and you my déere Loue Escleremond of your comming I am right ioyfull then hee embraced and kissed them both more then Tenne times and sayde Huon my right déere Freend for the great truth and noblenesse that I find in you I shall make you King of all the Fayrie and your Wife Escleremond shall be Lady and Quéene of the same and besides that I will giue vnto you all my dignitie When the Kinge had well saluted them then hee sat downe vppon a Couch and made Huon and Escleremond to sit downe before him and then hee commaunded Gloriand that incontinent he should fetch vnto him his bowe and when hee had it in his hand hee tooke an arrow and did shoot therewith then incontinent it séemed that all the world had arriued in the Town and Pallaice there came thether so many Knights and Ladies of the Fayrie that all the Towne and Pallaice was full and when they were all assembled together in the Pallaice Kinge Oberon commaunded to carrie him into the great Hall in his rich Couch then he commanded silence to be kept among them all and then he sayd Lordes and Ladie that bée héere assembled all yée knowe that euerie mortall thing cannot long endure I speake it for my owne selfe because I am Sonne to a mortall man and was engendred vppon the Ladie of the prime Isle who can neuer die because shee is one of the Fayrie engendred of a man of the Fayrie and Daughter to a woman of the Fayrie and whereas it is so that Iulius Caesar was a mortall man therefore it behooueth me to passe out of this world by the commandement of our Lord God who hath ordained that it should be so And because of my loue during the time that I haue béen conuersant héere with you therefore I will not leaue you without a Lorde but first in my life dayes I will puruay you of one who shall bee Duke Huon whome I loue well and déerely and also I will that his Wife the Duchesse Escleremond shall abide with him for in no wise I will seperate them asunder therefore I ordaine that Huon who is héere present be your King and Lord and Escleremond your Queâ—ne and Ladie and from hencefoorth I put my Realme and dignitie into his handes and I will that hee vse it as I haue done in my life time howbeit King Arthur hath sore pressed vppon mee to haue my Realme and dignitie but I will that none shall haue it but alonely Huon of Bourdeaux who is héere present and whome I will crowne King in all your presence Chap. CXLVI ¶ How the noble Kinge Oberon crowned Huon and Escleremond and gaue them all his Realme and dignitie that he hadde in the Land of the Fayrie and made the Peace betweene Huon and King Arthur WHen the people of the Fayrie both Knightes and Ladies had well heard and vnderstood King Oberon they were right sorrowfull in that hee should leaue them and sayd Sir since it is your pleasure and that it is your will oâ— reason wee must bee content to receiue Huon of Bourdeaux for our kinge and Madame Escleremond his Wife for our Quéene When the King vnderstood his Lordes and people then he caused to be brought thether two Crownes the one was set vppon Huons head and the other vppon Escleremonds head then Oberon sent for his Horne Napkin and Cup and the good Armour hee deliuered them vnto Huon to doe with them his pleasure great ioy and feasting was made in the Pallaice by the Knights Ladies of the Fayrie Then king Huon looked out at a window and sawe vpon the Mountaine that he passed ouer at his comming thether a great number of Tents and Pauillions and hée sayd vnto King Oberon Sir vppon yonder Mountaine I see a great number of men assembled and many Tentes and Pauillions picht vp Huon quoth king Oberon know for troth that it is kinge Arthur who meeneth to haue my Realme and dignitie but hee cometh too late for the promise that you made vnto me you haue kept therefore he fayleth and commeth too late for if you hadde not come I had giuen him my Realme and dignity I know well that hee will be heere soone to see me and hee will be sorrowfull and angrie of your comming hether but if I can I shall doe so much that you shall bee both in peace and rest for good reason it is that he doe obay you Therewith kinge Arthur and all his Chiualrie entred into the Citie of Momur and came alighted at the Pallaice and with him his Sister Quéene Morguele Fay and Transeline their Néece they came and saluted king Oberon who receiued them with great ioye and sayde Great kinge Arthur you are welcome and Morgue your Sister and Transeline your Néece and Sir â—â—ray you to shewe mée what faire Childe is that I sée there before your Sister Morgue Sir quoth Arthur hee is called Marlyn and is Sonne to Ogier the Dane who hath wedded my Sister Morgue and I haue left him in my Countrey to rule it vntill I returne Sir quoth king Oberon the child shall haue good fortune hee shall bee in his time feared and redoubted for Ogier his Father is a good and a valiant knight And noble kinge Arthur you are welcome and of your comming I am right ioyfull I haue sent for you to shewe you the pleasure of our Lord God that I shall depart out of this world and to the entent that you should be content in that I haue giuen you heretofore in the Fayrie so much dignitie and puissance wherewith I desire you to be contented for behold here Duke Huon of Bourdeaux and his Wife the Duchesse Escleremond vnto whome I haue giuen my Realme and my dignity to vse it as I haue done héeretofore and therefore I pray and commaund you that you will obay him as Kinge and Soueraigne of all the Fayrie and you to liue together with good loue and peace When King Arthur heard King Oberon he answeared fiercely and sayd Sir I haue well heard you and you know well that your Realme and dignity you gaue me after your decease and now I sée well that you haue giuen it to Duke Huon Sir lette him goe into his owne Countrey and vnto his Citie of Bourdeaux whereas hee hath left his Daughter Clariet and let him goe and marrie her for as heere he hath nothing to doe I hadde rather to bee cleane exiled for euer and chaced out of my Realme then I should obay him or doe vnto him any homage for he shall haue nothing to doe ouer mee without hee winne it with the point of the Sworde When Kinge Huon hadde well heard King Arthur of Brittaine he answeared fiercely and said King Arthur knowe for troth for all your wordes and threatninges I will not spare to say vnto you that whether you will or not it must behooue you to obay and to be vnder me since it is the pleasure of my Lord Kinge
done In this respect he commaundeth you both for your own good conseruation of their Landes that you send them vnto him or if you doe not know then for certaine that he will take frō you those Lands you hould giue them to the Prince Charlot his Sonne This is the summe of our Messuage wée attend your answeare Chap. IIII. ¶ The answeare that the Duchesse of Bourdeaux made to the Emperours Messengers WHen the good Lady had well vnderstood the Messengers she answered them gently in this maner My Lordes and honourable Freendes the reason why I haue not sent my Sons to the Court before this time to serue my Lord the King as dutie required was in regarde of their tender yeares and some respect of loue to Duke Seuin their Father and bycause I knew certainlye that my rightfull Lord the Emperour Charlemaine loued alwayes Duke Seuin I neuer feared that he would take displeasure with his Children these thinges haue béene the principall cause why I haue not sent them all this while to serue the King Therefore let my entreats preuaile so much with you as to be a meanes to the Emperour and al the other Barons to hold me and my Children excused in this case for the fault is onelie mine not in them Then Huon stept foorth before his mother and sayd Madame if it had béene your pleasure you might haue sent vs before this time that is true quoth Gerardine for wee are ould ynough to haue our knighthood The Ladie heheld her two Sonnes and wéeping said to the Messengers Sirs you may returne to the King howbeit you shall rest you this night in my house and to morowe depart at your pleasure and you shall recommend me and my Sonnes to the Kings good grace and to the other Barons and Knightes and among other salute Duke Naymes who is néere kinsman to my Sonnes and desire him for the loue of Duke Seuin to stand a continuall fréend vnto them Madame quoth the Messengers haue you no doubt of that for Duke Naymes is a noble Man and a true Knight nor will he at any time be in place where any ill opinion shal passe against them Then the Duchesse commaunded her Sonnes that they should make the Kings Messengers good chéere and to bring them into their Chamber to rest them the which they did and were serued and feasted as appertained to their woorth Then the next morning they returned to the Pallace whereas they found the Duchesse and her two Sonnes and they humbly saluted the Ladie When the Duchesse sawe them she called Huon and Gerardin and said My Sonnes here in the presence of these two Knightes I say that at Easter you shall go to our Soueraigne Lord the Emperour Charlemaine and when you bée in the Court serue your Soueraigne Lord well and truely as subiects ought to doe bée diligent at all times to serue him faithfully kéepe companie with Noble men such as you sée to be of good vertuous condicions be not in place where ill woords be spoken or ill counsalie giuen fly from the companie of them that loue not honour and troth open not your eares to héere Lyers or false Reporters or Flatteres haunt often the Church and giue largly for Gods sake be liberall and courteous and giue to poore Knights fly the companie of Ianglers and all goodnesse shall follow thereby I will there be giuen to each of these Knights a Courser and a rich Gowne as it appertaineth to the Messengers of so noble an Emperour as Charlemaine is and also each of them to haue a hundred Florents Madame quoth Huon your pleasure shal be accomplished then the two Sonnes caused to be brought before the Pallace two goodly Horses and presented them to the two Knights and gaue each of them a rich Gowne and a hundred Florents Whereof the Messengers were ioyfull and thanked the Duchesse and her two Sonnes said that their courtesie should be remembred in time to come howbeit they knew well it was done for the honour of the King then they tooke leaue of the Duchesse and of her two Sonnes and so departed and road without let vntill they came to Paris whereas they found the Emperour in his Pallace sitting among his Barons the King perceiued them and incontinent called them to his presence ere they had leasure to speake the Kinge had them welcome home and demanded of them if they had béen at Bourdeaux and spoken with the Duchesse the two Sonnes of Duke Seuin whether they would come and serue him in his Court or not Dread Lord quoth they we haue béen at Bourdeaux and done your message to the Duchesse who right humbly receiued vs and gaue vs gentle entertainment when shée had heard vs speake and knewe that wée were your Messengers shée made vs the best chéere that shée could deuise and sayd that the cause why shée had not sent her Sonnes to your Court before this time was by reason of their young age and shée humbly requireth your grace to hold both her and her two Sonnes excused and that at this next Easter shée will send them to your Court. As for her Sonnes trust mée my Lord they are two such louely Gentlemen as wée tooke great delight in beholding them especially Huon the eldest he is so fayre and so well fourmed that nature cannot amend him Also my Lord for the loue of you shée hath giuen each of vs a goodly Horse and a rich Gowne and a hundred Florents of gould My Lord the goodnesse the valour and the courtesie that is in the Duchesse and in her Sonnes cannot be recounted and on their behalfe are we to entreat your Maiestie to retaine them alwayes in your fauour and good grace and to pardon the fault of their long absence Chap. V. ¶ How the Emperour was content with the report of the two Knights and how the Traytour Earle Amerie went and complayned to Charlot the Kings Sonne WHen the Emperour had heard the Messengers speake hée was right ioyfull and said I haue alwayes heard say that a good Trée bringeth foorth good fruit I speake it in the behalfe of Duke Seuin who in his time was a valiant true Knight and by that I sée that the twoo Children resemble their good Father I perceiue they haue receiued my Messengers right honourably and with great reuerence haue giuen thē no meane gifts which shal be vnto them auailable in time to come for they shall no sooner be come into my Court but in despight of any that shall speake against them I will doe for them in such wise that it shall bée an example to all other to doe well for I will make them for loue I bare to their Father of my priuie Counsaile and turning then to olde Duke Naymes sayd My Lord alwayes your kindred haue béen good and true and therfore I will that Amerie bee banished from my Court for hée nor euer any of his lineage
do as thou doest counsaile me Then the Prouost came to the Pallaice and sayd to Huon Sir for Gods sake speake to mée What art thou quoth Huon I am your Host the Prouost and I require you in as much as you loue your liues kéepe well this Pallaice Sir quoth Huon for your good counsaile I thanke you and I desire you for the loue that you beare me and in that you would help to saue my life as to deliuer me againe the Horne of Iuorie that I tooke you to kéepe for without that I cannot escape death Sir quoth the Prouost it is not farre from me and so tooke it out of his bosome and deliuered it vnto Huon in at a windowe vpon the Garden side Chap. XXX ¶ How King Oberon came and succoured Huon and slewe all the Paynims except such as would be christened And how Huon slewe the Duke his Vncle. WHen Huon saw that he was possessed of his Horne of Iuorie hee was ioyfull the which was no maruaile for it was the only suertie of his life Then hée set it to his mouth and began to blowe it then Gerames said Ah Sir you should neuer bee so lighte to discouer your secrets for if this Prouost had béene vntrue he might haue discouered all you secrets to the Duke whereby you had béene lost and dead therefore neuer discouer your secrets more and also Sir I require you as yet blowe not your Horne for you bee not as yet hurt King Oberon commaunded you so at his departing Why quoth Huon will you then that I tarrye vntill I be slaine surely I will blowe it without any longer tarying and so he blewe it so sore that the bloud came out of his mouth so that all that were in the Pallaice began to singe and to daunce and the Duke and al such as were at the séege about the Pallaice could not rest but fell to singe and to daunce Kinge Oberon who as then was in his citie of Momur saide on high Ah I heare my fréend Huons Horne blowe whereby I knowe well he hath some businesse in hand wherefore I wishe my selfe there as the Horne was blowne with an Hundred Thousand men well armed He had made no sooner his wish but he was in the Citie of Tormont whereas he and his men slewe downe the Paynims that it was maruaile to sée the bloud run downe the Stréetes like a Riuer King Oberon made it to be cryed that as many as would receiue Baptisme their liues should be saued so that thereby there were many that were christened Then King Oberon came to the Pallaice when Huon sawe him hee went and thanked him of his succour at that time of néede Fréend quoth Oberon as longe as you beléeue and doe my commaundements I shall neuer fayle to succour you in all your affaires Thus all that were in the Towne and would not beléeue in God were slaine Then the Duke was taken brought to the Pallaice vnto Huon when he sawe his Vncle taken he was ioyfull and then the Duke sayd Faire Nephewe I require you haue pitie of me Ah vntrue Traytour quoth Huon thou shalt neuer depart hence aliue I shall neuer respite thy death then with his sword he strooke off his Vncles head then he made his bodie to be hanged ouer the wals of the Towne that his ilnesse might alwayes be had in memorie and to be an example to all other thus that Countrey was deliuered from that Traytour Chap. XXXI ¶ How King Oberon forbad Huon that he should not goe by the towre of the Giant to the which Huon would not accord but went thether whereby he was in great danger of death And of the Damsell that he found there who was his owne Cosen borne in Fraunce YEE haue all heard howe King Oberon came succoured Huon and when all was done then he said vnto Huon My deare Fréend I will take my leaue of thée for I shall neuer sée thée again vntill thou hast suffered as much paine and ill and pouerty and disease that it will be hard to declare it and all through thine owne folly When Huon heard that being affrayd he said Sir mee thinkes you saye great wronge for in all things to my power I will obserue your commaundement Fréend quoth Oberon séeing thou wilt doe so remember then thy promise and I charge thée vpon paine of thy life loosing for euer my loue that thou be not so hardy as to take the way to the Tower of Dunother the which is a maruaylous great Tower standing on the Sea-side Iulius Caesar caused it to be made and therein I was longe time nourished thou neuer sawest so faire a Tower nor better garnished with Chambers and glasse windowes and within hanged with rich Tapestrie At the Entrie of the gate there are two men of brasse each of them holding in their handes a â—layle of yron wherewith without cease day and night they beat by such a measure that when the one striketh with his â—layle the other is lifted vp readie to strike and they smite so suddainly that a swallow flying cannot passe by vnslayn And within this Tower there is a Gyant named Angolofer he tooke from mée the Tower and a stronge Armour of suche vertue that whosoeuer hath it on his bodie cannot be hurt nor wearie nor he cannot be drowned in no water nor burned with fire Therefore Huon my fréend I charge thee go not that way as much as thou fearest my displeasure for against that Gyant thou canst make no resistance Sir quoth Huon know for troth the day that I departed out of Fraunce I tooke vpon me that any aduenture that might be heard of though it were neuer so perilous that I would neuer eschew it for any feare of death and therefore Sir I haâ— rather die then to forsake to fight with that Gyant there is nâ— man shall let me Sir I promise you ere I returne againe to conquer your sayde stronge Armour it shall doe me good seruice héereafter it is a thinge not to bée forsaken and if I néede of your ayd I shall blowe my Horne you will come and succour me Huon quoth Oberon by the Lord that saued me if thou breakest the Horne in the blowing thou shalt haue no succour nor ayd of me Sir quoth Huon you may doe your pleasure and I shall doe mine Then Oberon departed without more speaking Huon aboad in the Citie the which he gaue to Geffrey and to the Prouost his Host all the Land that his Vncle held Then he made him readie and tooke gould and siluer plentie and tooke his leaue of Geffrey and of his Host and of all other so he and his companie departed and so road ouer Hils and Dals night and day a certaine space without finding of any aduenture worthy to be had in memorie At last he came néere to the Sea-side whereas the Tower of the Gyaunt was when Huon saw it he sayd vnto his companie
