sayd se hym come y t beteth all downe before hym He is a grete fole that gooth agaynst hym his spere spareth no man but y t he hurteth hym or felleth hym Sydoyne sawe well that the ladyes all other preysed him she sayd no worde but kepte her selfe close that no man sholde apperceyue that she had more Ioye of hym than of another how moche that her herte hadde all maner of Ioye Ryght well Iusted the duke of Of trytche and he of Loreyne the erle of Sauoye the erle of mountbelyart many other but it were to longe to tell And all the good Iusters on the monday and on the tewesdaye were ryght worshypfully feested At y e souper on the tewesdaye the feest was grete and large they gaue the pryce on the mondaye of the vtter partye to the erle of mountbelyart ryght a good knyght and he had the gyrdell and the Gypsere of Sydoyne bycause that she was chosen for the fayrest of the feest The pryce of without on the tewesdaye was yeuen to the duke of Ostryche Soo hadde he the sparohawke with the ryche loynes and the chapelet of Sydoyne Ponthus hadde the pryce on mondaye as of within And he wolde that the pryce vpon tewesdaye within sholde haue ben gyuen vnto the lorde de la Roche the whiche hadde beste Iusted of all the other saue oonly Ponthus the whiche no man myght come nere by fer The ladyes sente a rynge with a greate Rubye vnto Ponthus And an ouche ryghte ryche vnto Bernarde lorde de la Roche Heraude mynstrelles ledde grete Ioye and grete noyse After souper they carolled and daunsed sange songes tyll mydnyght than they dranke and ete spyces And after that the straungers toke theyr leue of the kynge and of Sydoyne and of the grete ladyes And they departed on wednesdaye by tymes whan they had herde masse Ponthus conueyed thē to y e castell of gyron where he had ordeyned them a dyner after dyner he wolde haue conueyed theym ferther but the lordes wolde not suffre hym yet he offered hymselfe ryght moche vnto theym so they toke theyr leue that one of that other The lordes bothe grete small they praysed moche Ponthus of his good felawshyp of his good chere that trewly he was the goodlyest knyght the best and the moost gracyous of the worlde at theyr aduyse that there was none lyke hym and also they praysed moche Sydyone of her beaute of her curtesye and that he that sholde haue her sholde be well eurous And Ponthus tourned agayne to the kynge and to the ladyes After dyner the ladyes and the knyghtes of Brytayne toke theyr leue of the kynge of his doughter The kynge and his doughter came syngynge sportynge theym towarde syclynere On a tyme Sydoyne Ponthus spake togyder So sayd Sydoyne vnto Ponthus ye haue hyde you longe tyme from vs I meruaylled moche that I herde none other tydynges frome you Madame sayd he I sent you euery weke a messanger Ye saye trouth swete frende sayd she ye sente me the moost notable messangers that myght be founde Neuertheles it wolde haue done me grete pleasure to haue wyst who had sente them syth that they came from you for euery man sayd ye were in hungary And also I meruaylled moche that ye dyde me none otherwyse to wete of your goynge awaye therfore myne herte was in ryght grete disease A madame he sayd I was here nyghe you that were in my herte in my thought and all y t euer I dyde I thought to do it for your loue for to encrease your good renowne for I wyst well that ye sholde be chosen for the fayrest of Brytayne so I haue done soo moche that the best knyghtes that men knowe of eche countre be come for to se you and to put them in your mercy But for all that madame in good fayth it was not I that dyde it it was ye madame wherfore I thanke you for the power and the hardynesse ye gaue me for of my selfe I durste not haue vndertake it Ponthus sayd she I wote well that this goodnes and worshyp cometh to you frome god and frome none other but that is for that ye loue god and drede he hath gyuen you the grace and the hardynesse and the strength soo ye ought for to thanke hym hyghly Madame he sayd so do I but I thynke well that the enterpryse came frome you Now Ponthus sayd she leue we this talkynge for in good fayth y e gretest Ioye myn herte may haue is for to here good tydynges of you as longe as I fynde you trewe for the worshyp of me of my lord madame said he of that be ye certayne for I haue leuer to be deed than thynke other wyse by my fayth Upon this talkynge arryued Guenelet one of y e .xiiii. felawes ¶ How Ponthus was accused to the kynge by Guenellet y t was amerous of Sydoyne his doughter THis Guenellet was ryght enuyous a fayre speker and a grete flaterer Soo had he grete enuy at his mayster and had so grete sorowe that ony sholde be more mayster in the courte than he Soo sawe the kȳge was olde aged and he thought that by fayre speche and flaterynge he wolde be mayster he thought to put out and estraunge his mayster whiche was the preuyest w t y e kȳge to doo hym treason So he sawe the kynge alone in the wood where as he hunted and sayd vnto hym I shall tell you a grete counseyll so that ye wyll swere vpon kynges wordes that ye shall not dyscure me I shall swere it to you sayd the kynge whiche was all good and true mystrusted hym in no thynge My ryght dredefull lorde sayd Guenellet ye haue nourysshed me and made me and all the good that I haue is of your well doynge therfore oughte I for to haue you better than other fader and moder or all the worlde soo maye not my herte suffre your domage nor dysworshyp therfore wyll I tell you a thynge whiche toucheth gretely agaynst your worshyp How moche that I loue Pōthus more than ony man saue onely you So wolde I suffre no thynge that sholde be ayenst your worshyp Syr it is thus that Ponthus loueth my lady your doughter therfore be ye well aduertysed for he is a ryght good knyght Soo I haue doubte that some foly loue may fall bytwene them wherof she ye myght haue grete shame and dyshonour A sayd the kynge Guenellet I se well that ye loue me ryght well and that ye wolde not be glad of my dysworshyp soo am I ryght moche beholdynge to you for euer more I thanke you gretely And thus thanked hym the kynge as he y t wende that he had sayd trouth And sayd Guenellet ye ought not to thanke me for I holde me so moche boūde vnto you that there is no thynge y t ony
loue worshyp holy chyrche all the cōmaundementes this is the fyrst seruyce that men sholde yelde to god ¶ The secōde is this that ye sholde bere worshyp and seruyce vnto them that ye be comen of to them of whome ye haue and may haue rychesse worshyp that is to saye loue and serue y e fader of your wyfe wherof moche worshyp seruyce to them that ye be comen of be to hym a very ryght sone kepe you that ye angre hym not suffre endure what langage or wordes that shall be sayd vnto you or of what tales that shall be reported to you some for to pleale you some by flatery or elles for malyce couert of suche men as wolde not the peas bytwene you and hym for fayre cosyn he that well suffreth of his better of his greter he ouercomoth hym It is a grete grace of god of y e worlde towarde hymselfe to haue suffraunce for dyuers reasons the whiche sholde be vnto longe to tell ¶ The thyrde reason is for to be meke gentyll amyable large and free after your power to your barons to your knyghtes squyers of whome that ye shall may haue nede yf ye may not shewe them fredome largesse of your good at the leest be to theym courteys debonayre bothe to grete and to lytell for bothe be good the grete shall loue you the lytell shall prayse you ouer all of your good chere and so he shall auayll you a ryght heralde soo moche ye shall be praysed ouer all And also it is to vnderstande that ye shall be so more to your wyfe than to ony other for dyuers reasons for by worshyp courteys berynge to her ye shal holde the loue of her bounde vnto you and for to be dyuers rude to her she myght haply chaunge and y e loue wherof ye sholde reioyse she myght gyue it to another where as me myght take suche a pleasaunce wherof that ye sholde be ryghte sory and that sholde ye not withdrawe whan ye wolde So is there grete peryll and grete maystry to kepe the loue of maryage also beware that ye kepe your felfe true vnto her as it is sayd in the gospell that ye sholde chaunge her for none other yf ye doo thus as I saye you god shall encrease you in all welth in worshyppe yf ye se her angry appease her agayne by fayrenes and whā she cometh agayne to herselfe she shal loue you moche the more for there is no courtesye but that is yolde whan an herte is fell and angry men wrath it more it ymagyneth thynges wherof many harmes may be fall ¶ The fourth reason is that ye sholde be pyteous of the poore the whiche that shall requyre ryght of the ryche or of y e myghty that wolde greue them for therto be ye sette and ordeyned all tho that haue grete lordshyppes for ye came in to the worlde as poore as they dyde as poore shall ye be the daye of your deth and ye shall haue no more of all erthe saue onely your length as the poore people shall haue and ye shall be bylefte in the erthe allone without ony felawshyp as the poore people shall be and therfore shall ye haue noo lordshyp but for to holde ryght wysynesse without blemysshynge or doubte of ony mayster or represe neyther for loue nor for hate for thus god cōmaūdeth her euery fryday in especyall the clamour of the poore people and of women wydowes put not theyr good ryght in respyte nor in delacion nor byleue not alway your offycers of euery thynge that they shall tell you Enquere before the trouth for some of theym wyll do it for to purchace domage vnto the symple people for hate and some for couetyse to haue theyr good whan they se they may not do with hym what they wyll soo they came with false reportes It is a peryllous thynge of a grete lorde to be lyght of byleue What shall I tell you he taught shewed hȳ many examples And tho Polydes thanked hym sayd vnto hym Syr I knowe wel that ye loue me of your goodnes ye haue purchased me the welfare the worshyp that I haue therfore I praye you that euery yere we may mete and se vs togyder for that shall be my comforte all my sustynaunce I graunte it sayd kynge Ponthus And after whan they had spoken and talked of many thynges they toke theyr leue eche of theym of other halsed and kyssed togyder none of them had power to speke one worde that one to that other for meruaylously they loued well togyder And whan that kynge Ponthus had his herte somwhat clered y t he myghte speke he toke his leue of the lordes of Englonde and offred hymselfe moche vnto them And Polydes tourned agayne to the kynges hous where as men made hym ryghte grete Ioye Polydes withhelde well the good doctryne of his cosyn for he serued obeyed the kynge the quene and made hymselfe to be byloued bothe of the grete and of the lytell by his largesse by his courtesye Ryght well he loued god holy chyrche and was pyteous charytable vnto the poore people The kynge the quene loued hym as theyr owne chylde and aboute a seuen yere after y e kynge dyed thā was Polydes crowned kynge of Englonde peasybly And ryght good loue was bytwene them his wyfe the olde quene soo he reygned in good peas grete Ioye So here I leue to speke of Polydes retourne agayne vnto kynge Ponthus ¶ How the kynge Ponthus arryued in Brytayne HEre doth kynge Ponthus sayle so longe on the see tyl he his barons were londed in brytayne And than they wente vnto the kynges hous where as they were receyued with grete Ioye of all maner of people And whan they hadde soiourned well a seuen dayes Geffrey de lesygnen Androwe de la toure the straūgers toke theyr leue departed And kynge Ponthus gaue them many grete gyftes ryche presentes thanked them whelde them as his felowes and his frendes than he conueyed them a two myle whether they wolde or not and there they toke theyr leue eche of theym of other The kynge of brytayne ne lyued but aboute a thre yere after for he was ryghte aged And than was kynge Ponthus crowned kȳge of Brytayne was ryght well byloued of the nobles of all maner of people he was ryght good ryght full of Iustyce charytable and pyteuous on the poore Ryght well they loued togyder he and the quene his wyfe ledde a ryght good an holy lyfe dyde many almesse dedes And whan the housholde remeued fro one place to another he dyde crye that all they that he ought ony good vnto were it for his housholde or for ony other thynge y t were taken for hym that they sholde
