranne at him and the Admirall of Persia sawe him and encountred with him by such force and puissance that each of them bare the other to the earth then quickly they releeued themselues with their Swords in their hands willing both of them to slay each other the which had beene done indéede if their men had not come and succoured them but thether came so many on both parts that the twoo Admirals hadde no power one of them to touch the other With great force came thether Paynims and Sarazins so that the Christian men could not remount vp againe the Admirall of Persia but was faine to fight a foote and hadde beene in great ieopardie and danger if Huon and Barnard had not come and rescued him they came thether hastily when they heard the showting and crying that was made about the Admirall of Persia and they brake asunder the great preasse of the Paynims And when they saw Huon approach neere vnto them they were sore afraid and they knewe him well and parted and spread abroad and durst not abide and Huon seeing the Admirall of Persia a foot among his enemies with his Sword valiantly defending himselfe which should but little auailed if he had not beene quickly succoured and when Huon sawe him hee sayde Oh right puissant Admirall haue no doubt then Huon tooke a Speare out of the handes of a Paynim whom hée had slaine and therewith he ranne at the Admirall of Angory and gaue him so horrible and so vehement a stroake that the Speare passed through his bodie more then a foote and so hee fell downe dead among his men whereof the Paynims were sore dismayed and abashed when they saw their Lord lye dead vppon the earth and then Huon quickly tooke the Admirals horse by the raine of the bridle and came vnto the Admirall of Persia whereas he was fighting a foote and said Sir mount vppon this horse for the Paynims and Sarazins are discomfited Sir quoth the Admirall blessed bee the houre that eâ—er you were borne for by your excellent Prowesse I am saued and all mine Hoast and haue vanquished and ouercome mine enemies Then the Admirall mounted vppon the good horse whereof he was right ioyfull and so he and Huon and Barnard dealt such stâ—â—â—kes amonge the Paynims and Sarazins that they were constrained to â—y and to turne their backes and then they were chaced by such force that they entred into the Citie one with another then the Christian men sâ—ewe the Paynims and Sarazins men women and children that great pitie it was to 〈…〉 lye dead vppon heapes in the stréets so that the bloud of them that were slaine ran through the streets to the horse pastours finally by the hye prowesse of Huon and by the puissaâ—â—e of the Admirall of Persia the Paynims and Sarazins were discomfited in the Citie of Angory When the slaying was ceased and that the Admirall and Huon sawe how that they hadde ouercome their enemies they ceased slaying of the people and they went into the Temples Towers and Pallaices wherein many Paynims and Sarazins were withdrawne they were taken to mercie promising to saue their liues if they would leaue the false and detestable Lawe of Mahomet and beléeue in our Sauiour and Redéemer Iesus Christ and so many were christened and such as would not were slaine When the Admirall and Huon sawe that the Citie was become christened then they set their Officers Prouosts and Baylifes to gouerne the Citie and with them two Thousand persons to keepe the Citie Thus they taried there by the space of Eight dayes and theÌ„ they made readie to depart and trussed new vittayled their shippes and then they entred into their shippes and the trompets busins and tabors made great noyse and the Marriners weyed vp their anchors and hoysed vp their sayles and sayled so long vntill they were out of the Sea of Caspus and entred into the great floud of Euphrates the which descendeth into the great Sea and when they were passed the Riuer they coasted the deserts of Abilaunt the season was faire and cleare and the windâ— fresh Thus as they sayled by this great sea the Admirall and Huon stood at the boord side of
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