which I shall name vnto you if you will heare me Say on quoth Iuoryn for I haue great desire to know what thou canst do but of one thing I aduise thée make no vaunt of any thing without thou canst doe it indéede for in euerie thinge I will prooue thée Sir quoth Huon I can mew a Sparrow-Hauke and I can chase the Hart and the wilde Boare and blow the prize and serue the hounds of their rights and I can serue at the table before a great Prince and I can play at Chesse and Tables aswell as any other can doe and I neuer found man could winne of me if I list Chap. LIII ¶ How king Iuoryn caused his Daughter to play at the Chesse with Huon vpon condition that if he were mated he should loose his head and if shee were mated Huon should haue her loue and how Huon wonne the game WHEN king IVORIN heard Huon he said hould thée to this for I shall prooue whether it be true that thou saiest or not Yet Sir quoth Huon I pray you let mee shew farther what I can doe and then assay mee at your pleasure By Mahound quoth the king I am content that thou shalt shew all that thou canst doe Sir quoth Huon I can right well arme me and set the helmet on my head and beare a shield speare and runne and gallop a horse and when it commeth to the point where strokes should be giuen yée may well send foorth a worse than I. Also Sir I can right well enter into Ladies chambers to embrace and kisse them and to doe them any seruice Friend quoth Iuoryn by that which I heare by thée thou canst doe more things than should turne to good but to prooue thée I shall cause thee to be assayed at the play of the Chesse I haue a faire Daughter with whome I will that thou shalt play vpon condition that if she winne then thou shalt loose thy head but if thou canst mate her then I promise thée that thou shalt haue her to thy wife to repose with her at thy pleasure and a C. markes of money therewith Sir quoth Huon if it were your pleasure I would be glad to forbeare that enterprise By Mahound quoth the king it shal be none otherwise come thereof what will In the meane season that this Bargaine was making a Paynim went into the Ladies chamber and shewed her how there was with the king her father a young man who had made promise how he should play at the Chesse with her vpon condition that if he lost the game hee should then loose his head and if he chaunced to win then he to haue you to his wedded wife and a C. Markes of money But Madame quoth he I assure you he that shall play against you is the fairest man that euer I saw pitie it is that he should be a varlet to a Minstrell as he is By Mahound quoth the Ladie I hould my Father a foole when he thinketh that I should suffer a man to die for winning of a game at Chesse Then Iuoryn sent for his Daughter by twoo Kings who brought her to the King her Father then Iuoryn said Daughter thou must play at Chesse with this young Varlet that thou seest héere so that if thou winne then he shall loose his head and if he winne then I will that hee shall be thy husband to doe with thee at his pleasure Father quoth the Ladie séeing this is your pleasure it is reason that I doe it whether I will or not Then shee beheld Huon whome shee saw to be right faire and said to her selfe By Mahound for the great beautie that I see in this young man I would this game were at an end so that I were his wedded wife When then Ladie was come their places were made redie then shee and Huon sat downe and king Iuoryn and all his Barons sat downe about them to sée them play then Huon said to the King Sir I require you that you nor none other doe speake in our game neither for the one partie nor for the other Friend quoth the King haue no doubt thereof and for more suretie the King caused to be proclaymed thorow out all his Pallaice that none should be so hardie as to speake one word vpon paine of death Then the Chesse were made readie and Huon saide Ladie what game will yée play at Friend quoth she at the game accustomed that is to be mated in the corner then they both began to studie for the first draught there were Paynims that beheld Huon but he cared not for any of them but studied on his game the which they had begun so that Huon had lost most parte of his Pawnes wherewith he changed colour and blushed as redde as a rose The Damsell perceiued him and said Friend whereon doe yée thinke yee are almost mated anon my Father will strike of your head Madame quoth he as yet the game is not done great shame shall your Father haue when yée shall lye all night in mine armes and I being but a seruant to a poore Minstrell When the Barons heard Huon say so they began all to laugh and the Ladie who was so surprised with the loue of Huon in regard of the great beautie that she saw in him that she forgat all her play to thinke of him whereby she lost the game whereof Huon was right ioyfull and called the King and said Sir now may yée sée how I can play but if I would studie but a little more I could mate your Daughter whereas I list When the King saw that he said to his Daughter Arise cursed be the houre that I begate thee for great dishonour hast thou now done to me that heretofore hast mated so many great men and now I see heere before my face that a Minstrels varlet hath mated thée Sir quoth Huon trouble not your selfe for that cause as for the wager that I should winne therby I am content to release it quite let your Daughter goe into her chamber and sport her with her Damsels at her pleasure and I shall goe and serue my Maister the Minstrell Friend quoth the King if thou wilt shew me this courtesie I shall giue thée an hundred Markes in money Sir quoth Huon I am content with your pleasure and the Ladie went her way sorowfull and said to her selfe Ah false sainted heart Mahound confound thee for if I had knowen that thou wouldest thus haue refused my companie I would haue mated thée and then thou hadst lost thy head Thus the matter passed till the next day then king Iuorin made proclamation through out all the citie that euerie man should be armed and mounted on their horses and that it was his minde to set forward towards his enemies Then euerie man armed them and mounted on their horses many helmets glittered against the sunne and many trompets drums began to sound such brute was made within the citie that it was maruaile to
would that he should doe then he said to Huon how he would depart and tooke leaue of him and kindly embraced him then Oberon stoode still a little while and beheld Huon and began to lament when Huon sawe that he was sorie in his heart and said Ah Sir king I desire you to shew me why you make this sorow at your departure Huon quoth Oberon I shall shew you it is for pitie that I haue of you for I sweare by him that created me that before I shall sée thée againe thou shalt suffer so much paine trauaile pouertie hunger thirst feare and aduersitie that there is no toong can tell it and thy good wife shall suffer so much that there is no creature that shall sée her but shall haue great pitie of her Ah Sir quoth Huon then I require you to aide comfort me Huon quoth Oberon what comfort would ye haue of me Sir quoth Huon I desire you to let me haue your horne of Iuory to thintent that if I should haue any néed that you may succour me for so well I know you that you will come and succour me Huon quoth Oberon séeing I haue agréed you with Charlemaine trust not on me to be succoured in any of your businesse suffice you with the gift that I haue giuen you euen all my Realme and puissance that I haue in the Fayrie trust on none other succour of mē Sir I am sorrie thereof quoth Huon that it may be none otherwise Then King Oberon tooke leaue of King Charlemaine and of Duke Naymes and of all other Lords there present and went to Huon and embraced him and tooke his leaue of him and of Escleremond and Gerames and sayd to Escleremond I commend you to God and desire you if you haue done well hetherto that you will perseuere euer better and better and beare alwaies fayth and honour to your husband Sir quoth she I pray God I liue no longer then if I doe the contrary Thus King Oberon departed and after his departure king Charlemaine made readie his companie and tooke leaue of Huon and of Escleremond and Gerames and they brought the King about two leagues off and then tooke their leaues of him of Duke Naymes and of all the Lords Then the king sayd Huon if any war be moued against you or if that you haue any great affaires to do let me haue knowledge thereof and I shal come and succour you or else send you such aide as shall bee sufficient Sir quoth Huon I thanke your grace and so tooke his leaue of the king and returned to Bourdeaux whereas he was receiued with great ioy Now let vs leaue speaking of Huon and speake of Oberon of the Fayrie Chap. LXXVII ¶ How king Oberon deuised with his knights in the Citie of Momur in the Fayrie of the deedes of Huon of Bourdeaux and of that which should happen after to him WHen King Oberon was departed from Bourdeaux he came to his Citie of Momur and there he began sore to wéep Then Gloryant demaunded of him why he made that sorrow Gloryant quoth Oberon it is for the vnhappy Huon he is alone and I know well hereafter hee shall be betrayed and all for Escleremond his wife for though that hee haue ere this time suffered great trauaile and much trouble and pouerty yet I know surely that he shall suffer more then euer he did and hée shall haue no succour of any man liuing Why Sir quoth Gloriant how can that be for Huon is a great Lord and hath many fréends and is the most hardiest Knight now liuing and hée is at accord wich King Charlemaine therefore he were a great Foole that would make him any warre or doe him any displeasure Well quoth Oberon God aid him in all his affaires for ere it be long hée shall haue much to doe Thus Oberon entred into his rich Pallaice and sayde againe Ah deare Knight Huon I knowe well you shall bee betrayed for the loue of your Wife who is faire and good and if you take not good héede you shall leaue her and your selfe in great perill of death and if you escape the death yet you shall suffer such paine and pouertie that there is no Clearke liuing so sage that can put it in writing Sir quoth Gloriant mée thinkes this cannot bée séeing the loue that is now betwéen him and Charlemaine Gloriant quoth Oberon yet I say againe vnto you that before this yeare be passed Huon shall be in such distresse and so hardly kept that if he had Ten Realmes he would giue them all to be out of that danger that he shal be in Then Gloriant was pensiue and said Alas Sir for Gods sake neuer leaue Huon your fréend in such danger but rather succour him Nay surely quoth Oberon that will I not doe séeing I haue promised him my dignitie and Land he shall not be aided nor succoured by me for he shall be closed in such a place that I would not goe thether for Tenne of the best Cities of the world Nowe let vs returne vnto Huon being in his Pallaice at Bourdeaux Chap. LXXVIII ¶ How Huon tooke homage of his men and chasticed his Rebels and of three Pilgrimes by whom much ill fell after as yee shall heare AFter that king Charlemaine was departed from Bourdeaux that Huon was returned he assembled al his Barons to whome hee made good chéere and there they tooke their Landes and Fées of him and made their homage Then hée tooke a Thousand chosen Knights with him road to his Lands and tooke possession of Townes and Castles and was obayed in euerie place except of one named Angelers who was Coozen germaine to Amerie whom Huon had slaine before at Paris before the Emperour Charlemaine for the loue of Charlot This Angelars was false and a Traytour and hee had a strong Castle within thrée Leagues of Bourdeaux he would not hold of Huon nor obay him though he was his Leige-man When Huon saw that he wold not hold of him nor doe him homage he was sore displeased and made promise that if that he might get him perforce he would surely hange him vp and as many as were in the Castle with him Then Huon assailed the Castle and they within defended themselues valiantly so that many were hurt and slaine on both parts Huon was there eight daies and could not win the Castle then Huon ordained before the place a paire of Gallowes and vppon the ninth day he made a fresh assault by such strength that hee wanne the Castle and entred perforce Angelars was taken and Fortie men with him and they were all hanged on the Gallowes Then Huon gaue the Castle vnto one of his Knightes and then hee departed and went to the Castle of Blay whereas hee was receiued with great ioy And the faire Escleremond was in the Pallaice at Bourdeaux well accompanied with Ladies Damsels and as they were deuising together there entred into the Pallaice thrée
since I cannot haue Huon her husband at my will I shall neuer eat nor drinke vntill I haue séene her burnt and the other persons hanged For when I remember the death of my Nephewes and of my deare Sonne the which haue béen slaine by Huon there is no member in my bodie but that trembleth for sorrow and displeasure When the good Duke Hildebert vnderstood the Emperour hee had great sorrowe at his heart and departed without any word speaking and without any leaue taking but returned from thence and hee became full of yre and displeasure then the Emperour Tirrey cryed with a hye voyce and sayde howe that he would shortly dispatch the matter to sée the Lady burnt and ledde to the hill whereas the fire was readie When the Ladie perceiued the place whereas shee should die in shee cast out a great crie and made a pitifull complaint to our Lord Iesus Christ and sayd Ah right sweet Lord Iesus Christ thou knowest that for the loue of thée I am christened to beléeue in thy Lawes wherein I will liue and die and I sée well that my dayes are but short and thou knowest well that there is no cause wherein I haue deserued death therefore I require thee humbly to haue pitie and compassion of my Soule and that thou wilt vouchsafe to kéepe and preserue my Husband Huon and my Daughter Clariet Thus as yee haue heard the noble Duchesse Escleremond made her complaints her handes bound and kneeling vppon her knées before the stake abiding for the houre of her death Nowe let vs leaue to speake of this noble Ladie vntill we haue occasion to returne againe and speake of the noble King Oberon and of his companie Chap. CXXXIII ¶ How King Oberon sent twoo of his Knights of the Fayrie that is to saye Mallabron and Gloriand to deliuer the Duchesse Escleremond who should haue been burnt and the three Hundred Prisoners that should haue been hanged who were all deliuered by the sayd Knights NOwe sheweth the Historie that the same day that the Duchesse the faire Ladie Escleremond shoulde haue béene burnt Kinge Oberon of the Fayrie was in his Pallaice of Momur whereas he had holden a great Court and a sumptuous for his Mother the Ladie of the priuie Isle was there and also the noble Quéene Morgueâ—â— say and the Damsell Transeline her Néece with diuers other Ladies of the Fayrie and diuers Knighteâ— of the same making great ioye King Oberon was sitting 〈…〉 throne garnished and bordered with fine gould and precious stones and as hee sat hee fell in a great studie and therewith the droppes of water fell out of his eyes and he began to wéepe and complaine so sore as though he should haue been drowned