ought we with all our hertes to thanke god And after that spake they ynough of them whiche had done best sette grettest remedy dyde suffred grettest dedes of armes but without comparyson Ponthus had the loos sayd all with one voyce that he had ouercome all And so gaue they the grete pryce vnto Geffrey de lesygnen to Androwe de la toure vnto Bernarde de la roche And that they thre were after Ponthus whiche moost had suffred gretest dedes had done of armes many other there were whiche had done ryght well but longe sholde it be to tel the prowesse of them Thre dayes the kynge withhelde them and feested them and gaue theym fayre gyftes to eche of them after that he was And after that toke they leue of the kynge And Ponthus conueyed them as ferre as he myght ¶ How the crysten men retourned in theyr coūtrees And of the grete chere that Sydoyne made to Ponthus her welbeloued knyght at Uennes ANd thus they departed fayre and Ioyful and euery man wente in to his countree And the kynge tourned agayne to vennes So nedeth it not to aske yf Sydoyne had grete Ioye and sayd to Ponthus swete loue blessyd be god of the goodnes and of the honoure that ye receyued of this batayll for soo god helpe me I haue so grete Ioye of the goodnes that I haue herde saye that myne herte is all ledde with gladnes nor there is no thynge that I take soo grete pleasaunce in as to here tell the grete goodnes and the loos that euery man gyueth you Madame sayd Ponthus it lacketh moche that all is not true Some haue sayd vnto you and reported more than there is suche parauenture as loue me But alwaye I thanke you of the goodnes worshyp that ye wolde me as I thynke it Madame wete it well that yf god wyl gyue me grace to doo some good that it cometh to me frome you for soo moche onely that I take me all for to please you and in y e hope that I haue for to fall in your good grace and for to do you seruyce whiche myght please you the whiche god graunte me to do your worshyp Ponthus my swete loue your seruyce take I in gree with all myn herte whyle that I fynde you true wtout thynkynge of ony vylanye for our loue I wyll that it be clene and certayne without ony thought of vylanye And wete it wel for certayne that fro the tyme I may apperceyue that ye thynke ony other thynge thā worshyppe of me and of my frendes ye shall lese me and so moche as I loue you I shall hate you to the dethe Madame he sayd ne thynke neuer that I wolde ymagyne thynges the whiche that toucheth agaynst your worshyp And for that that I haue founde you and fynde it so clene so good and soo sure that I prayse you and loue you better a thousande tymes and more ardaūtly for a nobler tresoure is there none in y e worlde than is a good woman and a clene what sholde I saye you gretely loued they twayne togyder of true loue wtout ony vylany but enuye may not suffre thȳges ende well as ye shall here more playnly here after folowynge ¶ How that Ponthus was ordeyned and constytned constable of brytayne THe kynge sente to seke all his barons sayd vnto them Fayre lordes I say you that I am ryght olde may not trauayll as I was wonte it nedeth me from hens forwarde to take myne ease therfore it is good that by youre good counseyll there be chosen a good constable that he may haue the rule and y e charge of brytayne to whome the barons of the countre wolde best obey without daunger So loke amonge you one chose hym for I wyll y t he be chosen and made by you by your good counsyell And than sayd the barons all with one voyce We knowe not whome men myght better fynde yf it pleased hym to be it than Ponthus he is worthy to gouerne an Empyre of bounte of beaute of wytte of gouernaunce and of gentylnes as a kynges sone as the beste begynner of knyghthode that at this daye is lyuynge Whan the kynge harde that he had ryght grete Ioye for that was all that he sought but he wolde not do it without that he spake to them therof to the ende that they sholde haue hym in the more fauour good wyll Soo was there none that withsayd it Ponthus was cleped and it was sayd vnto hȳ before them all that the kynge the barons of brytayne hadde chosen him constable for the moost suffysaunt So thanked he the kynge the barons sayd vnto theym after that he had auysed hym a lytell that he had not the wytte the gouernaunce ne the worthynes in hym to be it that he was ryght yonge bothe of wytte and of age but nothynge auaylled theym his lackynge but that he was by strength charged wheder he wolde or no. So was he in his offyce bothe beloued and dredde And whan there was ony dystruccyon bytwene rhe barons the knyghtes he was he that set them agayne in peas at accorde he kepte the ryght of brytayne without doynge ony wronge he made hym to be byloued of all he Iusted he made feestes he was ryght pleasaunte to grete to small specyally amonge ladyes gentelwomen he was so curteys that there was none dyde of so soone his hode ayenst hym that his ne was done of as soone agayne he harde the poore and he dyde them ryght in shorte tyme of the request where he had reason he wolde not that the poore folke were oppressed he loued god and holy chyrche herde-euery daye two masses at y e leest he loued hawkynge huntynge and all dysportes he made ladyes gentylwomen to synge to daunce all Ioy was there he was he gaue them dyners soupers he was well beloued of fayre ladyes and gentylwomen whiche shewed hym many grete sygnes of loue drewe to hym gretly but neuer prayed he them of loue but that touched to theyr worshyp for ony semblaunt that ony of theym made So sayd they bytwene them oftentymes y e one to another She sholde be blessyd who sholde be byloued of Ponthus some sayd in pryuete wolde god he loued me as moche as I wolde loue hym that he had me also dere as I haue hȳ moche made he hȳ to be byloued of lytel grete But enuye whiche faileth neuer came to one of hys felowes of his coūtre whiche was one of y e .xiiii. whiche was meruaylous subtyll of spekynge full of gile and his name was Guenellet ¶ How Guenellet put dyscencyon bytwene Ponthus Sydoyne GUenellet whiche sawe the loue of Sydoyne of Ponthus soo had he enuye for to make it to be lefte he asked of Ponthus his mayster an horse whiche Sydoyne had gyuen hym he thought
estates all maner men and it is good reason for he loueth and dredeth god and worshyppeth the aeged and the wyse people is honourable and humble bothe to grete and lytell he is morrour of all largesse of noblesse what his swete herte is gentyll and debonayr what sholde my herte do after his departynge but languysshe daye nyght neuer to haue Ioye nor rest I wote well that his herte shal suffre no lesse Than she fell in a swowne and Elyos toke her in her armes and streyned her and toke rose water and bespryncled her lady and comforted her y e fayrest she myght but it auaylled not she was so sorowefull And after she sayd A Elyos my swete loue I may not hyde my herte from you I loue you truste you soo moche But swete loue this sorowe cometh to me whan I thynke on the grete vntrouth that hathe ben contryued agaynst vs in that that we neuer thought for truer loue was there neuer And after that I thynke on the langage that shall be sayd theron and than after by me he leseth the countre where he was soo moche byloued bothe of lytell and of grete and all the harme that he hathe and shall haue is and shall be by me And I am cause of all his myschyef All these thynges putteth grete sorowe to my herte so she made grete sorowe and after she wyped her eyen And so ne after she wente downe in to her grete chambre amonge her ladyes gentylwomen and made no femblaūt that she had ony sorowe for she was ryght wyse and well coude she hyde herselfe The ladyes gentylwomen wepte for pyte and sorowe of Ponthus sayd that cursed be they that suche false tydynges had contryued but Sydoyne comforted them ryght swetely ¶ How Ponthus departed from the courte of the kȳge of Brytayne POnthus called a squyer and the yomen of his chambre and cōmaunded them to trusse put in a clothesakcke all thynge that hym neded and than he toke his leue of the court and of euery man So ne was there none but y t they ne wepte cryed and rente theyr heer made as grete sorowe as they had sene al theyr frendes deed soo moche they loued hym So he departed frome the courte The barons and the knyghtes and all that euer myght lepe on horsbacke conuyed hym syghynge and wepynge well they wende for to haue witholde hym with fayrnesse saynge vnto hym that the kynge was aeged and redooted and that ye ought not to sette his herte of nothynge that he sayd to hym But he wolde not vnderstonde it and whan they had conueyed hym a two myle he abode prayed theym to torne agayne So he made theym to torne agayne whyder they wolde or not at the leue takynge there was wepynge waylynge ynough saynge A Brytayne so moche thou oughtest well to wepe whan the gentyll and the good knyght whiche had y e in peas and Ioye and kepte the from harmes aduersaryes all enemyes as the henne dooth her chekyns vnder her wynges and he that helde all the Barons and y e people in good loue So they wente by waylnge wepynge and cursynge them that this false tayles had ymagyned And Ponthus rode to saynt Solo And there he dyd ordeyne a shyp And on the mornynge he herde masse and wente to the see And herlaunt his felowes wende for to haue gone with him all saue ganelet but he wolde not suffre them and he sayd y t the kynge had nourysshed them and y t he was of power to make them doo them good therfore he wolde that they sholde torne agayne vnto hym with grete payne they myght beparte from hym so sorowfull they were Soo they toke theyr leue wepynge and whan the shyp was gone out of theyr syght than began theyr sorowe all saue ganellet whiche made semblaunt to wepe but he hadde grete Ioye in his herte And whan Ponthus had lost the syght of Brytayne Than fell the teres frome his eyen and sayd Blessyd be Brytayne and the fayrest the good the trewest y e lyueth and the best and all other ladyes and gentylwomen for the loue of her and al the knyghthode for better nor sweter was there neuer ¶ How whan Ponthus was arryued at the porte of Hampton he founde a wylde bore and cutte hym in the myddes POnthus had his herte heuy and sorowfull for his lady whiche dwelled there and alwaye he refrayned his sorowe the beste that he myght So he arryued and londed at Hampton and came rydynge towarde London Then he met a greyhounde in his waye and a wylde bore whiche greyhoūde folowed pynched the bore Tho Ponthous drewe out his swerde and smote the bore in two peces Harry the kynges sone of Englonde that sawe the stroke was gretely ameruaylled and enquyred hym of whens he was Ponthus sayd vnto hym Syr for as moche as I haue herde grete renowme of the kynges hous of Englonde that he hath two sones whiche ben good knyghtes I am come hether for to se the state and the nobles of his hous Syr sayd Harry ye be welcome and I am one of the kynges sones and praye you for too be with me Syr in the name of god syth that it pleaseth you Soo they rode forth towarde the courte spekynge of many thynge whan they arryued y e kynge was set at dyner Harry cōmaunded y e men sholde delyuer chambre stable to his newe knyght it was done The kynges sone entred in to the halle his newe knyght with hym and salewed humbly the kynge and y e quene The kynge asked hym how he had hunted he tolde hym than he asked hym pryuely who is y t goodly knyght he tolde hym how that he foūde hym and of the grete stroke y t he had stryken the welde bore Moche was Ponthus loked vpon for frome euery parte men came for to se hym as it hadde ben a myracle Anone it was noysed in the courte that there was come the goodlyest knyght of the worlde that the kynges sone hadde brought The ladyes behelde hym and in especyall the kynges doughters Eeuerye of theym sayd that he is y e goodlyest knyght that euer I sawe Ye saye trouthe sayd another yf he be good yet is he more agreable and pleasaunt he was set at dyner with the ladyes After mete the kynge wente out of the hall and sawe the bore whiche was the grettest that he had sene of a grete whyle and was in two peces A sayd harry to the kynge to the quene se what my newe knyghte hathe done with one stroke of his swerde Ponthus turned fro thens and was ashamed bycause that men praysed hym for that stroke The kynge asked hym of whens he was and he sayd vnto hym that he was of the realme of fraunce and what is your name Syr sayd he men calle me Surdyt dedroit voyce So he asked hym of
the tydynges of frauÌ„ce and many other tydynges but the kynge founde hym so wysely answerynge that he was all ameruayled And than he wente vnto the quene and to the lordes knyghtes and sayd vnto theym that he had not of a grete whyle spoken with so wyse nor with so gentylmanly a man as is that goodly knyght in talkyng And truely sayd the kynge myne herte sayth me y t he is gretter more noble than he maketh hymselfe So he dwelled there a longe tyme and the more that men sawe hym the more they loued and praysed hym ¶ How Ponthus put the stone before y e ladyes at london at the request of syr Harry his mayster SYr Iohan the kynges eldest sone had grete sorowe for that he had not founde hym afore his broder Harry of all maner of dysportes he coude well entermete hym as hawkynge huntynge he wold neuer auaunt hymselfe of nothynge y t he dyd his maner his behauynge pleased well euery man he loued well holy chyrche euery daye he wolde here masse gyue his almes to y e poore people his byggest oth was in good fayth it was thus or it is thus On an euenynge the erles sone of Gloucestre y t was a fayre knyght and a stronge but he was somwhat proude he cast y e stone with the kynges sones many other so he ouer caste syr Iohan well a foure fyngers auauÌ„ted hym selfe y t he had cast before them all So syr Harry bad Surdyt y t he sholde put the stone syr sayd Surdyt I can not but syth y t it pleaseth you I shall do as I can So he wente to the stone and put it with the ferdeste A sayd syr Harry by the fayth y t ye owe to the woman of y e worlde that ye loue best put it as ferre as ye may whan he herde that he was soo coniured he bethought hym of his lady sayd syr ye haue coniured me â—ore for I owe to grete fayth to my lady my moder A sayd Geneuer the kynges eldest doughter Surdyt Surdyt it may not be that ye be now vnpurchaced and be so moche so goodly Madame quod he I am so symple so boustous that none wolde lyste for to loue me God wote wele sayd Geneuer And than she thought in her herte y e wolde god he loued me as moche as I wolde loue hym And than Surdit toke the stone and put it wel a .vii. large fore afore them all whan y e kyÌ„ge the ladyes sawe y e cast they meruaylled y e erles so ne was abasshed sayd I am ouercome Than sayd syr Harry to Surdyt why haue ye so longe taryed of this caste A syr sayd he had it not ben y t ye coÌ„iured me so sore I wolde not haue medled me for I haue dyspleased hym me forthynketh for it was but for to obeye your pleasure ye wote well y t it sytteth not me to be in no mannes dyspleasauÌ„ce So his mayster apperceyued well his gentylnesse Geneuer came to her brother sayd vnto hym Fayre broder come play you in my chambre and brynge youre newe knyght with you Fayre syster I wyll well sayd he So they wente to playe and to dysporte them in her chambre then came wyne and spyces and after they began to daunce and to synge but with grete payne they coude make Surdyt for to daunce saynge that he coude not daunce but whan he hadde a whyle daunced he daunced best of all and also with grete payne they myght make hym for to synge and at the praynge of the kynges doughter he sange a songe the best of all he made hymselfe alwaye vnconnynge of euery thynge but at the last he dyd euer best After that they had songe the kynges sone his syster began to sharpe whan they had harped a whyle they prayed Surdyt for to harpe but with grete payne they made hyÌ„ for to harpe At the last he harped a newe laye passynge well A sayd Geneuer Surdyt in good fayth I haue grete Ioye that ye can that laye for we haue had grete desyre for to knowe it for it is the laye that the good knyght Ponthus made for his lady as it hathe ben tolde vs and we suppose wel for whome he made it Madame sayd he I wote not who made it Soo he was some what ashamed and chaunged coloure whan he thought on her he made it for â–ª So he taught it to Geneuer and to her syster whiche made it to be wryten And so the two doughters came to the kynge and to the quene and shewed theym Truely sayd the kynge lerne it fayre doughters I praye you for it is ryght good and the knyght playeth it well Of all dysportes and playes he coude ryght well on a tyme Geneuer resonned hym sayd Surdyt se ye in this realme lady or gentylwoman where ye set your herte and your pleasaunce tell it me in good fayth I am she that with good herte wyll helpe you in worshyp Madame sayd he I thanke you for alwaye haue I nede of your good ladyshyp and helpe but as in that I loue them all as I ought to doo good ladyes A Surdyt sayd she ben they all incomune is there none that hathe auauntage one ouer another Madame they ben all soo good y t there may no man to moche preyse them nor loue theÌ„ in worshyp and as for me the loue of a poore knyght is but of lytell thynge A sayd she he is not poore that hathe the beaute the bounte the good condycyons and y e good behauynge that ye haue for in good fayth I knowe none so fayre nor so grete a lady in this countre that she ne ought to holde herselfe ryght wel worshypped for to be byloued of suche a knyght as I hope that ye be Madame I am ryght fer froÌ„ suche one as ye saye but it pleaseth you for to talke and dysporte you with so poore a knyght as I am A sayd she ye byleue me not in good fayth I saye but as I thynke al waye the knyght toke her talkynge in myrthe and in bourde and gaue her no maner of comforte in so moche that she aspyed that he was not in wyll for to loue the whiche dyspleased her moche for yf she had fouÌ„de in hym ony maner of comforte y t he wolde haue loued she wolde haue dyscouered herselfe more largely and so apperceyued her well Surdyt often tymes many fayre ladyes gentylwomen gaue him many wordes of loue preue lokes y t they wolde haue loued hym yf he wolde haue loued them but he made all fayre chere wtoute gyuynge ony comforte of loue wherfore there were many ryght sorowfull in especyall the kynges doughters ryght wysely demeaned hym selfe Surdyt and pleased all Many nyghtes he thought on his lady and made layes of her the whiche fell all in complaynynge of sorowe that he sholde alway