with droppes of water and when these Quéenes Ladies and Damsels sawe him make such sorrow they had great maruell and there was Gloriand the good Knighte of the Frayrie and Mallabron who were right priuie and wel-beloued with King Oberon and when they saw the Kinge make such sorrow they were sore dismayed and abashed and Sir Gloriand saide Sir what man is liuinge in this world that hath displeased you or done any thing against you Gloriand quoth the Kinge the displeasure that I haue is for the faire Ladie Escleremond wife vnto Duke Huon of Bourdeaux my verie good Fréend she is as now led out of the Citie of Mayence and brought vnto a great fire wherein the Emperour Tirrey will burne her and other three Hundred poore Prisoners to bee hanged and I may not ayd nor succour them and I am right sorrie thereof for the loue of Huon who is as now passed the Sea and is in the way returning home-ward and hee hath had such aduentures that there is no humane bodie could suffer nor beare the paines and trauailes that hee hath endured nor the maruailous aduentures that hee hath borne and he hath had so many Battailes that it were great maruaile and woonderfull to heare them rehearsed And now whereas hee thought to haue had rest and to haue found his Wife the faire Ladie Escleremond aliue who shall now be burnt except shee bee shortly aided and succoured I am sure that hee will die for the sorrowe and griefe that hee will haue at his heart When Gloriand and Mallabron had well hearde and vnderstood Kinge Oberon they kneeled downe before the King and sayde Sir wee desire you to succour this noble Ladie for the loue of her good Husband your deare Fréend Huon Gloriand quoth the noble Kinge Oberon that will I not doe but I am well content that hastely you goe and deliuer the good Ladie and the other Prisoners that be with her and say in my behalfe to the Emperour Tirrey that hee be not so hardy as to doe any ill to the Ladie or to any of her companie but say that I will and commaund that he respite their liues vntill the holy Feast of Easter be passed and that the Ladie and the other Prisoners he cause to be returned againe into the Citie of Mayence and that the Ladie be set in a Chamber at her libertie and pleasure and let her be bathed and washed and newe arrayed and lette her haue foure noble Ladies to seâ—ue and accompanie her and that she haue meat and drinke as good and as plentifull as though she were his owne proper Daughter in like wise lette all the other Prisoners be serued and say that I will and commaund that hée doth thus vntill the time that Easter be passed and shew him that he bee not so hardy to breake or trespasse against my commaundement Then Gloriand and Mallabron tooke leaue of the Kinge and of all other that were there and then they wished themselues in the place whereas the Ladie and the other prisoners were where the Lady as then was vppon her knees before the fire sore wéeping and complayning and abiding the houre of her death the which had beene néere vnto her if she had not béen shortly succoured for they were about to haue bound her to the stake When Gloriand and Mallabron came braying in the ayre like thunder they were not séen of no person but alonely of the Ladie and when they were come and sawe the fire a kindling they tooke the tenne Villaines that would haue cast the Ladie into the fire they tooke them and cast them all Ten into the flaming fire whereas they were shortly burnt and beside them there were diuers other burnt whereof such as were there had so great feare that none durst abide there then the two Knights came to the Ladie and loozed her and sayd Madame be of good comfort wée are two Knights sent hether from king Oberon to succour and to bring you out of the perill and danger that you be in Sirs quoth the Ladie it is not the first time that the noble King Oberon hath succoured vs both mee and my husband God of his grace rewarde him Madame quoth Gloriand bee merrie and make ioy for
Sarazins did sore beate and ill threaten whereof Florence had such displeasure that he was néere hand out of his wits Alas quoth he I ought to be sorrowfull to see her that I loue best so sore beaten and tormented before my face Oh cursed death why sufferest thou me to liue to see this day that my Loue shoulde bee thus dealte with and yet I cannot helpe nor succour her therewith hee wept and suddainly fell in a swound among the handes of the Sarazins When the Damsell sawe her Louer fallen in a traunce and saw him so pale of colour she came vnto him and she thought surely that he had been dead and also the Sarazins sayd the same Then she cryed out and said Oh good Lord why doâ—st thou consent the death of my Louer séeing that we must thus depart for euer it is nothing the paine and ill that I suffer but my sorrow is for the death of my Louer héere before me I ought to be sorrowfull when the most faire swéete and gentlest creature of all the world is thus dead and lost for euer and the most valiant Knight that euer was borne and therewith she fel downe in a traunce by her Louer and all that saw them thought surely that they had béen both dead without any recouerie and had great pitie and compassion of them then hee that was the Captaine of the towne and Castle who was named Sorbarre came into the Shippe and saw where Florence his Loue lay one by another as dead he had great pitie of them for he was a good Christian man but he durst not be to knowe thereof for feare of slaying hee loued God well and did afterward good seruice in christendome for by him the sayd two Louers were saued from the death as yée shall heare héereafter When these two Louers were come againe to themselues the Sarazins deliuered them both into the Captaines handes and when Florence sawe his swéete Loue by him hee embraced and kissed her swéetely the Captaine Sorbarre when hee sawe the youth of these two Louers hée had great pitie of them but hee made thereof no semblance hee tooke them both into the Castle with him and the other Prisoners such as hadde taken them brought them into diuers Towers whereas they were kept in great miserie for the Sarazins had no pittie of them because they were christened Chap. CLIX. ¶ How Sorbarre the Captain comforted Florence and Clariet and how there arriued foure Shippes with Christian men by fortune of the Sea and how Florence was knowne by them WHen the Captain of the Castle was within the Castle and Florence and his Loue with him he sayd to them Fréends I haue great pity of you shew me what yée be and what fortune hath brought you hether séeing you bée so young how is it that you would aduenture vppon the Sea wherein are so many perils if yée shew mée the troth yée shall looze nothing thereby for if I can I shall set yée in such a place whereas yée shall be in sauegard Sir quoth Florence I shall shew you all mine aduenture whatsoeuer fall thereof Sir knowe for troth that I am Sonne to King Garyn Kinge of Aragon and I am departed from him in displeasure Thus Florence shewed Sorbarre al his whole aduenture and how he was taken by his Father and how he escaped and his Loue also then he said Sir I haue shewed you the troth and I commit my bodie and my Loues here into your handes for in you lyeth our liues and deathes you may doe with vs at your pleasure and therewith he knéeled downe then Sorbarre tooke him vp and sayd Faire Sonne bee not abashed for I haue béene before this time in as great aduenture haue no doubt I shall so order the matter that you shal be out of all perill but keepe euerie thing secrette to your selues then Sorbarre called vnto him Foure of his seruants and said I command you to vse well this Prisoner and this Damsell and let them haue flesh bread and wine at their pleasure as I had when I was prisoner at Terrascon Faire Son quoth Sorbarre to Florence know for troth that I was once king of Belmarin and once I fought with Aymerie of Narbone and I was taken by the handes of Reynalt of Beanland then I was brought to the Citie of Bourdeaux whereas I sawe a noble Prince named Duke Huon who had wedded a noble Ladie called Escleremond Daughter to the Admirall Gaudise and they had a Daughter well beloued of them she was the fairest Ladie that euer I did sée shee was not aboue at that time Sixe yeares of age and as I heard say since there came to Bourdeaux diuers Kinges and great Princes for to haue hadde her in mariage then I came priuily to mine Vncle who gaue me this Castle to kéepe when hee saw that I had lost all mine owne Realme and because I was well entertained amonge the Christian men I will that these Prisoners bee well dealt withall Sir quoth his Seruants séeing that it is your pleasure wée shall accomplish the same Then they tooke Florence and the Damsell and did set them in a Tower each of them in a Chamber apart whereof they were right sorrowfull When the faire Damsell saw that she was put from her Louer she was right sorrie then shee began to complaine and said Ah my right déere Father Duke Huon and déere Mother Escleremond I may well hate the acquaintance that yée haue had with King Oberon for by him I haue lost you both yée haue forgotten mee in this worlde when yée leaue me in this prison Ah King Oberon thou hast done mée great ill and dammage when thou diddest giue my Father thy Realme whereas is the Citie of Momur and whereas now is the Duke my Father and the Duchesse my Mother I haue lost the flower of all my kindred and I am sure that I shall die in this Tower with sorrowe Ah false death thou diddest mée great ill in that thou tookest not me when I was yong little I yéeld my selfe to God whome I require to haue pitie of me would to God that I were in companie with my Louer Florence the Captaine hath done ill thus to seperate vs asunder for if I were with him I should the better passe the time if his Father knew of what lineage I am of and whose Daughter I am he would not haue refused to haue giuen me his Sonne in mariage but he shall not knowe for me whatsoeuer paine I suffer Florence who was aboue in the Chamber next vnto the Chamber whereas the faire Damsell Clariet was who hadde well heard the complaintes that shee had made before and vnderstood euerie word that shée had spoken whereof hee was the â—â—â—fullest man at his heart liuinge for if hée loued her well before then he loued her much better and then he looked out at a window whereas he sawe Sorbarre walking vp and downe in the Court
of the Castle Then Florence required him to haue â—ity and compassion of the Damsell being in the Tower alone Fréend quoth Sorbarre suffer for a time I shall set you both in such a place before it be night that you shall be both ioyfull be not abashed for the loue of you I shall leaue the Law of Mahomet and beleeue in our Lorde Iesus Christ for when it is night and euerie man in bed we shall enter into a Galley that lyeth here by but as for your other men that bee Prisoners abroad in the Towne it would be hard for me to get them out of prison Then I pray to God quoth Florence to aide and succour them in their great néede Great pitie had Sorbarre when he heard Florence so pitiously pray for the sauegard of his men whome he must leaue behind him if God succour them not then Sorbarre saw comming towards the Port foure great Ships wherein there were more then Two Thousand Pilgrims who were comming from the holy Sepulchre at Ierusalem but by fortune of the sea and force of the winde they were constrained to arriue there Then the Captain Sorbarre went vp into the tower to sée Florence whom he â—ooke by the hand and sayd Freende yonder you may see soâ—e great Shippes full of people comming hether by force of the winde let vs goe downe and see what they bee and who is their Captaine Sir quoth Florence I am readie to follow your pleasure my bodie and my Loues I commit to your sauegard then the Captaine sent for the Damsell and when Florence sawe her hée was right ioyfull and sayd Deere Loue bee nothing afraid the Captaine and I will goe downe to the Sea-side to know what people they are that commeth in yonder Shippes and anon we will returne againe vnto you Sir quoth the Damsell God be your guid Sorbarre and Florence went downe to the Hauen-side and when the Shippes arriued they saw well that there was many people and perceiued well that they were Christian men Then Sorbarre saluted theÌ„ and sayd Sirs yée bee welcome I pray you to shew me from whence you come and what yée séeke for in these partes and what yée bee Then the chéefe Maister of them answeared and said Sir we be of the Realme of Fraunce and we come nowe from Ierusalem from the Pilgrimage of the holy Sepulchre and the force of the winde hath caused vs to arriue heere and if we ought to pay any thing for comming hether wee are readie to pay it Sirs quoth Sorbarre séeing that this is your aduenture yée are welcome hether to me since yée be here arriued it is reason that I bee comforted and aided by you and I say vnto you that I beléeue vppon Iesus Christ but as yet I was neuer christened I shall shew you Sirs what yée shall doe if you will beléeue mee you neuer came to so faire aduenture yée shall goe with me into the Castle here aboue in which place I shall fournish you all with horse and Armour and yée shall abide in the Castle make no noise nor shew your selues and I will goe to the Hauen and garnish a Galley with all things necessarie in this Towne there are many French men Prisoners who were taken but lately in this Hauen and many were slain and such as be taken are prisoners in this town and early in the Morning wee will yssue out of the Castle into the Towne and sette fire in diuers places then the Sarazins will haue great businesse to rescue and stanch the fire and then we will enter into their houses and take all their goods and all the Prisoners and all the riches that we can find in the towne wee shall put it into our Ship and if the Sarazins come to assaile our Ship with Boats and Barges then let vs defend our selues aswell as wee can and first of all let vs goe and take all the Shippes that be in the Hauen When the Captain of the foure Ships heard Sorbarre they praised his aduise and good counsaile and they all with one accord concluded to do his pleasure Sir quoth Sorbarre to the entent that yée shall beléeue me and to haue of me no manner of suspect if ye will haue knowledge what I am this young man that you see by me can informe you Sir quoth the Patron by your visage it appeareth well that all troth is in you that you are a noble man therefore Sir wée all commit our selues into your conduct and grace but Sir if it may be your pleasure to shew to vs what young Gentleman this is that we sée there by you truely Sir you shoulde doe mee a great pleasure for â—e thinkes I should haue séene him ere this Patron quoth Sorbarre since you will know it gladly I shall shew you séeing he hath discouered himselfe to me know for troth that hee so Sonne to Kinge Garyn of Aragon who by fortune of the sea arriued here and here perforce he was taken and his men most paâ—t slaine and with him was taken a noble Damsell who is aboue in my Castle When the Patron they that were with him vnderstood that it was Florence Son to the Kinge of Aragon they were thereof right ioyfull for they were all of the Realme of Aragon and sent forth by the King to search for Florence they thanked God of their good aduenture that hee had sent them to find Florence there whom they were sent to search for then they came to Florence and knéeled downe before him sayd Ah Sir you ought to thanke God that we haue found you we haue maruaile why you hide your name from vs for wée be all sent from King Garyn your Father to search for you for if God had not sent you this good fortune wee should neuer haue heard any tidinges of you nor haue shewed the King your Father any thing to his pleasure Chap. CLX ¶ Howe Sorbarre and Florence and their companie went into the Towne and robbed and spoyled it and so tooke the Sea with great ioy and triumph and the faire Ladie Clariet with them and tooke their course to sayle towards the Realme of Aragon WHen the Patron his company knew saw Florence the ioy that they made could not be recounted nor the chéere that they made to Florence when they were entred into the Castle whereof Sorbarre had great ioye The same season whiles they made this great ioy feasting there was in Sorbarres companie a Sarazin who vnderstood the French language and had well heard the Enterprize that the Christian men were determined to doe and also he saw well how Sorbarre was ioyned to their companie then priuily he departed and hastely he went into the Towne and shewed the Burgesses and Commons of the Enterprize what the Christian men had concluded to doe howe that Sorbarre was become a Christian When the Sarazins vnderstood that incontinent they went and armed them and came to
he said Faire Nephew it seemeth well by you that you loue these christian men but little Sir quoth he I hate these christian men more then any men in the world for Sir all the waye that I haue come I haue thus beaten them thrée times in euery day in the honour of my God Mahound and in despight of their law and God on whome they beléeue Thus then Gerames departed from the Admirall and led with him the xij french prisoners beating them till he came to the prison and none of them durst speake one word but to themselues they cursed Gerames And as they went towards the prison they met with the Lady Escleremond and she said Cosin I am right ioyfull of your comming but if I durst trust you I would shew you a secret matter so that you promise not to discouer me Cousin quoth Gerames by the faith that I owe to my god Mahound ye may well shew me your will and pleasure for if mine eyes were to be drawne out I shal neuer discouer you And when the Damsell heard that promise she said Deare Cousin it is a v. months passed since there came to my Father the Admirall a french knight with a messuage from king Charlemaine who called himselfe Huon of Bourdeaux who when he had done his messuage hee slew a Paynim king as he sat at the table by my Father after came kissed me thrée times before my Fathers face and after that slew many Sarazins wherefore at last hee was taken Prisoner and put in prison whereas he is yet howbeit I made my Father beléeue that he is dead with famine yet deere cousin he is as yet aliue and as well serued of meat and drinke as my father is When Gerames vnderstood the Damsell Escleremond he was both sorowfull angrie for he thought that the Damsell did it to deceaue him and to cause him to shew forth the secretnes of his minde bicause he was in doubt thereof he passed foorth and made no manner of answeare to the Damsell but came to the prison and put in the Prisoners rudely and the Damsell returned right sorowfull in that she had shewed so much of her minde to Gerames whome she tooke for her Cousin When Gerames had put the xij Frenchmen in prison he returned right sorowfull and Huon being in the prison had greate maruaile what prisoners they were that were let downe into the prison for he could not sée theÌ„ the prison was so darke then he drew néere to them to heare them speake and at last one of them began to make his complaint and said Ah good Lord Iesu Christ succour vs for thou knowest well this that wee suffer we haue not deserued but it is for the loue of our yong Lord Huon of Bourdeaux we haue loued him so well that now wée be lost for â—uer except deere Lord thou haue mercie vppon vs. When Huon had heard what they said then he knew well that they were christened frenchmen and then he coueted much to know what they were so approched néere to them and said Sirs yée that be heere I pray you shew me what yée be and how yee be come hither Sir quoth one of them true it is that v. moneths passed there departed from vs a young knight with whome wee came out of the Realme of Fraunce and he was borne in Fraunce and sonne to a noble Duke called Duke Seuin of Bourdeaux this Knight slew Charlot sonne to King Charlemaine by misaduenture wherefore hee was banished out of the Realme of Fraunce and sent by king Charlemaine to do a messuage to the Admirall Gaudise and he is dead in prisoÌ„ as it is shewed vs and sir wée came to séeke for him are betrayed by one of our owne companie When Huon heard him speake he knew him well said Sirs be of good comfort and make good chéere for I am Huon safe and in good health thanked be god and the Admirals daughter who is so enamoured of me that she hath saued my life yée shall sée soone how shée will come and visite me But I pray you sirs what is become of ould Gerames whether he be left behind to kéepe the Tower with the Dammy cousin whome I left in your kéeping Sir quoth they a worse creature or more false Traytor was neuer borne for he hath betrayed vs and hath beaten and put vs in prison and as for the Damsell shee is with the Admiralls Daughter When Huon perceiued that all they were of his companie he went embraced them and said Sirs knowe of a suretie that all that Gerames hath done is done to the intent to deliuer vs all out of prison I doe so well know the troth of Gerames Sirs make good chéere for assoone as night commeth wée shal be visited with great ioy Sir quoth they surely wee beléeued that Gerames had forsaken the faith of Christ and was become a Sarazin for he hath made the Admirall beleeue that he is sonne to his brother king Iuoryn of Mombrance When Huon heard that he had great ioy at his heart and said Ah good Lord the troth of Gerames and loue that he hath alwaies shewed to me shal be to vs right profitable in the despight of king Oberon who hath forsaken me for a small offence by Gerames we shal be deliuered out of this pouertie and danger Now leaueth the Historie to speake of Huon and his companie being in pryson and returneth to the ould Gerames who studied and practised for the deliuerance of Huon and his company Chap. XLI ¶ How Gerames and the faire Escleremond went to the Pryson to comfort Huon and the other Prisoners NOw sheweth the Historie that when Gerames was retourned to the Admirall he said Sir the French men that I brought are fast in prison and well beaten Faire Nephew quoth the Admirall they haue had but an euill neighbor of you Then Gerames went into his chamber and studied how he might fournish the Prisoners with vittailes did so much that he had sufficient and when night came he went with his vittailes to the prisoÌ„ for he might do there what he listed for euery man was ready to doe him any seruice When he came to the prison dore he sent euery man away and taried there alone and he had not béen there longe but that the Admirals daughter came thether When Gerames saw her he wist not what to thinke but said Faire cousin I pray you shew me what you doe heare at this houre Déere cousin quoth shee the great trust that I haue in you hath made me to come hether bicause to day I discouered to you all my secrets and what I am intended to doe Therefore let me intreat you that you would leaue the law of Mahdund and receiue the christian faith and then to goe with mee into Fraunce together with these Prisoners and we shall well find the manner how to depart and we will take with vs al the prisoners
her he did of his helmet and ranne and embraced her and when the Ladie saw that it was Huon the ioy that shee had was so great that it was maruaile to sée it there was such ioy at their méeting that it cannot be recounted Huon and the Ladie embraced kissed each other many times and she said Ah Huon ye be right hartily welcome for I thought that I should neuer haue séene you more Ladie quoth Huon I ought greatly to loue and cherish you and I am right ioyfull that it hath pleased God that I haue now found you in good health and prosperitie for a more truer man than ye be there is none liuing When all the companie had made their salutations one to another they went to dinner and were richly serued for there was great plentie in the citie and the Sarazins were without the Citie wheras they fought and slew each other there was such slaying on both parts that the fieldes were couered with dead men and fore wounded many a horse ran about the field and their Maisters lying dead these twoo Kings fought one against the other puissance against puissance and twoo Sarazins that were escaped out of the Citie of Anfalerne came to the Admirall Galaffer and said Ah Sir your Citie is lost by the Frenchmen who be entred into it there is neyther man nor woman therein but they are all slaine the old knight that came to you and his xiij companions be all seruants to the young man that slew your Nephew when the twoo Frenchmen fought one with another they tooke togither acquaintance and they be all subiects to the young man that was with king Iuoryn and it is he that slew the Admirall Gaudise and discomfited the gyant Agrapart we knew him well when he entred into the citie we would haue shewed you thereof but we durst not vntill yee were returned from the battaile Now they be in your Pallaice which pleaseth them for there is neither man nor child liuing but all are slaine except some xxx Ladies and Damsels who were with her that should be your wife and they be put out of the Citie yée may sée them sitting without the gate pitiously wéeping When the Admirall Galaffer heard that he was heauy sorowfull and said to his men that were about him Sirs I pray you hastily giue me some councell what I shall doe for it is néedfull Sir quoth they it is now of necessitie that yée goe to king Iuoryn and knéele downe at his foote and pray him to haue mercie vppon you other councell as now we cannot giue you Sirs quoth Galaffer I shall doe as yée haue said then the Admirall Galaffer with his sword in his hand went through the preasse and came to king Iuoryn alighted from his horse and knéeled downe before him and said Sir King I yéeld to you my swoord with the which if you please strike of my head for well I haue deserued it But Sir I pray you for the loue of Mahound haue mercie of me I offer to make you such amends as you your Lords shall iudge so that yée will aid me to take the Frenchmen that bee in my Citie and haue taken away my wife your Néece Escleremond Sir the young man that yée so loued who came but lately to your Court with a Minstrell is the same Frenchman that slew your brother the Admirall Gaudise these tydings I haue heard by twoo messengers that knew him in your Court and now there are with him xiij other Frenchmen whome I had retayned with me to maintaine my warre but they be al subiects to the yong man and now all xiii bee in my pallace and my wife with them Chap. LIX ¶ How Iuoryn caused Mouflet the old Minstrell to be brought to the gibet to haue beene hanged and how hee was rescued by Huon IVORIN heard Galaffer and saide Alas I was vnhappie that I knew not this yong man that had slaine my brother if I had it shold dearly haue béene bought Therefore Sir Galaffer cause your men to withdraw from the battaile and I shall withdraw mine and I shall know of my Barons what counsaile they will giue me Then both parties blew the retrait and King Iuoryn said to his Lords Sirs what counsaile will yee giue me as touching the Admirall Galaffer Sir quoth they giue him againe his lands since he asketh mercie if he hath done ill he offereth to make amends Then Iuoryn called Galaffer and sayd Sir Admirall I render againe to you all your lands and pardon you of all mine ill will and beside that I shall helpe you to destroy the Frenchmen that are in your citie of Anfalerne Then Galaffer kneeled downe and thanked King Iuoryn for the courtesie that he shewed him and offered to doe and so would haue kissed his feet but Iuoryn would not suffer him but lift him vp Thus these two kings agréed together and sware together to haue the death of Huon and his knights Then Huon and his companie abandoned vp the citie of Anfalerne because hee had so few men to kéepe it and so kept the Castle the which was strong inough standing on a rocke on the sea side it was indéede impregnable so it were well victualled at the corner of the Castle there was a strong towre and vnderneath it was the Port whereas ships came to their anchor When Iuoryn and Galaffer saw that the towne was giuen vp by the Frenchmen they entered into it with all their great puissance and lodged about in the towne but in taking of their lodgings Huon and Gerames and such as were with them shot out darts and quarrelled in such wise that there was not so hardie a paynim that durst peere before the Castle if he did he was slaine or hurt When Iuoryn Galaffer saw the dealing of the Frenchmen they raysed vp a gibbet before the Castle thereby to make the Frenchmen afraide and then they tooke Mouflet the Minstrell and bound his hands behind him so sore that the bloud came out at the nayles then they hanged his violl about his necke and then he was brought before Iuoryn who sayd to him A thou false traitour ill hast thou remembred the goodnesse that my brother Gaudise hath done to thee when he that slew him thou hast brought into my Court thereby to do me despight But I shall neither eate nor drinke till thou hast thy desert and that is to bee hanged Alas quoth Mouflet neuer in all my life haue I done or thought any treason nor knew not that that I brought to your Court him that slew your brother the Admiral Gaudys who was my Lord and Master therefore Sir great sinne it were for you to put me to death for that I am not guiltie of Thou lyest false traitour quoth Iuoryn and so commaunded a thirtie men to leade him to the gallowes and when they were come thither they caused the minstrell to mount vp on the ladder The Frenchmē in the
to get any fresh victuall then it is reason that the Lord and Captaine to haue the one halfe to his part and the other part 〈◊〉 to bee deuided amongest his men Maister quoth 〈◊〉 you may doe your pleasure doe as you shall thinke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Patrone caused all their victuals to bee brought 〈…〉 was deuided the Patrone was a wise man 〈…〉 that hee began to weepe hee did eate but 〈…〉 because his victuall should endure the 〈…〉 all that but little auailed for before fifteene 〈…〉 all their victuals were spent except Huons 〈…〉 man part and kept for 〈…〉 other men had And as they were in this 〈…〉 a Galley wherein were Thirtie men 〈…〉 and Pirats of the Sea they came and arriued â—eere â—â— the Shippe whereas Huon was in not knowing what place they were in when they arriued it was in a darke night they had great maruaile of Huons Shippe wherein they sawe great light and then they sayd one to another it is happie for 〈◊〉 that wee haue found heere this faire Shippe it can â—ot â—ee but it is rich and full of goods they shall not escape vs 〈◊〉 shalâ— bee ours for therâ—in are â—ut fewe men to defend the Shippe Chap. CX ¶ Howe a Galley with Sarazins came and â—ffâ—yled Huon who 〈…〉 and also all Huons men and how Huon went to 〈…〉 of the Adamant and slewe the great Serpent and of 〈…〉 that hee found there WHen Huon saw the Galley ariue and going to his Shippe hee hadde great maruaile what men they were then he alighted a torch and toâ—ke it in his hand and came 〈…〉 on the Shippe and sayd Sirs of this 〈…〉 well arriued heere wee haue great ioy of your companie wheÌ„ the Sarasins heard Huon they perceiued by his language that he and his companie were Christian men then each of them beheld other smiling for ioy one of them turned his spéech and spake good Spanish and sayde to Huon Fellow it is no néede for vs to hide what wee bée all wee that thou séest héere bee Sarasins and ye be Christned wherefore we will haue al the riches that is in your ship and beside that all your heads shall be striken off and your bodyes cast into the sea Paynim quoth Huon ere thou hast our shippe at thy commandement first thou shalt buye it déerely Then Huon cryed to his men that they should arme themselues to defende them from the Paynims the which they did diligently And Huon who was readie armed and by that time the Sarasins were entred into the shippe Huon was readie before them with his sword in his hand wherewith he strake the first that he mette with all in such wise that his head flew from his shoulders Then he strake another and claue him to the throat and so the third and the fourth were shortly slaine he layd on so rounde about him that his enemies were afrayde to behold him Then the cheefe maister of the theeues came and rebuked his men because they had suffered Huon to doe them so much hurt and domage he approached to Huon to haue striken him but Huon who was light and expert in déedes of armes auoyded his stroke and strake the Sarasin with a reuerse that his head flew from his body a great way off Then Huon cryed Bourdeaux to reioyce his men and to giue them courage Also Arnolde who had seene the Serpent in the Castle did maruailes and beate downe his enemies whereof Huon had great ioy And there was a great mightie Sarasin who came behinde this knight Arnold as he fought with another Sarasin and he gaue Arnold with an axe such a great stroke that hee claue his head to the téeth whereof Huon was right sorrowfull and sayd hee had rather die then the death of Arnold should not be reuenged Then hee approached neere vnto the same Paynim and lifting vppe his Sworde with both his handes hee strooke the Sarasin on the shoulder that the sword entred into the breast And the Patron of Huons Shippe vnarmed came into the battaile with a great staffe in his handes wherewith hee laid vppon the Sarazins in such wise that such as hee strake needed after no Surgion Then a Sarazin aduised him and came and gaue the Patrone such a stroake with a Swoord vppon the head that his head was clouen to the braine wherewith Huon was right sorrowfull and sore displeased But it was not long before he reuenged his death for hee strake the Sarazin such a stroake that hee claue him to the breast and when the Patrones Seruaunts sawe that their Maister was slayne they all made great sorrowe and disarmed as they were they came and entred into the Battaile with great staues in their handes and fought with them fiercely But the Sarazins who were all armed had anone slayne them all whereof Huon was right sorrowfull and angry for hee hadde then with him lest aliue no moe but foure men of defence And the Sarazins who in the beginning were Thirtie were all slayne except seauen persons they greatly feared Huon for they sawe well that none coulde endure against his stroakeâ— and then they fledde out of Huons shippe and entred into their owne Galley But Huon and his thrée Knightes that were with him followed them so fast that they slew them all and caste them into the Sea Then Huon and the thrée Knightes that were with him tooke all the flesh bread and wine that was in the Galley and bare it into their shippe whereby they liued more then seauen Monethes And then when their victuals begann to fayle then they were right sorrowfull they had no victuall to liue by longe and yet they did â—aâ—e but little so they beganne to be pale and leane through famine pitiously Huon complayned and sayd Oh yee my déere and true Freends who for my loue haue left your Lands your Wiues and Children nâ—we I peâ—ceiue yée must néedes die for thâ—â—agâ— of famine â—las poore Cayliffe that I am I shall not longe liue after you great pitie it was to heare the complaints that Huon made who saw that he must folow the same daunce Then hee sayd Ah faire Ladie Escleremond I shall neuer see you more I pray vnto our Lord God that hee will comfort you in all your affaires as for mee poore soule it is impossible to liue foure dayes longer After that hee had made this pitifull complaint hee beheld the thrée Knights who rendred vp their soules and died through hunger The pitifull complaints that then he made was pitie to heare he had no hope to be aided by any mortall man wherefore he knew surely that hee could not liue aboue twoo dayes longer Then all weeping hee went from his Knightes that lay there dead and went to the board of his shippe and looked into the Sea to see if hee might espie any manner of Shippe comming thether For hee thought that if any shippe came thether of the Sarazins hee woulde haue some victuals or else to