for some of them dyde yelde them and were conuerted Ponthus gaue them good ynough to lyue vpon and the remenaūt that myght flee they fledde wherof some were slayne by y e spanyardes and by theym of y e realme of Castyle other perysshed in dyuers places myscheuously Wherof y e Sowdan of babyloyne was syth ryght sorowfull for to haue loste thus his thre sones and his men he was ryght angry with mahowne sayd before all men as a man out of his wytte that the god crucyfyed had ouercome hym that he was of greter vertue than mahowne whan he hadde not saued his sones his men And so there was grete complaynt for theym in babyloyne in damaske Ponthus made leches to be sought for to hele the people that were woūded and hurte in the batayll hymselfe vysyted them often made men to brȳge them all that theym neded he fested felawshypped the lordes and gaue theym grete gyftes And also he founde in a toure the grete tresour of kynge Broadas the whiche was a grete thynge to tell And whan he had ouer ryden the countre and clensed of the mysoyleuers he founde moche people the londe well laboured bothe of vynes and of cornes From all the countrees the people came rennynge for to se theyr ryghtfull lorde as it had ben to myracles they loued hym well for his grete renowne and worthynes his bounte and his courtesye for there was none so symple nor so poore but that he wolde speke to here hym mekely he was ryght pyteuous of the poore people he loued god and holy chyrche And whan he had done all his dedes he came to the columpne to his crownacōn where he was full solemply crowned by the handes of the bysshop at whiche daye he helde a notable a royall feest And thyder came to hym the kynge of Aragon his vncle that was his moders brother the whiche had grete Ioye to se hym of his vyctorye he tolde hym how kynge Broadas had warred vpon hym and how there was takē a trewes bytwene them for a certayne tyme in to the tyme that god had set remedye and thrughe his grace he hath ryght well purueyed of the pyte by you Thus complayned the kynge to his neuewe yet he tolde hym that he abode y e comynge downe of the kynge of Fraūce the kynge of spayne that sholde haue come this somer but I thanke god it is now no nede The feest was grete of the kynges crownacyon there was made many straunge thynges The grete lordes of the countre they came dyde theyr homage And also the fayre ladyes hadde grete Ioye that they were comen out of hell and of seruage where as they had lyued in sorowe heuynes now they be aswaged in to Ioye myght in to paradyse as them semeth They lyked well theyr kynge in so moche that they had Ioye to loke vpon hym and all maner of people thanked god hyghly of theyr delyueraunce There was songes and many mynstrelsyes whiche were to longe to tell ¶ How Ponthus knewe his moder amonge y e poore people that wente askȳnge theyr brede for goddes sake how he put his crowne vpon her heed THe kynge dyde brynge presente by .xii. fayre ladyes and .xii. olde knyghtes grete gyftes Iowelles to the good knyghtes chyeftaynes some of fayre coursers other of fayre cuppes of golde and syluer of fayre clothes of golde of sylke and many other grete Iowelles soo y t all men were ameruaylled of his largesse He was a man ryght pleasaunt and of grete courtesye of good condycyons So there befel a grete meruayll for the custome was that before the kynge sholde be serued .xiii. poore people for the loue of god and his apostles So it befell the erle wente vysytynge the tables as god wolde he behelde the table of the poore people and sawe a woman that loked vpon the kynge as she behelde hym the teeres fell downe frome her eyen The erle loked vpon her auysed her so wel that by a token she had in her chynne he knewe well that it was y e quene moder vnto kȳge Ponthus And whan he knewe her sawe her in so poore estate that her gowne was all to clouted and all to rente he myght not kepe hym from wepȳge so his herte swymmed for pyte to se her in soo poore araye And whan he myght speke he thanked god and wente behynde the kynge his neuewe sayd to hym Syr here is a grete meruayll wherof sayd the kynge The best and y e holyest lady that I knowe my lady the quene your moder is here in where is she sayd he and he with grete payne myght tell hym for pyte and whan he myght speke he tolde hym in counseyll Syr se her yonder w t the .xiii. poore folke at y e fyrst ende and y e kynge Ponthus behelde her and she apperceyued it and put her hode afore her eyen wepte And the kynge had grete pyte in his herte and sayd vnto his vncle Fayre vncle make noo semblaunt that none aspye it but whan we are vp fro the table I shall goo in to the warderobe thyder brynge her pryuely to me and so it was done Whan the tables were taken vp and graces yelden to god the kynge departed pryuely and wente in to his warderobe and the Erle of desture his vncle brought thyder the quene his moder pryuely And whan kyge Ponthus sawe her he kneled downe before her toke his crowne set it on her heed And she toke hym vp all wepynge kyssed hym often she kyssed hym and halsed hym sore they wepte she her sone the erle And whan they myghte speke kynge Ponthus sayd vnto her A madame so moche pouerte and dysease ye haue suffred endured A my swete knyght and sone sayd she I am come out of the paynes of hell and god hath gyuen me paradyse whan it hath pleased hym to gyue me soo longe lyfe that I may se you with myne eyen and that I se vengeaunce for my lorde your fader that tho tyraūtes put to the deth and also that I se the countree voyded of the messebyleuers and the holy lawe of Ihesu cryste to be serued I wote well that this trouble and sorowe hath endured well a .xiii. yere as by chastysynge of god for the grete delytes lustes that were vsed in this realme soo me semeth now that god hath mercy on his people that he hath kepte you and sente you for to delyuer the countre of the mysbyleuers Ryght well spake the quene wysely as an holy lady that she was Now I praye you sayd the kȳge tell me how ye escaped how ye were saued Fayre sone I shal tell you whan y e crye was grete in the towne in y e mornynge your fader slayne I was in my bedde your fader armed
to the kynge of scottes laughynge I wote neuer what shall be of the speche that the erle of Rychemonde brought And the kynge smyled sayd ye haue sene hym what saye ye by hym pleaseth he you she wexed all reed and sayd I shall doo as my lorde ye wyll So he sawe well y t she lyked hym he came to the kynge and sayd to hym that it was good to wete of y e mater of his nece Than sayd y e kynge of Englonde ye saye trouth withdrawe you in to yonder chambre And the kynge withdrewe hym and sent for the kynge of Irlonde and the kynge of cornewayle and for the prynces and barons of his realme And whā they were come he tolde them how the erle of Rychemonde had spoken to hym from kynge Ponthus of the maryage of his doughter of Polydes and he sayd vnto them Fayre lordes ye knowe wel that I am aged may bere no more none armes nor laboure nor trauayll for to kepe you yf nede befell So it behoueth that our doughter were maryed to a man that were lykely to kepe you and to holde you in rest peas yf ye take a grete lorde or prynce perauenture he wyll make his dwellynge in his owne countre so sholde ye dwell wtout gouernour yf ony wronge were done to ony of you or too ony of this realme he sholde be fayne to goo out of the countre to seke ryght of his request therfore me semeth it were better for to take a yonge knyght of hyghe kynred that sholde abyde dwell with you and that wolde thynke hymselfe to be beholden to haue worshyp by his wyfe and in so moche he sholde be the more enclyned to obey you and the realme so I wyll tell you all the mater that hathe be spoken vnto me Than he declared them how that kynge Ponthus had spoken to y e erle of Rychemonde of Genneuer of his cosyn germayne the whiche men holde for a good knyght and of good condycyons So there was moche talkȳge bothe of one of other that longe were to tell but the ende was that they were al accorded sayd that they myght no better doo for the surete welfare of the realme for to be abeyed and out of trouble and that as longe as his cosyn kynge Ponthus lyueth there shall no man be so hyrdy for to meue warre ayenst them ¶ How Polydes kynge Ponthus cosyn wedded Genneuer the kynges doughter of Englonde ANd whan the kȳge sawe that they were consented he sayd to the kynge of scottes and the Erle of Rychemonde the whiche were worshyppefull knyghtes Go sayd he to the kynge doo hym to wete of all this mater saye hym that for his loue we wyll haue his cosyn These two departed and called kynge Ponthus a syde and tolde hym ryght gracyously how the kynge and the lordes were consented for the loue and worshyp of hym to the maryage that he had spoken of to the Erle of Rychemonde Kynge Ponthus thanked the kynge and all his barons ryght mekely sayd y t they dyde hym grete worshyp for the whiche god graūte hȳ grace to deserue it And so longe wente came the kynge of scottes that he assembled them in the quenes chambred And there came the archebysshop of Caūtorbury the whiche fyaunced theym It is not to aske yf Genneuer hadde grete Ioye in her herte all thoughe she made tho symple for she loued and praysed hym moche the more for the good name that men gaue hym and also for the loue of his cosyn the whiche that she loued so moche before tyme. And also Polydes thanked god hyghly in his herte that he had sente him so grete a worshyp in this worlde and to haue so fayre a lady and of so goodly behauynge So the daye of weddynge was sette y e eyght daye after Grete were the feestes and grete were the Iustes y ◠whiche began the morowe after the day of maryayge for kynge Ponthus wolde not accorde that there sholde be done dedes of armes the day of the maryage And that he sayd for the kȳge of bourgoyne y e whiche dyed the day of his maryage For to tel of the well Iusters it were to longe to tell but ouer all kynge Ponthus Iusted best for he was without pere Ryght well Iusted Polydes the kynge of Ironde and the lorde de lesygnen the lorde de la toure the lorde Moūfort of brytayne these had the voyse of al well Iusters It were to longe to tell so I passe lyghtly it were a grete thynge to tell of the grete feest and of the grete ordynaunces of the seruyces of the vowes and of the pryces that were gyuen of all dysportes The feest dured from the mondaye to the frydaye ¶ How kynge Ponthus departed from Englonde AFter mete kynge Ponthus toke his leue of y e kynge and of the quene but with grete payne they gaue hym leue Genneuer conueyed hym well a two myle they had moche goodly talkynge togyder she sayd vnto him that she loued her lorde Ponthus moche the more bycause she had loued hym couertly and that she praysed hym the more that he had kepte truly his fyrst loue Kynge Ponthus smyled and sayd that there was noo wyle but that women knewe and thought Soo they spake ynoughe of dyuers thynges than he made her to tourne agayne with grete payne sayd vnto her My lady and my loue I am your knyght and shall be as longe as I lyue so ye may cōmaunde me what it pleaseth you I shall fulfyll it to my power than he sayd afore Polydes my fayre lady my loue I wyll that my cosyn here loue you obey you that he haue no pleasaunce to none so moche as vnto you yf there be ony defaute do it me to wete I shall correcte hym Syr sayd she he shall do as a good man ought to doo God graunte it sayd he So he toke his leue departed The kynge of scottes and the kynge of Irlonde the kynge of cornewayle they wolde haue conueyed hym vnto the porte but he wolde not suffre them There was grete heuynes and courtesye bytwene them at theyr departynge after they toke theyr leue of hym retourned agayne to the kynges hous And kynge Ponthus came to the porte called to hym his cosyn Polydes asyde sayd vnto hym thanked be god ye ought grete guerdon to god for ye are in the waye for to be a ryght grete kynge a myghty of armes of haueour of noble lordshyppes soo ye ought for to thanke god hyghly And therfore it behoueth you for to haue foure thynges yf that ye wyll reioyce in peas and peasybly THe fyrst is that ye be a very true man that is to wete loue god with all your herte drede to dysobey hym yf ye loue hym he shall helpe susteyne you in all your nedes