the which was parted and deuided to such as it appertained so that they were all made rich Then the Admirall and Huon departed from the playnes of Rames and then they went and lodged in the Towne and in the morning they determined to tarie there three dayes to refresh them and vppon the fourth day they departed because it was shewed them how that the Souldan was departed from Sayre and gone by sea with a small companie to the Citie of Acres Then the Admirall and Huon drewe their Hoast towards Napelous and there taried two dayes and from thence they went to Iene and so to the Citie of Nazareth and visited that holy place whereas the Angell brought the salutation Angel-like to the Virgin Marie Then from thence they went to the Castle of Saffet and tooke it with assault and slew all them that were within it except such as would beléeue in our Lord Iesus Christ and then from thence they went and lodged within halfe a League of Acres and there pitcht vp their Tents and Pauillions and when they were all lodged their Foragers ranne abroad and brought to the Hoast great plentie of victuals often times they skirmished before the Citie of Acres But they coulde neither finde man nor woman that durst yssue out to doe any deede of armes there they lay eight dayes and no man did them any dammage for the Paynims and Sarazins were so affraid for the great losse and dammage that they had suffered that they durst not stirre nor make any semblance And the Souldan who was within wrote Letters into all his Countreys as well into Arabia Egipt Barbary and Europe as to all other his Fréends that they would come and succour him at his neede he sent diuers Messengers both by land and by sea and also hée sent into Antioch and into Damas and to all other places wheras he thought to haue any ayd or succour and vpon a day two Foragers of the Admirals went foorth vppon the Sea-side and they found by the way Trampoiguiffle the Souldans Messenger they tooke and brought him into the Admirals Tent and there hee was examined and his Letters taken from him the which were seene and read before the Admirall and Huon the which when they heard it and the contents therof thereby they knewe somewhat of the Souldans counsaile then they tooke the Messenger and brought him before the Citie of Acres and made there a paire of Gallowes and hanged vp the Messenger within the sight of the Souldan and of them there within the Citie The same day the Admirall assembled his Lordes and Barons in his Tent and said vnto them Sirs all you that bee heere assembled know that I haue great desire to know what thing is best to be done and how we shall vse our selues in this warre that we haue begunne you know well that the Victorie by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and by the hye prowesse of Huon wee haue now obtained and haue heere our enemie inclosed who cannot flye except it be by the sea therefore I desire you all that euerie one of you will shew your aduise what is best to be done and that to morrowe about this time to giue me an answeare Then all the Lordes and Barons aduised together and so amonge them was diuers opinions and reasons howbeit they departed euerie man to their owne lodging because they had day of answeare and the next day following thus the day passed without any thinge done and at night euerie man went to rest except such as had the charge of the watch that night who went not to bed as is the order and custome of the warres Huon taried all that night in the Admirals Tent and about the houre of midnight Huon dreamed in his sleepe and thought that he was at the Citie of Mayence in prison and sawe the Emperour of Almaine take Escleremond his Wife out of prison and she séemed vnto him pale and leane and ill coloured and howe shee was in her Kirtle and her haire hanging about her shoulders and ten men leading her out of the Town to be burnt and he thought that she made pitious complaints for Huon her Husband and for Clariet her Daughter And also hee thought that he saw passe through the streets three Hundred Genlemen who had beene taken at Bourdeaux when the Citie was taken and he thought that he saw diuers Gallowes made and howe the Emperour had sworne to hang them all so that hee thought that hee was right sorrowful and sore gréeued in his mind to see that companie led toward their deaths for in his sleepe hee thought verily that all this had beene true and that he could not helpe it Thus as Huon was in this paine sleeping he gaue an horrible crie so that the Admirall and Barnard awoake therewith in hast thinkinge it had beene their enemies that had entred to haue slaine them then they heard Huon say Oh good Lord I pray thée euen for thy Sons sake and by thy pittie and grace to succour and comfort my good Wife for certainly I cannot tell but my heart thinketh that the false Emperour will cause her to die and all the other Prisoners Then the Admirall and Barnard arose vp and came vnto Huon and had well heard his complaints and sayd Ah Sir discomfort not your selfe nor giue no faith nor credence to dreames for the Emperour will neuer doe such a villany as to put to death so noble a Ladie it is nothinge but your thought and remembraunce that you haue dayly the which in the night representeth vnto you sléeping Ah Sir quoth Huon I cannot beleeue but that my Wife hath somewhat to do Alas too long haue I taried here but if your warres were at an end I would gladly go my way for I shall neuer haue ioy at my heart vntill I may knowe the troth Then they arose for it was day and the appointed houre was come that al the Lords of the counsaile should assemble together in the Admirals Tent and euerie man sat downe vppon benches well couered with cloath of gold and other rich clothes of silke and when they were there assembled the Marshall arose vp for he was a right sage wise man and sayd Sir Admirall wee haue communed together and debated the matter at length and wee haue had diuers opinions but wee bee all concluded to say nothing vntill that Huon who is there by you hath shewed first his opinion what hee thinketh is best to bee done in this matter for it is good reason that hee bee heard to speake first and then the Admirall beheld Huon and sayd My deare Freend you heare what my Lordes and Barons haue concluded together and how they all rest vppon you that first you shall say your aduise wherefore I require you for the loue of our Lord God to shewe mee what I ought to doe as you thinke best Chap. CXXIX ¶ How Huon of Bourdeaux counsailed the Admirall of Persia to
saw neither Castle nor Church Rocke nor Riuer but hee sawe that they were in a faire meadowe whereof Huon and Escleremond were sore abashed and blessed them hauing great maruaile of that they had séen then the Monke desired Huon to let him go Monke quoth Huon to drawe or to struggle cannot auaile thee for thou shalt not escape out of my handes vntill thou hast shewed me the Citie of Momur whereas King Oberon is Huon quoth the Monke I am content to doe it but first I pray thée to take from my necke the stole Monke quoth Huon thy reasoning cannot auaile thée for thou shalt not escape from me vntill thou hast set both me and my Wife néere vnto the Citie of Momur for thou shalt goe with vs foote by foote Well quoth the Monke since it is thus I am content to fulfill your pleasure but one thinge I say vnto you you neuer did a wiser deed then that you would not let me goe away for if the stole were not wherewith you doe hold me and the precious stones that you haue about you you shold neuer haue departed from hence I thought to haue beguiled you so that you might haue let mée gone my wayes whether I would goe Monke quoth Huon if I can you shall not depart from me vntill you haue set mee and my Wife within the Citie of Momur Sir quoth the Monke that will I not doe nor I cannot doe it though I would but I shall sette you both vppon the Mount of Hircama and from thence you may well sée vnto the Citie of Momur and all the countrey of the Fayrie and then I will returne vnto my companie who by this time are passed the great Sea of Tâ—rtaâ—y Monke quoth Huon I am content so that thou wilt sette vs in that place whereas wée may see the Citie of Momur Chap. CXLV ¶ How the Monke bare Huon and Escleremond ouer hils and Valleys in the ayre vntill hee came into the Countrey of Kinge Oberon THen the Monke tooke Huon vppon the one arme and Escleremond vpon the other but alwayes Huon held the stoale still about the Monkes necke to the entent that the Monke shoulde not beguile him and thus by the Fayrie and enchauntment the Monke bare Huon and Escleremond vnto a hye Rocke to rest them and from thence hee bare them as fast as the bird flyeth in the ayre at last they alighted in a faire meadowe then the Monke said Sir in an euill houre I met with you for you haue caused me to suffer great paine and nowe Sir I can goe no further for you are now in the Land of King Oberon whereas wée haue no puissance but first I will bring you vnto your lodging whereas you shall rest then before them they sawe a Castle newly made the which was so faire rich and strong that if I should describe it to the vttermost it would be ouer-long to rehearse Then the Monke tooke his leaue of Huon and of the Duchesse Escleremond his Wife and left them in the Castle that hee had made Huon suffered him to goe and thanked him of his curtesie the Monke suddainly vanished away they wist not whether and then Huon and his louing Wife entred into the Castle and came into a rich Chamber well fournished and there they found a Table sette with diuers meates and drinkes but there was no man to speake vnto then they sat downe at the Table and did eat and drinke at their pleasure and then they went from thence and when they were gone a little way they looked behind them and saw neither Towne nor Castle wherof they were sore abashed and recommended themselues vnto our Lord God then they went foorth into the meadow and could see neither Towne nor Castle House nor Village nor man to demaund the way of and they went so long that they came to the foote of a Mountaine whereon they mounted with great paine and trauaile and when they were vppon the toppe of the hill they rested them and then within a little season Huon sawe appeare before him a great Citie and vpon the one side thereof a faire and rich Pallaice the wals and Towers of the Citie and the Pallaice were al of white Marble pollished the which did shine so bright against the Sunne as though it had been all of Christall then Huon said vnto his Wife Madame yonder before vs we may sée the noble Citie of Momur whereas King Oberon is Sir quoth Escleremond our Lord God hath done vnto vs a great grace in that hee hath brought vs hether in the sauegard of our persons Then they went foorth vntill they came néere vnto the Citie of Momur and before the Citie they sawe a maruailous great Riuer and verie déepe and two bowe shoots in largenesse and it was maruailous pleasant to behould and when they came to the Riuer-side they founde there a man with a little Vessel awaiting vppon all them that woulde come vnto the Citie to passe them ouer Then Huon and Escleremond his Wife entred into the little Shippe and saluted the Guider thereof but hee woulde giue them none aunsweare but maruailously behelde them and when they were ouer the Marriner who was named Clarimodes and he was Sonne to a Damsell of the Fayrie then he demaunded of Huon what he and his Wife were and sayd mée thinkes you be none of the Fayrie wherefore I am not content that I haue passed you ouer Then Huon gaue him none aunsweare but went foorth and entred into the Citie and as they passed they were greatly regarded of them within the Citie and sayd one to another it is great maruaile to sée these two persons enter into this Citie for King Oberon who lyeth sicke in his bedde gaue great charge vnto Clarimodes that no straunger should passe the Riuer to enter into this Citie Huon heard them and was thereof right sorrowfull when he heard that the King lay sicke in his bedde so he passed foorth and came vnto the Pallaice euery man there beheld him and his Wife and had great maruaile to sée any mortall persons to enter into that Pallaice and they were thereof abashed and wist not what to thinke At the same time Mallâ—bron and Gloriand were walking together in the hall they saw Huon and Escleremond entring into the Hall and incontinent they knew them and came vnto them and embraced them and sayd Ah noble Duke Huon and Duchesse Escleremond you are welcome of your comminge wee are right ioyfull then Mallabron went from them and went into the Chamber whereas the King lay sicke and sayd Right déere Sir your good Fréend Huon and Escleremond his Wife are come into your Hall When the King heard that Huon and Escleremond were come for the great ioy that he had he quickly arose out of his bedde Therewith Gloriand Huon and Escleremond entred into the chamber where King Oberon was and when the King saw them he came vnto them and sayde My right déere Fréende Huon
Aragons house and haue passed the time there with the newe come Damsell the most fairest that euer was borne and the most gentlest and best taught right faire and swéet are her deuises Florence quoth the King I charge thée in as much as thou fearest my displeasure that thou commest no more at her beware that thou fallest not enamoured of her if thou doest thou wert neuer so ill acquainted with any Loue nor there neuer came so ill aduenture to the Damsell if shee draw thée to loue her for if I may know that thou goest thether any more I shall sette her in such a prison whereas I shall cause her to end her dayes miserably Father quoth Florence mée thinkes that you doe vs great wronge to forbid vs to play and sport together in all goodnes and honour and God defend that I shoulde entend any wayes to deceiue her Déere Father remember that you haue béen young therfore suffer that youth may passe their time in goodnesse and honour with vs as it hath done with you nowe you are about Four-score yeares or more you ought to thinke of nothing but to serue God and eat and drinke and sléep it ought not to trouble you though our youth passe the time in good workes you ought to bee content that we loue by amours as you haue done before this for to the Damsell I beare all honour and I will loue her howsoeuer it bee taken faire or foule there is no man liuing that shall let mee as longe as life is in my bodie shee is faire and gentle and it is said that I am faire and that it were a méet couple for vs two to be ioyned together in mariage and therefore Father I praye you to blame mee no more nor the Damsell for in all that I can doe I am her Louer and shee is mine When the King hadde well vnderstood his Sonne in great yre and displeasure he sayd Oh thou vngracious Son little thou prizest or honourest me in that thou wilt doe thus against my will know for certaine if I may liue but till to morrow in the morning I shall make a departure of your twoo loues When Florence heard his Father he sayd My déere Lord and Father if God will you shall not doe as you haue sayd for if you doe with mine owne handes I shall slay my selfe for I will not liue one day after When the Kinge heard that hee was right sorrowfull for feare of loozing of his Sonne and studied within himselfe what to doe then he said Faire Son take thine armour and goe and seeke aduentures as I haue done in my time then I shall marrie thée to some Wife such a one as thou canst finde in any Countrey although she be neuer so great or noble I shall cause thee to haue her iâ— thou wilt forsake and leaue this new found Damsell for by her no wealth nor honour can come vnto thée it