ye not the kynges sone of galyce no madame I am his cosyn germayne A sayd she sothely I wende ye had ben he So made she hym as grete chere as she myght but for all that she was ryght angry for she helde herselfe be mocked And than called she the seneshall asyde and sayd vnto hym A seneshall ye haue begyled me how so madame ye sholde haue brought me y e kynges sone of Galyce ye brought me his cosyn germaine wherfore haue ye do y t what may ye thynke therin wherfore holde ye me so vnwyse Than the knyght kneled downe sayd A madame mercy for goddes loue dysplease you nought for in good fayth I thought but well but I myght not brynge hym at this tyme. Do waye said she than sholde ye haue abyde as yet not haue broughte a nother for hym ye doubte you of me I am not so yonge but that I can kepe myn honoure my worshyp doubte it nought Madame sayd the seneshall I thought but well but I doubted the kȳge your fader whiche loueth you so moche y t yf ye made hym but a lytel better chere thā ony of his felawshyp y t they sholde haue enuye to hȳ that there myght come euyll therof the worlde is so full of euyll langage that there were as ye thought but good worshyp they sholde saye and note otherwyse Ha sayd she seneshall ne haue no doubte for I had leuer to be deed thenne ony man myght repreue me of my worshyp be ye certayne therof madame god it wolde also wysely as I haue you more dere than ony woman lyuynge syth ye assure me so I shall brynge hym to you Now I praye you then quod she ne tarye not longe And y e seneshall wente to seche hym Sydoyne wente vp in to her warderobe where she had a lytel wyndowe whiche opened towarde y t syde where as they shold come So ne was there but she Elyos her welbeloued gentylmā Elyos said she take me my myrour loke yf me nede ony thȳge by god she sayd Madame ye be ryght well Loke thā yf he come Elyos went often many tymes to se yf they came so lōge was one of thē at y e wȳdowe for to abyde y e comynge of hym whiche she desyred so moche than Elyos came rennynge strongely sayd Madame madame se where he cometh y e fayrest of y e worlde Sydoyne came rennȳge sterte forth al at ones vnto that syde she sawe y e seneshall come hym togyder she sawe hym so fayre so goodly y t she was al meruaylled And than she spake sayd A A Elyos my loue me semeth he is meruayllous fayre Fayre lady sayd Elyos he is no man he is an aūgell neuer sawe I soo fayre a creature of man god hath fourmed hym w t his propre handes By my fayth sayd Sydoyne Elyos my fayre loue ye saye trouth I byleue the also as she whiche was caught w t y e loue of him Than came she doune in to her parlyament chābre w t her ladyes gentylwomen it taryed not longe y t he the seneshall came in Ponthus auaūced hȳ enclyned hȳ ryght lowe salewed Sydoyne her felawshyp Sydoyne toke hȳ by y e hande wende for to haue made hym sytte vpon a cuysshyn besyde her but he sayd Madame y t is no reason y t I sholde sytte so nyghe you soo made he moche courtesye But she sayd wherfore make ye suche courtesye be ye not a kȳges chylde as I am Do way madame it is no cōparyson for ye be a myghty kȳges doughter I am y e sone of a kynge dysheryted haue no thȳge but y e good doynge of my lorde your fader whiche hath done me so moche good A Ponthus qd she leue of these wordes for god hath not made you as nature sheweth for to vnmake you ye be shapen to haue moche more good worshyppe than euer had your fader god it graunte ¶ How Sydoyne spake gracyously to Ponthus began for to loue hym without ony poynt of vylany MAdame I may not se that waye but all be it in the mercy of god now sytteth downe quod she I cōmaunde you So sate he a lytel bynethe Thā she sayd to the ladyes I pray you make the Seneshal sporte and wete yf that he hath ony thynge forgoten of his songe Madame I may no thynge forgete So toke they hym for to daunce and for to synge and to lede Ioye Sydoyne whiche seete hym in wordes of many thynges helde hym ryghte wyse of his age and amonge all other thynges she sayd vnto hym Ponthus ye haue be longe tyme in Brytaygne haue not sene vs. Madame he sayd I am in gouernaunce soo must I nedes obeye That is reason she sayd but I aske you haue ye ony lady and these ladyes whiche ben here in please they you Madame yes sothely for it is a noble felawshyp to se. Now sayd she haue ye yet set your herte vpō ony lady or gentylwoman for to be her knyght whan tyme cometh Madame in good fayth naye for the seruyce of me sholde be but lytell Ponthus she sayd saue your grace ye be come of soo good a place y t ye be lykely to serue the gretest gentylwomā and y e fayrest of all brytayne Soo had they bytwene theym fayre langage ynoughe soo moche y t she sayd vnto hym Ponthus whan ye haue y e estate of knyght hode I wyll y t ye holde you for our knyght and whan that I here y t ye do some good I shall haue ryght grete Ioye to here it madame I thanke you God graūte me y t I may do some good y t it may be pleasaunt to you to all your ladyes but I am lytell shapen therto for y e dede of a poore man is but of lytell thȳge Thā she sayd I shall saye you I wyll well y t ye wete how well that I holde you for my knyght y t whā tyme cometh that ye shall be knyght y t yf ye do better thā ony of myne other knyghtes I shall holde you moost dere and ye shall fayle no thynge that I haue And I shall saye you what ye shall do ye shall swere to serue me aboue all other in worshyp doubte not I thȳke but good and worshyp A madame he sayd I thanke you as moche as ▪ I may of this grete worshyp whiche y t ye proffre me god graūte me to deserue it I shal saye you she said I shal loue you as my knyght whan tyme shall come in suche maner that yf I apperceyue that ye thynke ony vylany neuer shall I loue you after Madame I had leuer be deed than for to thynke that were not to your worshyp to my lordes your fader Also than ye shall swere this to me promytte as a kynges
sone Madame sothe by my fayth Thā she gaue hym a rynge with a dyamonde ye shall bere this dyamonde she sayd for the loue of me Madame graūte mercy So he toke it set it on his fynger And after that she ledde hym to daunce and prayed hym to synge a songe and he dyde her cōmaundement as he whiche was tho taken with the loue of her So sange he a meruayllous songe and a swete And he was beholde of ladyes and of gentylwomen whiche praysed hym moche sayd eueryche in theyr hertes that well sholde she be worshypped that he vouched safe to loue And after that they hadde daunced she made to come wyne spyces gaue the senesshall a cuppe of golde full of wyne sayd vnto hym Seneshall I gyue you with my hande the wyne and the cuppe And the sene shall thanked her And whan they had sported theym ynough the seneshall sayd Madame ye shall gyue vs leue to se the kynge your fader she gaue them leue and prayed the seneshall that they sholde come se her agayne often he sayd so they sholde So loked eche of them on other at the departynge she helde her as couert as she myght whā they were departed they asked togyder that one lady of that other what saye ye of Ponthus there was none but y t they praysed hym meruayllously wherof there were some of them that sayd A well eurous sholde that lady be whiche shall haue suche a loue she shall mowe saye that she hath the floure the goodlyest of the worlde So praysed the ladyes Ponthus and it dyde Sodoyne grete good to here this she durste saye no thynge but that she sayd he is fayre ynough but men can not yet saye the sothe wherto he shall tourne therfore he ought not yet to be ouermoche praysed And that she sayd vpon her herte but that was for to here the maner of the spekers The feest dured thre dayes full and there were Iustes and many straunge playes made ¶ How tydynges came to the kynge of brytayne that the sarasyns were comen in to his realme ANd amonge all other thynges there befell meruayllous thynges for there came messangers whiche sayd that the sarasyns were come downe towarde breste had taken the londe and were more than thyrty thousande wherof the courte was all to troubled And at the houre of mydday there came vp a knyghte and two squyers sarasynes in message on kynge Karados behalfe the sowdans sone And that was one of the thre sones wherof ye haue herde That knyght was grete brode in the sholders fyers and proude and had trewes wherby that he myght come and speke So sayd he on hygh that the sowdans sone was come vpon that countre for to do awaye the crysten lawe and for to publysshe mahowmettes lawe And he sente to the kynge of brytayne that he sholde leue his lawe take mahonnes lawe And ouermore that he yelde trybute of euery fyre hous of the realme and yf he wyll not he wyll dystroye brytayne put it al to the swerde The kynge herde the menaces the pryde Soo was there none that answered agayne ne said one worde Thā Ponthus sawe that no man spake a worde and he sterte forth and went to saye I am a chylde I am symple but I shall not here our holy lawe so dispysed tofore me but that I shall speke So wente he kneled tofore the kynge asked hym leue And the kynge graunted hym whan he sawe that the other wolde not speke than he sayd to the knyght sarasyn I answere that your lawe is but dampnacyon of the fende deth of euerlastynge fyre And ours is saluacyon Ioye whiche shall alway endure whā that we yelde you trybute we be false nor neuer shall we do you sernage god wyll Than sayd the sarasyn yf there be ony two that wyll fyght ayenst me y t mahowne is not greter than your Ihesu Cryste I shall fyght with them Than answered Ponthus neuer god wyl ne shall we set two ayenst one I am yonge feble but I caste my gloue in pledge to defende that worde saye that Ihesu cryst is the sone of god and mahowne is the sone of the deuyll he caste it downe tofore the kynge and the sarasyn toke it vp and said Chylde I sholde fyght with y e with another I aske none but me sayd Ponthus The kynge the barons were gretly wrothe that Ponthus had waged batayll but they myghte not amende it And than the kynge sayd A Ponthus ye haue betrayed vs and set vs at grete vnhertes ease whiche haue be soo hasty to caste your pledge be so yonge ayenst that knyght whiche is so grete so harde Syr sayd Ponthus wote ye not how Danyel whiche was a childe saued Susanne by the meane of god meruayll not of the myght of god whome that he wyl helpe hym nedeth not to drede I holde me sure hop◠in hym So ne doubte no thynge of me Whan the kynge herde hym speke he wept and tourned his vysage asyde of the goodnes of the hardynesse of pyte that he hadde of the chylde prayed in his herte that god wolde hȳ saue Syr make me knyghte with your hande sayd Ponthus and gyue me armes and I shall go doo my deuoure And the kynge made hym knyght and gyrde hym with the swerde kyssed hym wepynge that he myght saye no worde syth armed hym with his best armour of his tresourye and toke hym the best hors that he had And whan he was on horsbacke armed he was soo goodly to se soo ryght so well shapen the feet the legges so streyght and sate soo well on horsbacke y t it was a fayre thynge to se his thyrtene felowes wepte for pyte of drede Harlant the seneshall was heuy so were there all maner of folke whiche sawe that he was so yonge had to do with so grete an aduersary for men sayd that he was y e hardest the strongest of the sarasyns Ryght grete was the crye whan Ponthus was armed for to fyght for the fayth so moche that the wordes came to tofore Sydoyne but it nedeth not to aske yf she had grete heuynesse and drede of her knyght and she sent hym a pensell to sette vpon his spere and whan he sawe the pensell his herte awoke and he thanked her And she sette her all styll in her closette in her oryson prayenge for hym ¶ How Ponthus ouerthrewe the sarasyn that sayd that his lawe was better than the crysten ANd whan all was redy the paynym sayd to hym Chylde go seke another for to helpe y e for thou arte ryght yonge I haue pyte of the for y u art ryght fayre so sholde it be ryght grete harme yf it befell that I slewe the. By mahowne it sholde be good to vnsaye that thou hast sayd praye mahowne
grete Ioye of the worshyp that god had sente hym whan they kynge wyst y t it was Ponthus y t had done so moche in armes it nedeth not to aske y e Ioy he had of it and the chere y t he made hym colled hym kyssed hym than he sayd vnto hym ye haue longe hyd you frome vs and men sayd that ye were in hungary and in poullayne at warres y t were there but in good fayth myne herte tolde me that it was ye that dyde suche meruaylles Ponthus wexed rede sayd nothynge for he was ashemed that the kynge praysed hym so moche ¶ How Ponthus made to make a conuys and made to be gyuen vnto euery knyght after as they hadde deserued AFter that he wente agaynst Sydoyne y t was accompanyed with many fayre ladyes And salewed her mekely she yelded him agayne his salutacyon as she that had all Ioye y t herte myght thynke than she sayd vnto hyÌ„ in smylynge O Ponthus ye haue hyd you loÌ„ge tyme froÌ„ vs in this forest I doute me y t ye be become an ermyte wylde A madame sayd he saue your grace I am easy to tame And than he departed frome her as he that was all taken in the loue of his lady that of loÌ„ge tyme he had not sene her And than he wente too se the ladyes the whiche were all dysguysed with grene bowes garlondes and he sayd vnto them My ladyes I praye god that eche of you haue that y t your hertes desyre for in good fayth it is a good syght to se soo fayre a company The ladyes yelded hym his salutacyon the whiche were full of Ioye for to se hym for they loued hym meruayllously well aboue all knyghtes And the one sayd to another It is Ponthus the good and fayre knyghte thanked be god of the grete worshyp that he hathe sente hym and I praye god that he wyll kepe hym vs as the best knight of the worlde and this was there speche ferre and nere So they arryued at the fountayne bothe y e kynge and the ladyes with grete Ioye And on that other syde came the knyghtes straungers The kynge and the ladyes made them grete Ioye And there was grete sowne and noyse of dyuers maners of myÌ„stralsy so that all the wode ronge of it And the kynge and ponthus dyd grete worshyp to the dukes and lordes as to the duke of Ostrytche of Lorayne of baar to the erle of dampmartyn of Sauoye of mouÌ„tbelyart to other dyuers grete lordes So they wente and herde masse that the bysshop of Rennz sange after that they came to the halle And the kynge the dukes and Sydoyne were sette at the hygh dese and after euery man after as he was Greate was the feest and grete was the hall and on the syde were hanged the .lii. sheldes of the knyghtes conquered Ryght straunge and fayre thynges were made bytwene the courses as armed chyldren that fought togyder dyuers other thynges and syxe olde knyghtes and syxe olde squyers some bare the spere the gouffanon blacke with the whyte teeres of grete margaretes oryente perles a ryche cercle of golde meruayllously wrought of ryche perles and of good stones The other bare the ryche swerde with the pomel of golde And the gyrdell of sylke wrought with golde grete margaretes and perles with precyous stones that it was a fayre syght to se. And this rychesse had ponthus won in the shyp of the Soudans sone So he sayd hymself that he myght no better beset them than afore so many notable prynces and grete lordes for he shewed all his dedes ryght honourably The knyghtes and y e ladyes wente aboute the halle syngynge as though they wyste not to whome they sholde presente theym And than they came before the lorde de Lesygnen and presented hym the spere and the ffouffanon and the ryche cercle of golde y e whiche they set vpon his hede for y e beste Iuster And after they came to Androwe de la toure and presented hym the ryche swerde and the ryche crowne set vpon his heed whyther he wolde or no for he excused hymselfe moche wende to haue refused it saynge that they dyde hym worshyp that he had not deserued and that there were dyuerse other that had better wonne it than he had and he wexed rede was ashamed but Ponthus hadde so ordeyned it for he sayd in good fayth that he had yeuen hym moost a do as for one daye Also Geffrey hadde ryght wel Iusted Than beganne mynstrelles for to playe of all maner of mynstrelsy and also the herauldes began to cry that men sholde not haue herde thondrynge for al roÌ„ge bothe wood and forest of the noyse There was gyuen many dyuerse meases and good wynes and also grete yeftes vnto heraudes and mynstrelles Ponthê° came behynde the kynge and sayd to hym in his ere Syr it please you we shall do crye the Iustes ayenst to morowe and on tewesdaye at Uennes bycause y t ye sholde knowe these prynces and these dukes for it shall be your worshyppe A sayd y e kyÌ„ge in good fayth it is a good and a trewe counseyll and I praye you that it be done Than Ponthus called an heraude and made hym to crye that the whyte knyght with the rede rode shall be this mondaye and tewesdaye in y e cyte of Uennes with fyue felowes and hymselfe shall make the syxte for to withstande all maner of knyghtes with speres And he that shall haue the pryce on y e mondaye without forth shall haue the gyrdell and the gypsere of y e fayrest of the feest And he that dooth best on the tewesdaye shall haue the sparohawke mewed with the loynes of perles and margarytes and a chapelet that the fayrest of the feest shall gyue hym And he of the ynner partye that shall Iuste best shall haue a rynge of the fayrest ¶ How Ponthus made a Iustes to be cryed in the cyte of Uennes and how he smote downe the strongest that he recountred ON y e morowe after they departed by tymes wente and herde masse at saynt peters of Uennes and than they wente and dyned and after dyner the kynge the ladyes wente to the schalfoldes And than came Ponthus his hors al whyte with a grete rede rose that betokened his lady his fyue felowes of the whiche one was Bernarde de la Roche the vycount of Lyon the vycount of donges Polydes and Herlaunt y e senesshall all good knyghtes The Iustes were grete on the mondaye and on the tewesdaye there were many grete Iustes and many grete strokes gyuen But ouer all knyghtes Ponthus Iusted beste for he bete downe knyghtes horses dyd suche meruaylles y t euery knyght doubted to mete w t hym so he set bothe herte wyl bycause y t his lady was there present bothe grete small praysed hym moche the ladyes
erthly man myght do for his lorde but that I wolde do it for you onely to dye for to alength your lyfe yf it nede were But syr I tel you how ye shall preue hyÌ„ yf he saye that he loueth her not bydde hym swere make an othe ye shall se perauenture that he wyll not Now Guenellet had herde saye of Ponthus in the partyes of Galyce of spayne a kynges sone sholde make none othe of thynge y t were put vpon hym as longe as he myght fyght therfore yf he dyde he sholde be dysworshypped therfore tolde he this to the kynge for he wyste well y t he wolde make none o the and by that waye he wolde set the kynge hym at dystauÌ„ce for to estrauÌ„ge hym from the countre for to haue the more rule gadered in to his owne hande for an enuyous man may no thynge suffre The kynge was all pensyfe angry of these tydynges as he whiche loued his doughter meruaylously well was aferde to haue dyshonoure Whan he was come fro y e wode alyght of his hors Ponthus whiche was there came tofore hym wenynge to haue taken his swerde his gloues as he had done before of customes but the kynge tourned hym frome hym warde and made no semblauÌ„t to hym nor to speke to hym whan Ponthus apperceyued it he wyste well y t the kynge was dyspleased with hym soo wente he to hym sayd syr how is it that ye are dyspleased with me for goddes loue tell me what I haue forfayted Ha sayd the kynge whiche was ryght angrye Ponthus Ponthus I haue made lytell nourture of you whan ye haue auysed you for to dyshonour me how syr sayd Ponthus by what waye By that waye sayd y e kynge that ye loue my doughter for to dyshonoure her And I haue no chylde but her and she is all my Ioye and all the lengthynge of my lyfe Syr said Ponthus who tolde you so yf there be ony that dare saye it nowe I am redy for to preue it with my body that he lyeth falsely saue your honour Nay sayd the kynge yf ye wyll swere vpon holy gospels that ye loue her not as I haue sayd parauenture I wyll byleue you Syr for to say that I loue her not as I owe to loue the doughter of my ryghtfull lorde I say not the contrary but that I wolde doo thynge or thynke that sholde touche the dysworshyp of her or of you I shall answere as a true knyght ought to do and syr ye wote well ye ought not to aske me none other thynge to my worshyppe for ye wote well ynoughe that a kynges sone oughte not to make none othe of noo thynge that were put vpon hym as longe as he myght defende hym with his body And that is the vsage of the countre where I was borne I wote neuer sayd y e kynge whiche was ryght fell and angry of the wordes that he had herde Syr sayd Ponthus yet wyll I offre you more that I wyll fyght with two or thre yf there be ony that wyl mayntene it for I fele my quaryll so good and so clene that I am all in certayne that god shall helpe me as a true Iuge A sayd the kynge ye holde yourselfe so stronge so knyghtly y t ye wote well there dare none fyght w t you A syr sayd Ponthus I offre you all that euer I may with my worshyp profre The kyÌ„ge passed forth and sayd y e batayll sholde not be done as for y â— dâ—de ¶ How Ponthus toke leue of the fayre Sydoyne WHan Ponthus sawe that he was ryght sorowfull and angry bycause y t he was a kynges sone he was sory for to make an othe y t it sholde torne hym to dyshonour and to reprefe and on the other syde bycause the kynge wolde do hym no ryght So he came to the kynge and toke his leue of hym sayd vnto hym that he wolde not dwelle in his courte in mysbyleue nor in suspeccyon and thus departed he and came vnto Sydoyne and