should bee a great euill vnto thee that after my daies it should bee saide that a newe found Damsell should bee Ladie and Queene of my Realme Thou knowest well howe thine Vncle the King of Nauarre maketh me great warre for a debate that is lately fallen betwéene him and me I knowe well that now at this Moneth of Aprill hee wiâ—l come and inuade my Realme and therefore good Sonne seeke for some other Wife and let this folly passe then I shall make thée a Knight then helpe to aid and defend my Realme against the Kinge of Nauarre thine Vncle thou art bigge and strong inough to defend my Land Good Father quoth Florence speake no more vnto me for I will neuer haue no other Wife but this faire Damsell whome I loue entirely Sonne quoth the King thou abasest thy selfe ouer lowe nor there is no friend nor kindred that thou hast that will keepe any company with thée but they will cleane flye from thée therefore good Sonne put away from thée this folly beware in as much as thou thinkest to haue my Realme after my decease and vppon the paine to bee banished out of my Countrey take not her against my will Then the Kinge called vnto him his Cozen Peter of Aragon and charged him that if Florence his Sonne came any more to his lodging that he should incontinent tell him of it for I promise quoth hée by the faith that I owe vnto our Lord God if he come thether any more I shall cause the Damsell that is in your house to be slaine Florence was right sorrowfull when hee heard to the pleasure of the Kinge his Father Thus as the King rebuked his Sonne there came in a Knight and kneeled downe and sayd Sir I haue brought you ill tidings for the King of Nauarre is entred into your Realme and setteth all your Countrey in flame and fire and néere to your Citie they be to the number of more then Thirtie Thousand men besides the great Battaile that commeth after wherein there is about thrée-score Thousand men they exile your Countrey and they slay men women and Children they spare neither young nor old it is great néed that you make hast and to bring your men together to resist your enemies When King Garyn heard the Messenger he was right sorrowfull then hee called vnto him his Cozen Peter of Aragon who was his chiefe Constable and sayd Sir make readie our men to resist our enemies then he called vnto him Florence his Sonne and sayd Faire Sonne take thine armour and shew thy vertue against thine enemies who waste my Realme and take vpon thée the chiefe charge and lead mine Hoast for I haue no puissance nor strength to do it because of the great age that I am of I haue liued so long that I can no more ride therefore defend thou the Land that thou shalt hold after mee and then thou doest as a wise man should doe Father quoth Florence by the grace of God I will put no armour vppon my backe to defend your Land except you will giue mee in marriage the faire Damsell that is in my Cozen Peter of Aragons house if you will doe me that courtesie and promise mée to doe it I shall deliuer into your hands your enemy as Prisoner to doe with him your pleasure otherwise looke not that I shall doe any thing When the King saw that his Sonne would doe none otherwise then he commaunded all his other men euerie man to arme himselfe and to goe and resist his enemies the which they did incontinent and they yssued out into the fields more then tenne Thousand men and Sir Peter of Aragon hadde the leading of them and they were not out of the Towne aboue twoo Leagues but they encountred their enemies there were many speares broken and many a Knight beaten downe to the earth and slain and their bodies lying without soules among the horse féete right valiantly did Sir Peter of Aragon behaue himselfe that day but hee had not strength ynough sufficient for his
enemies encreased wherefore hee was constrained to retire backe towardes the Citie howbeit before he entred he did great losse and dammage vnto his enemies When the Nauarnes sawe the Aragons retire into the Citie then they pitcht vp their Tents and Pauillions about the Towne and when king Garyn saw his men returned then he called his Sonne Florence and said Sonne take thine armour and ayd to defend the Land the which appertaineth to thée after my decease Sir quoth Florence that will I neuer doe without first you promise me to giue me the faire Damsel in marriage by that couenant that I shall deliuer into your hands as Prisoner mine Vncle the King of Nauarre When the King his Father heard him hee muzed a litttle and sayd My Sonne I graunt thee thy desire so that thou wilt deliuer me thine Vncle the kinge of Nauarre to doe with him at my pleasure therefore take thine armour and make thée readie thine armour is good and thy swoorde is with the best and if thou canst do as thou sayest thou shalt haue the faire Damsell howbeit he sayd to himselfe priuily that he had rather to loose one of his handes then a stranger should be Quéen after him for assoone as my Sonne quoth hee shall be yssued out of the Citie I shall cause the Damsell to be drowned in the Sea for I will not suffer her to liue although I should bee disenherited for it Then Florence hearing his Father promising to him to haue the Damsâ—ll he was right ioyfull but he knew not the inward ill will of his Father then hee sayd Sir then I require you to send for my Loue hether to the entent that she may guird my sword about mee whereby I shall be the more bold and hardy when I come into the Battaile The kinge did as his Sonne required but the Sonne knewe not the Fathers thought the Kinge sent twoo knightes for the Damsell and when shee came there shee was greatly regarded of them that were there for they had neuer séen a fairer nor one that séemed to be extract of a hye generation When Florence sawe her in the Pallaice his heart rose vp and he ranne vnto her and embraced and kissed her and the Ladie suffered him with a good will wherewith the king had at his heart such sorrow that he had neere hand runne vppon them but he forbare it because he saw his Son readie to goe against his enemies then he helped to arme his Sonne richly and in like wise so did the faire Damsell When king Garyn hadde made his Sonne readie the Damsell did guird his Sword about him then the king drew it out of the sheath and therewith made him knight and then his horse was brought vnto him and hee leapt lightly vppon him with his Speare in his hand and helmet vppon his head and shéelde about his necke Then Florence sayd vnto the kinge his Father Sir I leaue with you my Loue whome I loue best in all this world I leaue her in your kéeping for if our Lord God giue me the grace that I may returne I shall bring vnto you mine Vncle the king of Nauarre as a Prisoner The king graunted vnto his Sonne all that he would desire but he knewe not the inward intention that hee was purposed to doe Then the king commaunded Ten of his knights to sée the guiding of the Damsell and to honor her as much as they might vntill his Sonne were out of the Citie and then to drowne her in the Sea to the entent that neuer more tidinges should bee heard of her Chap. CLIII ¶ How Florence went to fight with his enemies and how Sir Peter of Aragon returned towards the Towne to bring thether Prisoners and howe hee rescued the faire Damsell Clariet from drowning and how afterward Kinge Garyn caused the Damsell to be closed vp in a prison WHen Florence was armed and mounted hee tooke vp his horse freshly before the Damsell and blessed him and tooke his leaue of the kinge and of his Loue and so departed and road to the gate and all that sawe him sayde howe they neuer sawe so goodly a knight nor more séeming to bee feared then hee yssued out of the gate and roade towardes the Tents of his enemies with ten Thousand good knights and hardy the Ladies and Damsels went to the wals of the Citie to behold the young knight When the Nauarnes saw him comming there came against him more then fiftéene Thousand men and they came downe in a Valley by couert to haue cutte him the way betwéene the Hoast and the Towne but the valiant knight Sir Peter of Aragon who was with Florence espyed them and so made hast to be afore them and when hee sawe his time to set vppon his enemies Florence who was sore desirous to fulfill his promise to the king his Father tooke his Speare and encountred with a knight with such vertue that he ranne him cleane through and with drawing out of his Speare the Nauarnes fel downe dead then Florence sayd God hath giuen mee a good beginning then hee drewe out his sword and strake another vppon the helmet in such sort that he claue his head to the teeth and the third and fourth hee made dolorously to die and hee neuer ceased vntill he had slaine Tenne of his enemies Thus vnder the meadowes of Courtoys was a horrible Battaile betwéen the Nauarnes and Aragons where there was vpon both partes such slaughter that it was great maruaile to behold it Anon Florence sword was well knowne for by the force of his armes he brake the great preasses for vppon whom soeuer his stroke lighted hee was either slaine or cast to the earth euerie man feared him so much that none durst abide nor approach néere vnto him The same time that Florence was in the Battaile dooing of maruailes the faire Damsell Clariet was vppon the wals of the Citie with other Ladies and Damsels regarding the hye Prowesse that Florence did in the field and the ioy that she had thereof was soone turned into sorrow and wéepings for king Garyn who could not forget the mortall hate that he had to the Damsell called vnto him Ten knightes of them that were secret with him and sayd Sirs this new found Damsell with whome my Sonne Florence is in hot amours shee displeaseth me so much that I cannot find in my heart to looke vppon her my Sonne thinketh to haue her in marriage at his returne but as long as he liueth hee shall neuer see her more whatsoeuer fall thereof therefore goe your way and take and cast her into the Sea amonge the greatest waues that you can finde When these knightes vnderstood the King who commaunded them to doe this murder they were right sorrowfull at their heartes but they durst not say nay nor doe against his will for if they had they knewe well that they should die and they knew that there was neither mercie nor pitie in him therefore they
thought hee had béen dead and euerie man complayned for him and especially the king his Father was right sorrowfull and would as then that he had neuer begunne that matter When Florence came againe to himselfe hee sayde Oh good Lorde the earth ought to be cursed when it sustaineth such a trayterous kinge that hath done such a déede great perill it is to bee conuersant with him then Florence looked vppon the knightes about him and sayde Sirs I require you for the loue you ought of reason to beare me bring me to the same place whereas she whom I loued perfectly was perished and drowned for other Sepulcher I desire none but the same that she hath for the loue of her it shall please me well to bee vnder couert vnder the waues of the Sea whereas my Loue is to the entent that of me there be heard neuer more remembrance Then hee beheld the king of Nauarre his Vncle whome hee had taken Prisoner and sayd Sir king of Nauarre thou art my Prisoner but if thou wilt ayd mee to bee reuenged of this treason that my Father hath done I shall then let thée goe againe frée and quit Faire Nephew quoth he leaue that folly and speake no more thereof for it toucheth much your honour and you shall be blamed of all them that heare speaking thereof Sir quoth Florence what is that you say you knowe well that you are my Prisoner and that it lyeth in me whether you shall liue or die Faire Nephew quoth the king I will well agrée to your wordes but if you will beléeue mee beléeue the king your Father leaue to doe after your owne will What quoth Florence you know well that in me it lyeth to strike off your head without you will agrée vnto my will and pleasure the which thing I will doe except incontinent you sweare the death of kinge Garyn my Father and that neuer to take peace with him vntill you haue brought him to the death vpon this condition I shall set you in sauegard for the Traytour hath deceiued me of the thing that I loue best in all this world Then the king of Nauarre sayd Déere Nephewe you are as yet young I cannot tell whether your wordes and promises are stable and firme or not for the youth that I sée in you and also for the great displeasure that you be in now and therefore faire Nephew I haue great feare that you should beguile me Sir quoth Florence God forbid that I shoulde bée so deceiuable of my promise to promise you any thinge and fulfill it not whatsoeuer should fall thereof At this time there were but few persons in the Pallace with the kinge for all the Lordes and knightes were gone into the Towne to their Lodgings to refresh them of their trauaile and wearines therefore the king was in his Pallaice with a small companie the which Florence had well espyed and there was certaine of Florence knightes about him vnto whome hee sayd all wéeping Sirs incontinent goe and get mee my horse and also the king of Nauarre his horse readie at the gate the which was done and when they were come then Florence sayd vnto the kinge of Nauarre his Vncle. Good Vncle if there bee any courage in you to be safe and out of seruage take this sword in your hand and let vs leaue this vnhappie king to vse his daies in sorrow and come and follow me Faire Nephew quoth the king of Nauarre I haue great feare that you will beguile me Sir quoth Florence thinke it not but come after mee and you shall sée what I will doe then Florence departed and the kinge of Nauarre with him they leapt vppon their horses and when they were vpon their good horses there was no man at that time in the Towne abroad to let Florence of his Enterterprize but thus they passed both vntill they were without the Towne then Florence sayd to the king his Vncle. Sir nowe you knowe well that I haue brought you out of this Towne and therefore I require you againe that you neuer take peace with the king my Father vntill you haue slaine him Faire Nephew quoth the king that which you require me to doe I shall fulfill it and thus I recommend you to God When the kinge sawe himselfe so well deliuered hee was ioyfull and so road vntill hee came to his Hoast whereas his men receiued him with great ioy and they demaunded how he was escaped out of the handes of Florence then the king shewed all the manner howe Florence deliuered him whereof they had great maruaile and had great ioy of his comming and to accomplish his promise to Florence his Nephewe he sent to all his Realme of Nauarre to his Fréends and other to come and ayd him Now wee shall leaue speaking of the king of Nauarre and speake of Florence his Nephew Chap. CLV ¶ How King Garyn put Florence his Sonne into a Tower in prison and how the Damsell escaped out of the Tower and spake with Florence her Louer at an arch vpon the Garden-side and how they were espyed and howe shee thought to haue drowned her selfe WHen Florence had deliuered the king of Nauarre his Vncle whom hee had taken before in the Battaile then he returned againe into the Citie and so road till he came to the Pallaice whereas he found the king his Father and sayd as a man almost out of his wits Oh thou false Traytor thou hast done so much through thine ilnesse that I rather desire thy death then thy life Then he sayd to the Knightes that were there present Sirs I pray you bringe mee to the Sea and cast mee therein in the same place whereas my Loue was cast for I will not liue one houre longer if you doe not this I shall slay my selfe with mine own handes When king Garyn heard his Sonne say so hee was right sorrowfull and spake fiercely vnto his Sonne and commaunded to take him and to set him in prison in the Tower in such wise that hee may bee sure of him and sayde Well I ought to be angrie in my heart when this boy mine own Son thus dealeth with mee but by the faith that I owe vnto our Lord God the displeasure that he hath done vnto mee hee shall deerely abuy it for as long as he liueth hee shall haue no foote of my Land Sir quoth Florence by you nor by your Land nor by any thinge that you can doe I set not thereby a button for I hadde rather die then liue There was no man present but that wept greeuously for pitie and when Florence saw them wéepe he sayd vnto them Sirs come vnto mee take off my Armour and put me into the handes of the king my Father for I will not that any of you shoulde haue any displeasure for my sake let mee beare the blame my selfe séeing that I haue lost the thing that I loue best Then the Knightes came vnto Florence and vnarmed him and
the Garden to sée if he could find the Damsell he sought so long that he found the Damsell whereas shée lay in the bush in great perill to be drowned This Watchman was a wise man and as priuily as he could he yssued out of the Garden and went downe to the water side and there he found a little boat and entred into it so passed the vine Garden as priuily as he could so that none heard nor saw him and when he was against the bush whereas the Damsell was hée spake to her softly and sayd Faire Damsell be not abashed for if I may in any maner of wise I will ayd you come down and enter into this boat and I shall set you in the Forrest and tarie there vntil I bring to you Florence your Louer the which I shall doe by the grace of Iesus for if I can by any manner of meanes I shall bring him out of the danger that hee is in because I haue alwayes loued him and for the goodnesse that hée hath done to me I shall now reward it When the Damsell heard the Watch-man for ioy thereof shée forgat all her sorrow and incontinent aswell as she might she yssued out of the bush and went down the Riuer side then she entred into the boat and the Watch-man set her ouer and left her in the Forrest the which ioyned to the water side then he tooke his leaue of her and sayd Faire Damsell tarie here vntill I returne againe to you Fréende quoth the Damsell I pray to God that you may so spéed as to bring hether my Louer and to set him out of danger and so he departed and entred againe into the Garden hearkening towardes the Pallaice whereas there was great brute made for the escaping of the Damsell But there was no doubt made of Florence because the Tower that hee was in was stronge and thicke Also the Chamber that he was in was not toward the Pallaice but it lay open against the Garden then the sayd Watch-man came to the wall side whereas there was a straight loope hole into Florence Chamber and he had two Goates féete in his handes then hee called Florence and sayd Sir if you will bee with your Loue who tarieth for you in the Forrest whereas I haue lâ—â—t her in sauegard helpe your selfe that you were out of this Tower take heere this Goates foote and doe you so much there within to enlarge the loope that you may yssue out and héere without I shall make the hole wyder When Florence vnderstoode the Watch-man hee was neuer so ioyfull in all his life when he heard the man say that his Loue was in sauegard they laboured so sore that they made the loope so large that Florence yssued out and then the Watch-man brought Florence to the Stable whereas some of the Kinges horses stoode especially there was one whose like could not be found This Watch-man who had great affection and desire to doe seruice to this young Lord did so much that he brought vnto Florence his Armour his shéeld his helmet his sword and a good Speare and so Florence armed him and leapt vpon the good horse then the Watch-man shewed him the place in the Forrest whereas as hee had left the Damsell and then hee tooke his leaue of Florence who sayd Fréend the seruice that you haue done me shall be well rewarded in time to come then hee road foorth and left not vntill he came whereas his Loue was and when he saw her his ioy was renewed then he alighted and kissed his Loue and when he sawe that she was so bloudie he hadde great pitie of her and sayd Deere Loue it is néedfull that we depart before the day come Therefore make you readie and leape vp behind me and then Florence mounted and she leapt vp behind him and so departed assoone as they might When they were in the fields the Damsell looked backe towards the Citie and shee saw a great number of men yssuing out then shée sayd vnto Florence Sir I sée well that wee bee lost for I sée much people yssuing out of the Citie it is not possible for vs to be saued but that we shal be taken and especially I cannot escape I sée well that nowe our loue shall depart your Father is fell and cruell I knowe well that hee will slay mee Then the Watch-man came running after Florence for feare that he had of the king but he could not ouertake Florence who fled with his Loue behind him as fast as he might toward the Sea-side for Florence knew well the priuie wayes because he had often times vsed the wayes when he was woont to go a hauking or hunting So long he road that he came to a little Port where there was a Shippe readie to depart then Florence alighted and his Loue with him and tyed his horse to a Trée and then he tooke the Damsell by the hand and came to the Maister of the Shippe and agréed so with him that he and his Loue entred into the ship then they hoysed vp their sayles and so sayled from the land the Watch-man came to the Sea-side trusting to haue found Florence there and hee was right sorrowfull when he sawe them so farre on the Sea hee was in great feare of loosing of his life Then Kinge Garyn came thether with a great number and when he saw the Shippe so far in the Sea he sayd Ah good Lord now haue I lost my son for I know well he is gone inyonder Shippe and the Damsel with him but by the faith that I owe vnto our Lord Iesus Christ this Watch-man shall loose his head then the Watch-man was taken and fast bound so that the bloud came out at his fingers ends and sayd all wéeping Ah good Lord in an ill houre I was acquainted with Florence and his Loue Alas for the goodnesse that I haue done I shall haue a small reward this day I am like to loose my life for loue of my Lord. Chap. CLVII ¶ Of the great debate that was in the Pallaice for the VVatch-mans sake whome the King would haue had to be hanged and how the king of Nauarre tooke the Citie of Courtoys and how he departed from thence WHen the Earle Peter of Aragon saw the Watch-man taken by whom Florence and his Loue were saued hee was sorie to sée the man so sore beaten and threatened then he went in hast to the King and sayd Sir you shew well by your workes that you haue but small reason to suffer thus this poore man to be beaten and that you would put him to death for the goodnesse that he hath done to your Sonne he hath done therein but as he should doe and like a true Seruant you ought the better to loue him you shall doe ill to put him to death I will that you know that if you put him to death I will not serue you one day longer but I will rather goe to the King
of Nauarre and helpe to maintaine his war against you When the King heard him so to threaten him he swoore by God that he should repent it and how there should no man saue the Watch-mans life Then the poore man embraced the Kings Legge and cried for mercie but the King sware and made promise howe he should bee hanged without mercie When the Earle Peter heard that he was verie sorrowfull the poore man wept and beheld the people that were there assembled and desired them to pray for his soule saying how he should die for sauing of his Lord there was many of the poore mans kinred they knéeled all downe before the King desiring him to pardon him the king answeared that hee would not When the Earle Peter heard that he sayd to the King Sir surely he shall not die without it be by iudgement as your Lords and Counsaile shall ordaine When the King heard that he was sore displeased and so entred into the Citie and set the Watch-man in prison then hée went to his Pallaice and Peter followed him and accompanied with many other Knightes such as loued him and in like wise so did the poore mans kindred When the Kinge was in his Pallaice he commaunded a Scaffold to be made whereon hee would haue the Watch-man to loose his head When his Kins-men heard that they cried for mercie but the king would doe nothing at their desire When the Earle Peter saw the ill will of the king he made a token to the Watch-mans freends who were in number about a Hundred and Fiftie that they should goe to such a Tower where there was great plentie of Armour and to breake it vp and to arme them and so they did and came againe to the Pallaice and when the king saw them comming armed hee cryed to his men that they should arme them and take them that were so bolde to come into his presence all armed and when euerie man was armed they came again to the Pallaice to haue taken the Watch-man and all his kindred but the Watch-man and his Fréendes who were readie in armour set vpon the kinges men and also Peter of Aragon and his companie aided them so that there was so great a Skirmish in the Pallaice that it was pitie to sée it they cut off armes legs and heads each of other Finally the king and his men were so sore constrained that of force they abandoned the Pallace and fled away and the king fled into his Chamber for sauegard Anon the newes ran in the Towne that the king was sore assaulted in the Pallaice and in ieopardie of his life Then all the Communaltie went and armed them and sounded the larum bell there was such a noyse and brute as though all the world had béen lost Then a Spie went out and shewed the king of Nauarre howe king Garyn was assembled in his Pallaice within the Citie because of a Watch-man that the King would put to death in that hee had deliuered out of prison Florence and the Damsell his Loue. Then the King of Nauarre right ioyfull of those newes commanded hastely his men to be readie in Armour for he sayd that it was then time or else neuer to assaile the Citie Great desire I haue quoth he to bee reuenged of this King who had wedded my Sister whom he hath slaine I shall neuer haue ioy at my heart vntill I bee reuenged then euerie man armed them and so assembled together with banners displayed and so came in good order toward the Citie to assayle it but when they within the Towne heard the crye and noise without and sawe their enemies comming towards them they went and shewed it at the Pallaice wherby the strife there ceased and then the king and all his Lordes with all his people yssued out in Battaile Then there began a sore Battaile and many a man slaine and maymed but there were so many Nauarnes that whether king Garyn would or not perforce they were faine to abandon the Victorie to their enemies and were faine to retire into the Towne but their enemies followed them so néere that the kinge of Nauarre and his men entred in with them Then the kinge of Nauarre commanded that none should be slain without they were found in defence for he sayd that he cared not so he might be reuenged of the king Then the Nauarnes spread abroad in the Citie taking prisoners then kinge Garyn fled to the Minster-church then hee stoode in the Church dore to make defence but it could not auaile him there was so many of his enemies that he fledde to the hye Aulter for sauegard but the kinge of Nauarre who was entred into the Church commanded his men to take king Garyn the which they did Sirs quoth king Garyn yée doe me great wrong to take me in this holy place whereas euerie man should be saued aboue all thinges the house of God ought to be refuge for euerie man Then the king of Nauarre who was holden for a good holy man hearing what king Garyn sayd he knewe well that he sayd the truth and repented himselfe and sayd Faire Nephewe for the offence that I haue committed against our Lord God I shall amend it to the double so that you will pardon the Watch-man that hath deliuered my Nephew Florence out of your prison I shall then shew you this courtesie for the offence that I haue made I and all my men shall yssue out of this Citie without taking of any prisoner or any manner of goods for the loue of my Nephewe Florence whome I loue entirely and for the goodnes of the people I shall goe to my Tents without and I will graunt you a Truce to endure for a Moneth and I promise you the Moneth once expired I shall approach againe so nere to this Citie that as long as life is in my bodie I shall not depart vntill I haue taken this Citie and you whome I take for mine enemie to haue you as my prisoner for I shall neuer haue ioy at my heart vntill I haue reuenged the death of my Sister your Wife Then King Garyn sayd King of Nauarre of the courtesie and bountie that you shewe vnto me I thanke you and as for the Watch-man I doe pardon him all mine ill will whereas you say that you will come so néere my Citie to winne it when that commeth by the grace of God and by the helpe of my true Subiects I shall doe the best I can to defend my selfe and my Citie Then the King of Nauarre yssued out of the Church and leapt vpon his horse and road to the gate and taried there vntill all his men were cleane auoided out of the Citie to the entent that neither Prisoners nor goods should be caried out of the Citie whereof his men were angrie and especially they that were poore the other cared not greatly because the two Kinges had béene so long fréendes together wherefore the warre displeased them and they were
by reason of the great guifts riches that hée had left behind him among them Then after all these thinges done the kinge of Nauarre tooke leaue of king Garyn and departed and his Nephewe Florence road with him foure Leagues and then returned to Courtoys to Clariet his wife and there they tarried two Moneths in great ioy and solace Then after a certaine space king Garyn who was verie old and ancient tooke a sicknesse whereby he passed out of this world for whose death Florence his Sonne Clariet wept many a salt teare Then he was buried with great solemnitie and then by all the Lords and Peeres of the Realme Florence was chosen and crowned King and Clariet Quéene great solemnâ—ty and ioy was made at their crownation Thus with great ioy and gladnesse Florence and Clariet were together so that at the last Clariet was great with child whereof Florence and all the noble men and Commons of the Realme were ioyfull and thanked our Lord God and when the time came the Quéene was brought to bed of a faire Daughter whereof both Father and Mother were right ioyfull the which ioy within a while after turned to sore wéeping and great heauines as yée shall heare hereafter Chap. CLXIIII ¶ How Queene Clariet was brought to bedde of a Daughter at which deliuerance the Queene dyed and how when the yong Damsell came to the age of Fifteene yeares the King her Father would haue had her in marriage wherewith all his Lords were sore troubled WHen Kinge Florence was aduertised that his Quéene was deliuered of a Daughter hee thanked God the Childe was borne to the christning into the chéefe Church and was named Ide the ioy of the comming of this Child cost â—éerely to the Quéen her Mother for by reason of the paine that she endured shee departed out of this life and so dyed The Child was brought to kinge Florence and when he sawe her he was ioyfull and demanded how her mother did and they thought that the matter could not be hidden nor kept secrette they sayd Sir your Quéene is departed to God When the king heard that he fell downe in a swound so that euerie man feared he had béene dead and when he came to himselfe hee sayd Ah my right déere Loue in an ill houre were you borne for your sake I hadde forgotten all paine and thought to haue liued in rest with you me thinkes you be rauished and stollen away from me Ah false death thou art hardy to take from me that thing which I loued best the most fairest truest and swéetest creature liuing Then his Lordes came and comforted him the cries complaints and wéepings rose through-out the Citie all Ladies Damsels Burgesses and Maidens and all the Commons made great lamentations that night the Queene was watched and the next morning with great cries and wéepings the Quéene was brought into the chiefe Church her obsequie was done notably and so layd in a rich Sepulture the sorrowe that the kinge made was neuer none such séene The king was visited by the Lords of his Realme but they could not cause him to take any solace but a lonely nowe then to goe to see his deere Daughter the Ladie Ide and euer when he saw her his sorrow renewed and shee was well nourished brought vp and when she came to the age of Fiftéene yéeres she was beautifull wise and sage for she was brought vp with Foure noble Ladies and ordred as it appertained to a Kinges Child and her Father King Florence loued her so well that he could neuer be satisfied with looking vppon her often times he kissed her holding her in his armes hee would neuer marie againe for the lone of her so much grew and encreased this noble Ide that she came to the age of Fiftéene yeares complet the fresh beauty and bountie that was in her if I shoulde discribe it it would be ouer-long to rehearse but I dare well say that in beautie as then she passed all other women of the world for God and nature hadde employed all their studie to fourme her there was neuer any man that sawe her but loued her and so did her Father so that on a day the king had his Lordes about him and Sorbarre was amonge them whome the kinge loued déerely and the kinge séeing his Daughter I de growe and encrease in all vertues he sayd to his Lords Sirs it were good that there were some Wife found out for me whom I will marie if any such can be found in all conditions like to her that I had before When his Lordes heard him they were ioyfull in that the King would marrie againe Alas they knewe not the kinges inward intention but shortly after the king knewe it whereby much ill and mischiefe came afterward and many a man slaine and many a Church burnt as yée shall heare héereafter Then the king wrote and sent to all his Lords and knights of his Realme to come to his Court at a day assigned when they were all come to the Pallaice there they found the King who humbly receiued them and made them great feasting and had them to diner with him When the dinner was done the king and all his Lords went into a Garden whereas the king would kéepe his Counsaile and when they were all there and the king set in his seat he sayd Sirs you know well I haue no more Children but a Daughter who hath béene desired in marriage by diuers kinges and Princes but I would not consent to marrie her nor I thought not to marie my selfe for the loue of her Mother whome I so déerely loued but nowe I am minded to marie and to take a Wife so that shee bee semblable to her that is departed and therefore I haue sent for you to shew you my will and pleasure When his Lords heard him they were ioyfull and sayd Sir knowe for troth there is no woman liuing in Christendome but if you will haue her you shal if she be neuer so faire or so hye of Lineage and therefore Sir thinke in your selfe whether you will that we shall goe to get you a Wife Sirs quoth the kinge in this matter you shall not néed to take any paines for the Wife that I will haue is not farre from hence it lyeth in me to haue her if I list Sir quoth the Lordes will it please you to name her that shall be so happie Sirs quoth the kinge it is my Daughter I de whom I will take to my Wife for the great loue that I had to her mother When the Lords heard that they beheld each other blessing themselues at the horrible and detestable wordes of the king and looked on him maruailously Then Sorbarre who was of the kinges priuie counsaile began to speake and sayd Ah Sir God forbid that such a shame should come to you for it is worse then heathen to him that will polute his owne proper Daughter by himselfe ingendred