tolde her how the kynge had sayd vnto hym and how he had offered for to fyght with two or thre and how that the kynge wolde do hym no ryght and wolde make hym to be sworne to his dysworshyp And whan Sydoyne vnderstode this it nedeth not to aske yf she had grete sorowe and sayd A god whiche ben these false tryatours flaterers that so grete vntrouth and lesynges haue contryued for by my fayth I dare swere in god that in our loue was neuer vnclenly thought But thus it is that enuye may neuer deye Madame said he by my fayth ye saye trouth But I wyll take my leue of you with as grete sorowe and heuynesse as euer toke knyghte of his lady A sayd she swete loue ye were better to make the othe for ye may do it surely and to put away all blame A madame sayd he neuer sholde I dare be sene in the countre where I was borne And neuer god wyll that I be the fyrste of kynges sones that sholde make an othe for it sholde be a reprefe to myn heyres for euer more Madame how moche that the body go the from you a whyle I shall be with you at the seuen yeres ende and I be a lyue yf soner I come not wherfore I praye you yf it please you to kepe you frome maryenge vnto that tyme ye may A sayd she how the terme is set longe and I shall be the whyle so sorowfull and shall haue so many heuy dayes sorowfull houres to suffre At these wordes she was all vanysshed fell in a swowne They had bothe theyr hertes soo heuy that with grete payne they myght speke saue onely that they embrased eche other and the teres fell downe fromr theyr eyen And Ponthus put his hatte before his eyen and departed and wente to his chambre and shytte the dore to hym and than his herte waxed all heuy and sayd to hymselfe y t he was the moost vnhappyest knyght that lyued whan suche a lady may receyue blame for hym without ony cause And also he leseth all Ioye for to leue y e countree and the syght of his lady where euer he gooth So he complayned and bewaylled hymselfe sorowfully whan he had ben a whyle in suche payne and sorowe he refrayned and enforced hymselfe to be of good chere yf he had sorowe Sydoyne had no lesse for she entred in to her garderobe and called Elyos with her whan she sawe no mo but they two and that they were alone than began her sorowe soo meruayllous grete that it was pyte to se. ¶ How Sydoyne complayned ryght pyteously the departynge of her louer Ponthus A Sayd she Elyos my loue he gooth his waye y e fayre the good y e floure of knyghthode and of curtesye and the best on lyue and the best instructe and he that hathe best maner of demeanynge amonge all maner
of margaretes that it was meruayll for to se the grete ryches that it was worthe for it was praysed more than thyrty thousande besauntes of golde The kyÌ„ge sawe theym and sayd to his doughter Fayre doughter ye be not maryed to prynce dyssheryted god hath gyuen hym and you fayre good and ryche and noble lo ye ought to thanke god After that Ponthus gaue to the kynge ryght fayre gyftes and good Iewelles as precyous stones perles and cuppes of golde and to the barons of Brytayne he gaue gyftes of golde ryches after that they were he was moche praysed for his grete gyftes and of his grete largesse The day of the maryage were the lordes of Englonde of Irlonde of scotlonde rychely arayed and they of brytayne dyde them grete worshyp Grete was the feest grete was the Ioye of mynstrelles and of heraldes Grete gyftes gaue them Ponthus There was many rhynges bytwene y e courses And there were made many meruayllous thynges Ponthus made auowe whiche was moche spoken of for he sayd thus bycause that men sholde nâ—t saye the kynges doughter hath taken a man without londe therfore I make myne auowe that neuer shal I come in her bedde tyll that I be lorde of the realme and londe whiche was my faders crowned or elles I shall dye therfore And I auowe to god y t I neuer kyssed her nor requyred her of thynge that sholde tourne to disworshyp whan that I departed out of this countree nor thought more to doo vnto her than vnto myne owne moder Soo he sayd thus bycause of the wordes the kynge had meued before tyme for the whiche he departed from brytayne And whaÌ„ Sydoyne wyste y t he had made this auowe she was ryght Ioyfull therof all thoughe she had leuer haue had his felawshyp so it was moche spokeÌ„ of some sayd that he was a ryght good man and a trewe knyght and some sayd that he had delayed the grete frendshyp disporte that she supposed to haue hadde with hym Than sayd the kynge in good fayth I was to hasty to byleue suche tales so lyghtly The feest was ryght grete but the kynge wolde not that yere sholde be Iustes for the auenture of that befell of the kynge of bourgoyne for fere that some myschefe sholde haue befallen And than they began to synge daunce and made many geÌ„tylmanly dysportes And at euen Ponthus came in to the chambre to Sydoyne and said vnto her A my swete loue all my Ioye my herte my lyfe all my sustynaunce I haue ben to hasty of the auowe that I haue made but in good fayth I made it for to saue your worshyp for the wycked tongues of the worlde are alwaye redy to reporte the worste And for trouth my fayre loue I shall suffre greter dysease than ony body for the grete desyre that I haue to be bytwene your armes but god wyll I shall be there hasty for it is the gretest desyre that myne herte hath My swete loue and lorde sayd she wote it well that all your pleasure is myne we ought to desyre no thyÌ„ge so moche as worshyp and good name so ye haue done well for to put awaye the doubte of the mysse sayers Inoughe they talked togyder than they halsed and kyssed there was moche Ioye feestynge of armes tyll the .xv. dayes were passed There was y e monstre and the brytons were nombred foure thousande fyue hondred armed men And of the normans twelue hondred and were all waged payed for syxe monethes It was a fayre thynge for to se theym assemble with the nauy of Englonde ¶ How Ponthus departed from Brytayne for to go â—onquere his countree PPonthus toke his leue of y e kynge and of Sydoyne And by flatery this Guenelet dyde soo moche that he abode with the kynge with Sydoyne as all gouernour keper of them And Ponthus toke hym a party of his tresoure to kepe So at the departynge there was wepynge ynoughe of Sydoyne and of the ladyes Ponthus kyssed her toke his leue and betoke her the moost parte of his Iowelles rychesse to kepe Than he departed wente by londe passed by nauntes came to sable danlon to derbendelles there was his grete nauy And there arryued Geffrey de lesygnen Androwe de la toure with grete felawshyp And than Ponthus receyued theym with grete Ioye as the two knyghtes straungers of the worlde that he loued beste than he gaue theym grete gyftes And than came Guyllam de roches a good knyghte Paraunt de rocheforte the lorde de douay Pyers de donne Gerarde de chateau goutyer Iohn meleurier with the herupoys Of the manseaus beaunmount la vale Sygles de doncelles and other of the countre of mayne Of Tourayne baussay mayle hay of other tourangeaus Of poytw the vycount of toures the erles brother of marche maulyon chastemur la garnache dyuers other Ponthus gaue them grete gyftes that they all were abasshed of his largesse sayd that there was none to serue hym he is worthy to conquere and to gouerne all the worlde by his grete courtesye and largesse To euery baron knyght he delyuered shyppes after that they had people And than they toke the see and departed with grete Ioy. It taryed not longe that all the nauy assembled soo it was a good syght to se the shyppes and the sayles drawen vp that it semed a grete forest So they had wynde at wyll passed the yle of doloron And whan they were a .vi. myle from the columpne Ponthus made the ancres for to be caste and all the shyppes to abyde he sayd to the lordes to the chyefteynes it were good to entre in to the countre by nyght for the mone shyneth and therfore lette vs londe a thre or foure myle from columpne and than to withdrawe our nauy agayne for I wolde not sayd Ponthus that they of y e countree sholde knowe vs for certayne causes Than he ordeyned aboute y e sonne goynge downe that they sholde departe and so they dyde And soo they londed a foure myle frome the cyte of columpne Whan they were londed they sente theyr shyppes in to the hyghe see bycause that they sholde not be aspyed Than they hydde them in a valey vnder a grete wood and helde themselfe as preuy as they myght ¶ How Ponthus founde his vncle the Erle of desture syr Patrycke y e knyght in a chapell by columpne THan Ponthus toke an hors rode out at the wood syde for to se yf he myght fyÌ„de ony man of the couÌ„tree for to wete and to knowe the rule of the londe So it befell y t he came to a lytell chapell ryght deuoute It happened of fortune y t the erle of desture Ponthus vncle syr Patrycke y e knyght y t saued him his .xiii. felawes were rysen afore day So these two knyghtes loued togyder as bretherne and they
hadde saued the people from the deth made them to yelde trybute to the hethen kynge in abydynge the mercy of god of theyr delyuernaunce Soo they were vp before day to come on pylgrymage to that chapell that they sholde not be aspyed of y e sarasynes So it befell whā Ponthus sawe y e chapell he wente thyder and a lyght and wente in and it was in the sprynge of the daye so he loked and sawe two men knelynge before y e auter for the whiche he had grete Ioye for he supposed they were crysten men syth they were in y e chapell in theyr prayers And whan y e two knyghtes herde hym come they were sore aferde wende to haue ben aspyed of the sarasynes And Ponthus asked theym what they were name you hardely tell me what ye be what lawe ye holde of sayd Ponthus god wyll I shal not hyde my name nor my god for in good fayth I am a crysten man thā sayd his vncle ye be ryght welcome for your felawshyp pleaseth vs well also we be crysten men in herte but we pray you that ye well tell vs what ye be In good fayth sayd he my name is Ponthus I was y e kȳge of galyce sone whan his vncle the erle of desture herde it he ranne to hym his armes abrode and halfed hym kyssed hym and sayd A my ryght dere neuewe blessyd be god that he hath gyuen me the grace that I may se you or I dye Whan Ponthus sawe that he was his vncle felte the good chere and the good wyll y t he made hym he had grete Ioye sayd vnto hym For the loue of god syr what ye gyue me grete Ioy in myn herte yf it be as ye say The day began for to wexe clere so eche of them knewe other and whan they knewe they kyssed wepte bothe two neyther myght speke a worde whan they myght speke the erle sayd A fayre lorde neuewe how durst ye come hyder thus allone for yf ye be aspyed ye are lyke to be deed Fayre vncle sayd he I am not allone but I haue here with me more than .xxviii. thousande men of armes as of the floure of Englonde of Scotlonde of Irlonde of Brytayne of other countrees