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
durst not weare it but sayd to himselfe that he had no right thereto because it was a thing that was none of his and so he went downe through the stréets of the Towne Chap. CLXXXII ¶ The proofe that the Emperor Guymart made to know Croissant vnto whome he gaue his faire Daughter in marriage and deliuered him all his Signiorie and Inheritance whereof great ioye was made at Rome WHen the Emperor was risen from dinner he called to him Foure of his seruants to whome he gaue in charge that they should cause to be proclaimed in euerie Stréete of the Towne that all poore men that would come to the Emperor should haue in almes euerie man a Florent of gould of the value of Ten Sons the which crie was made in euerie stréete and Market-place in Roome whereby euerie poore man drew towards the Pallaice When this crie was made Croissant heard it whereof he was ioyfull and said howe hee would goe thether among others to haue the Emperours almes wherewith hee thought hee would pay his Host and then in hast he went thether The Emperour who was there readie thought to sée prooue whether the two Knights sayings were true or not so drew out of his purse the Three Besans of gould the which he did cast in diuers places in the way as the poore men should come to the Pallaice but many poore men passed ouer them and perceiued them not then Croissant came among others and he saw among the mens féet one Besan of gould faire and bright and he stouped downe and tooke it vp and then he went forth within a little while after he found the second Besan the which also he tooke vp and a little further among the mens feete hée espyed the Third Besan the which also hee tooke vp then hee thought within himselfe and sayd Alas what a Caitiffe am I if these had béene siluer they had béen mine but they are fine gould wherefore I am beguiled for they appertaine to the Emperour Guymart who holdeth this Empire I haue no right to kéepe them because they belong not to mee therefore I will render them to the Emperour vnto whome they doe appertaine then hee came to the Emperour sayd Sir I haue found by the way as I came to your Pallaice thrée Besans of gould the which here I deliuer to you for of right and reason they appertaine vnto you bicause of the right and title that you haue to the Empire but if they hadde béene siluer I might haue kept them as mine owne without blame When the right noble Emperour vnderstood him he beheld him and sighing he sayd Fréend you are welcome the bountie noblenesse and wisedome that is in you shall ayd you to come to the place wherof in reason you ought to be for the goodnesse and troth that I haue séene in you I will giue you my déere Daughter in Marriage whome I loue entirely and you shall take her to your Wife and therewith I shal yéeld you the Crowne Emperiall of the noble Empire of Rome the which of right appertaineth to you When the noble Croissant had wel heard and vnderstood the Emperor he was right ioyfull and kneeled downe to the earth in the presence of all the Lords that were there present thanking him of the honour that he offered him The Emperour who was a noble and a wise Prince tooke him vp by the hand and led him into a Chamber wherin hee caused a bathing to be prepared in the which the noble Croissant was bathed and then the Emperour brought him such apparell as was méete for him to haue When Croissant was thus richly apparelled a fairer nor a better fourmed man could not be found in Eightéene Realmes christened whereof the Emperour Guymart had great ioy and sayd how that in all his life he neuer saw a more goodlyer Prince for he was great among other men and well fournished of all his members he was bigge and large in the shoulders and the skinne white mingled with red his haire like golden wyre and his face straight with a large forehead his eyes gray and his nose well made long armes and bigge handes his Legs faire and straight and his féete well proportioned and made the Emperour Guymart could not bee satisfied with the regarding of him and then hee led him into the Pallaice where his Lordes were who greatly lauded and praised him and sayd each to other how that they had neuer séene before so goodly a Prince nor better made nor fourmed of his members Then the Emperour sent for his Daughter by two great Lordes and they went to her Chamber for her then she came to the Pallaice to the Emperour her Father richly accompanied with Ladies Damsels Of their apparell I will make no long rehearsall for it was as rich as might be and she was so faire that God and nature could not amend her nor no Painter in the world though he were neuer so skilfull could not paint the fashion nor proportion of her beautifull bodie and all that were there present both young and old sayd that they neuer sawe nor heard report of so faire a couple of Creatures as the noble Croissant and this Ladie were for euerie man thought that they were made for nothing else but to cause men to behould them and their beautie Chap. CLXXXIII ¶ Howe the Emperour Guymart promised Croissant that within three dayes he should haue his Daughter in mariage And how the Emperour Guymart led Croissant to the olde Pallaice and shewed him the great Treasure that the two Knightes kept for him WHen the Emperour Guymart sawe his Daughter come hee tooke her by the hand and sayd My right déere Daughter I haue found for you a Husband to whome I haue giuen you and you may well say that a fairer man nor a hardyer Knight you neuer sawe before and that is the noble Croissant vnto whom this Empire appertaineth by rightfull enheritance and he is Son to the noble Emperour Ide who hath giuen this Empire to his Son Croissant but when he was of no great age he departed from this Cittie with a small companie and went to serue in strang countreys and when the Lords of this countrey saw that they were without a Lord they sent for me into Puille and so they made mee héere Emperour wrongfully and without reason but nowe since that Croissant the rightfull Inheritour is returned for to discharge my soule towards God I shall put into his hands al his Empire without kéeping from him any part thereof for as for me I am rich and puissant ynough and therefore Croissant if it be your pleasure you shall haue my Daughter in mariage Sir quoth Croissant if it be her pleasure I will not refuse her for I neuer sawe a fairer nor none that I had rather to haue When the faire Damsell vnderstood Croissant shee was right ioyfull and she beheld Croissant who séemed to her so faire that her loue was
enflamed vpon him for the more she beheld him the more she loued him and she thought it long vntill the matter was made perfect then shee sayd to the Kinge her Father Sir then it is your will and pleasure that I shall haue Croissant in marriage you may commaund mee as it please you it were a folly for mee to make refuse and Sir I require you to let vs be married shortly for if I haue not him I renounce all marriage for euer for there is none other that euer shall set the King on my finger but onely Croissant When the King vnderstoode his Daughter hee laughed hartely and sayd Déere Daughter thinke not the contrarie but that you shall haue him to your Husband then the King sent for a Bishoppe who assured them together whereof the Damsell was so ioyful that shee wist not what to doe and priuily shee thanked our Lorde God and if she loued him well Croissant loued her aswell and both of them desired for the day that they might come together in wedlocke When Thrée dayes were passed and that the prouision was made readie for the Wedding then King Guymart made them to sweare each to other and especially he made Croissant to promise that on the Third day hee should take his Daughter in marriage the which Croissant promised and sware so to doe then the King tooke Croissant by the hand and ledde him to the old Pallaice to prooue if the Treasure that was there might be had away by Croissant as the Two Knightes had shewed him and then they two alone came to the ould Pallaice when they were come thether the King sayd Faire Sonne I loue you well and also you ought to beare me your loue since you shall haue my Daughter in marriage and because I haue great affiance in you I shall shew you what I thinke to say and that which lyeth in my heart it is of troth that about foure dayes passed as I came from seruice I stoode and leaned out at a window of my Pallaice and I beheld this same place whereas we be now and where I saw you lye a sléepe repleat with famine and pouertie I tooke of you great pitie and I brought to you bread and drinke and did sette it by you and I couered you with a furred mantle and so I let you lye still for I would not awake you and as I returned from you I sawe a dore open of this Chamber the which you sée now closed out of the which I sawe a great light yssue then I went thether and entred into the Chamber and there I sawe so great Treasure that I neuer saw none such in all my life there was a rich Image of gould the which I thought to haue taken and borne with me as I had it in my handes two Knights well armed came foorth whereof I was afraide then they sayd vnto me that I should not be so hardy as to touch the Image nor no part of the Treasure that I saw there for they sayd that it did not appertaine to me and if I did the contrarie I should repent it and they sayd incontinent they would slay me then I demaunded to whome that Treasure did belong Then they sayd that it did belong vnto Croissant who lay héere without a sléepe and they commaunded me to take thrée Besans of gould to prooue thereby to whome the Treasure should appertaine and then they aduised me to make a Dole to poore men and that I shold cast down the Besans vppon the earth whereas the poore men should passe by and hee that found them and brought them to me this Treasure should appertaine to him wherefore I pray you let vs go thether to know the troth Sir quoth Croissant I pray you let vs goe thether When they came there they found the dore closed and then Croissant knocked thereat and sayd Yée Sirs that be within I pray you in the name of God to open this dore incontinent the dore opened and there they found the two Knightes with their swords in their hands Then Guymart and Croissant entred into the Chamber and the two Knightes came to Croissant made him great chéere and sayd Croissant your great Prowesse and Noblenes is greatly to be praised we haue béen a longe time héere sette to kéepe for you this Treasure that you sée héere for it is Fiue Hundred yeares since that we were set héere by King Oberon to kéepe this Treasure for you and hée shewed vs that it appertained to you and neuer since it was touched by any man but onely by King Guymart whome to the intent to ayd and succour you wee bad him take thrée Besans of gould and shewed him that this Treasure appertained neither to King nor Emperour but alonely to you which is so great that no man liuing can estéeme it you may take it beare it away or giue it whereas it shall please you and whatsoeuer you take from it all your life it shall not diminish nor decrease When Croissant vnderstood them hee was ioyfull and thanked the Knightes in that they hadde so longe kept his Treasures then they tooke leaue of Croissant and embraced him and sayd Sir we require you to bee courteous and liberall and pitifull to the poore and loue well all noble and wise men and giue to them largely and be good and true to your Father in law King Guymart for he is a noble and a wise Prince you ought to thanke him to loue him aboue all other men liuing When Croissant thanked them of their good aduertisement and then they tooke their leaue and so departed sodenly that neither Croissant nor Guymart wist not where they were become whereof they were abashed and made on them the signe of the crosse then they looked about the Chamber and saw the Treasure that was there where of Croissant was so abashed that he will not what to say for there was a great light in the Chamber as though there had béen Thirtie Torches lighted by reason of the bright stones that were there to speake of the Treasure that was in that Chamber I cannot shewe it for there 〈◊〉 so much that they were thereof abashed to behold it When Croissant sawe this Treasure it was no maruaile though he was ioyfull and thought to himselfe that he would not spaâ—e to giue to them that were worthy such as did serue him truely and so hee did for hee gaue so largely that all the 〈◊〉 praised him and when they had beene there a certaine space Croissant sayd to King Guymart Sir of this Treasure I will that you haue the one halfe you shall haue the keys of that and giue thereof at your pleasure Faire Sonne quoth the King I thanke you all that I haue is yours and all that you haue is mine wée will part nothing betwéene vs as longe as wee liue Then they departed from thence and Croissant tooke certaine of the iewels to giue to his Spouse and then they departed out of the Chamber and locked the dore tooke the key with them and so they returned to the Pallaice right ioyfull Then Croissant gaue to his Lady the rich iewels who right humbly thanked him therefore Chap. CLXXXIIII ¶ Of the great Treasure that they had and how Croissant wedded the noble Damsell daughter to King Guymart and of the Feast that was there made AFter that King Guymart and Croissant were returned to the Pallace the Ladie was readie apparelled and then the Two Louers were wedded together in the Chappell of the Pallaice The great ioy and mirth that was made in the Pallaice and in the Citie I make no mention thereof they dyned and of their seruice and rich apparell I make no rehearsall for it were too longe to declare it After dinner the young Knightes and Squiers Iusted in the Cittie of the ioy and sport that was there made no man can expresse it at length Then they went to supper and if they were well serued at dinner it was aswell at Supper And after supper and that the dauncing was done Croissant and his Ladie went to bed together in a rich Chamber where the same night they accomplished their desires so faire a couple was neuer seene as were Croissant and the Ladie Katherine his Wife when the night was passed they arose and came into the Pallaice whereas the feasting and ioy began againe the whiâ—h 〈◊〉 Fiftéen dayes Great was the triumph that was there made after that euerie man departed from the Court except all such as appertained to the Court. Of the good life that they led all such as loued them reioyced thereat and longe time they liued together so that at last through age King Guymart â—ay sicke in his bed and so the Fourth day he dyed great sorow the Ladie Katherine his Daughter made and so did Croâ—ssant who déerely loued him and his body was borne to the Church of Saint Pâ—ter and his obsequies done and so layd in his Sepulture with sore wéepings for in his time he was a good Prince and a true Iusticer hee was greatly complained for both with poore and with rich Then after his death by the consent of all the Lords of the Empire Croissant was crowned Emperour and the Ladie Katherine Empresse at whose Coronation was made great feasting and ioy a godly life they led as longe as they liued Croissant amended and encreased the Signiorie of Roome and conquered diuers Realmes as Ierusalem and al Surrey as more plainely you may knowe by the Cronicle that is made of him and of his déedes and now héere of him I make no more mention they that will know more let them search the Bookes of Cronicles making mention of his déedes Thus endeth the Ancient Honourable Famous and delightfull Historie of Huon of Bourdeaux one of the Péeres of Fraunce and Duke of Guyenne and of diuers Princes liuing in his time Translated out of French into English by Sir Iohn Bourchier Knight Lord Berners at the request of the Lord Hastings Earle of Huntington in the yeare of our Lord God one Thousand Fiue Hundred Thréescore Ten And now newly reuised and corrected this present yeare 1601. FINIS