aboute Whan his vncle herde it he kneled downe and Ioyned his handes thanked god hyghly of his grace than he tolde hym the gouernaunce of the londe how the countre and the people were saued but that they yelde trybute to the kynge Broadas And than he shewed hym syr Patrycke the knyght that had saued hym And they twayne had saued all the countre Ponthus came to hym toke hym in his armes and sayd that he was all his So they spake ynough of dyuers thynges And Ponthus ledde theym for to se his meyny and whan they sawe them they had grete Ioy It behoueth sayd the two knyghtes that ye ordeyne you your bataylles And so he made his ordynaunce and set in a valey foure thousande men of armes that whan the kynge sholde come out of the towne for to fyght they sholde fall behynde hym that he sholde not withdrawe agayne to y e towne And also they delyuered to syr Patrycke fyue hondred men of armes for to laye in a certayne place that whan the kynge all his power were come out of the twone they sholde go in as thoughe they were sente for to kepe the towne and thus it was ordeyned amonge theym Than sayd syr Patrycke fayre lordes this assemble is made by the pourueyaunce of god that hath sente vs Ponthus the ryghtfull lorde of this countree The Erle of desture sawe his sone Polydes y t whiche was a ryght goodly knyght so he kyssed hym and made hym grete Ioye Than sayd the erle of desture lorde sette you in ordynaunce for I shall goo tell the kynge Broad as that crysten men are entred for to robbe this countre he shall come out with as many men as he may shall come rennynge without ony ordynaūce wherfore he shall be the more easy for to dyscomfyte And sende ye forth a lytell balyngere for to fetche a thre score shyppes to come to the londe sette some hous on fyre soo he shall not knowe of your grete power wherfore he shall come all dysarayed without makynge ony ordynaunce Than the Erle toke his leue and departed came to the towne reght erly he came to the kynge as a man afrayed the kynge rose vp and he salewed hym by mahowne than he sayd to the kynge Syr the crysten men be come for to pyll and to robbe your countre and they ben but two myle frome the towne be they many sayd the kynge Syr I wote neuer but as I may apperceyue there ben a thre score shyppes Fye sayd he be they no more by mahowne in an euyll tyme be they come So I shall tell you for I dremed this nyght that I became a grete blacke wolfe and y t ye set vpone me a grete whyte greyhounde a braket and y t the greyhounde slewe me A syr sayd the erle to the kynge ye oughte not to byleue in dremes ye saye trouth sayd the kynge Go and make to blowe vp the trumpettes do crye that euery man do arme them Soo we shall take the fals rybaudes and robbers on the see the whiche I shall make them all to be slayne and to be drawen at the hors tayles Ye saye well sayd the erle whiche thought it sholde not go soo The erle wente forth armed hym made to crye that euery man sholde arme them So euery man armed them and lepte on horsbacke The kȳge was rychely armed and wente out of the towne without makynge of ony ordynaunce but who so myght go wente Soo there wente forth mo than .xii. thousande on horsbacke with out fote men archers arbelasters of suche as had none horses ¶ How Ponthus slewe Broadas y t slewe his fader Ponthus had ordened his bataylles sette in a valey foure thousande mē of armes for to fall bytwene them the towne And syr Patrycke came with his fyue hondred fyghters in to a preuy place for to wynne the towne he abode tyl that he sawe his tyme to departe The kynge smote his hors w t the spores to y t parte where he sawe y e smoke towarde y e see and sawe not past a .iii. score shyppes now on them they be all shente theyr god shall neuer saue theym but y t they shall dye an euyll deth he abode not tyll he was passed the place where the .iiii. thousande men were than he behelde afore hym sawe y e grete bataylles in ordynaūce so he was ameruayled of this dede wende to haue withdrawen hȳ for to haue set his men in ordynaūce he ordeyned a grete party for he was a wyse knyght an hardy in armes and as he made his ordynaunce he herde
vnto Guenelet that better he myght not besette her And for to make the maryage he gaue hym all his tresour that he broughte out of Englonde The letters were ryght well deuysed in the letter of quene Sydoyne was how he prayed her and requyred her for the loue that was bytwene theÌ„ that she wolde take Guenelet his cosyn And whan the kynge his doughter sawe the letters it is not to aske of the greate sorowe that they made heuynesse Quene Sydoyne swowned ofte wepte wysshed after hym the whiche myght not out of her mynde she drewe and rente her fayre heere and made so grete sorowe that it was pyte to se So the ladyes all the couÌ„tre were in grete heuynes for hym and sayd Alas what domage what pyte the floure of knyghthode the floure of all gentylnes my roure of all good maners And the comyn people they wepte sorowed for theyr frendes for theyr kynnefor they wende y t they all had ben deed There myght no man comforte quene Sydoyne Alas sayd she he where as all bounte trouth dwelled in by whome I thought to haue all Ioye the whiche was so free so true loued me so well and was so lykly to haue holde the people in rest peas how hath god suffred suche an auenture ayenst hym and ayenst me Alas so rowfull creature what shall I do So there was none so harde an harte but that he sholde haue had pyte on her This sorowe dured more than eyght dayes with out ony cessynge And Guenelet came and sayd to the kynge how that kynge Ponthus requyred hym that he sholde gyue hym his doughter soo he flatered hym ryght fayre sayd that he sholde serue hym her and worshyp them kepe them and the realme And that kynge Ponthus had gyuen hym golde syluer more than the realme was worthe So he offred it to hyÌ„ sayd Syr I praye you go speke with your doughter that she wyll consent The kyÌ„ge was aged so he wyste not what to saye And Guenelet dyde so moche by his subtyll wytte that he made the kynge to consent The kynge came to his doughter and comforted her in the fayrest wyse that he myght sayd vnto her that dyscomforte dyde but greue her without ony helpe to her nor to his realme And syth that kynge Ponthus requyred it that she sholde haue Guenelet that for the loue of hym And for the grete tresour that he hadde gyuen hym also that he sholde obey vnto hym and kepe his realme for sayd the kyÌ„ge he is wyse shall abyde in this realme for to rule it for yf I gaue you to ony kynge he wolde lede you in to his countre soo sholde this londe abyde without ony gouernoure whan quene Sydoyne had herde her fader thus speke she hadde grete meruayll sayd that god be pleased he shall not be her husbonde and that she sholde rather dye And than the kyÌ„ge that loued her soo moche sayd â—yth that it pleaseth you not ye shall not haue hym but â—adde her be of good comforte Soo he came to Guenelet and sayd his doughter wolde haue none husbonde at this tyme. O sayd Guenelet refuseth she me it shall not be al at her wyll So he came to her made moche of her gaue her fayre langage how that he thought to serue her to obey her she to be lady of all that no thynge shall be done in the realme but by her commaundement how he hath the tresoure of her sayd lorde that was wonne vpon the sarasynes the whiche was gyuen hym by his letters Moche made he of her and flatered her but alwaye it auaylled not for she swore vnto hym that she sholde not be wedded of all that yere for man that speketh with tongue O said he yf your fader coÌ„mauÌ„de you wyll ye dysobey hym My lorde may coÌ„maunde me what soeuer it pleaseth hym sayd she but for to dye I shal abyde all this yere after say I not but that I wyll obey hym ye said Guenelet make ye refuse of me wyll ye not obey the letters of your forsayd lorde the whiche ye desyred and loued soo moche that there was no thynge but that ye wolde do for hym And syth ye lyste not to obey hym nor to his prayer nor to his letter also ye lyste not to obey the coÌ„maundement of your fader By y e fayth I owe to hym but yf ye take other counseyll I doubte that ye wyll be angred so he thretened her whan by fayrenes he myght not haue her And than he sayd syth that he hath the letter of her forsayd lorde and the consent of the kynge her fader that she sholde do it whyther she wolde or not ye sayd she am I in that partye ye sayd he by my fayth ye shal se what shal befall Rather said she I shall suffre euery lymme of me to be hewen from other ye sayd he it shall be sene all betyme So he departed as a mad man for he wened not to fayle of her Quene Sydoyne was all abasshed thought in her herte that it was not the fyrst treason y t he had done SooÌ„ she thought well that the letters sholde be falfe for other tymes he had done vnderstonde y t kyÌ„ge Ponthus thus was deed so called she two squyers .iii. yemen of her chambre that she had called Elyos and two other gentylwomen sayd vnto them that doubted her of Guenelet shewed them how he was hote wenynge to haue her eyther by fayre or by foule for he is malycious perauenture he wolde werke by stryngth So I haue purposed we shall go in to yonder toure and do bere thyder some vytayll there shall we abyde vnto y e tyme we haue some rescowe of our frendes or some of the barons or elles haue herde the trouth of my lorde kynge Ponthus ¶ How Guenelet menassed Sydoyne the whiche had drawen in to a toure THey dyde bere brede wyne in botelles and barelles in pottes flesshe chese all thyÌ„ge that theym neded as longe as they had layser than they shette the dore with y e barres bare vp rockes stones for to defende it for Guenelet had thought for to take it ayenst her wyll for to haue done her outrage yf she wolde not haue consented So he came in to her chambre and whan he founde her not he serched the warderobe where he founde a gentylwoman whiche tolde hym she was withdrawen in to the toure how she had vytaylled it and stuffed it And whan he herde it he loked as a madman and came before the toure prayed her full fayre that she sholde open hym the dore swore by his fayth that he wolde not mysse doo her but quene Sydoyne whiche knewe well his vntrouth sayd that he sholde not come in But whan he sawe that
the body to the nauyll after he cutte of his heed in sygne of a traytoure in two peces made hym to be drawen out coÌ„maunded y t he sholde be borne to the gallous whan the kynge and his doughter sawe the kynge Ponthus they lepte fro the table came rennynge theyr armes abrode halsed hym kyssed hym Quene Sydoyne wepte for Ioye kyssed his mouth his eyen and she myght not departe frome hym Kynge Ponthus had so grete pyte for the dysease that they had suffred that the teres fell from his eyen so sore his herte was And whan theyr hertes were somwhat lyghted the kynge sayd Fayre sone it had but lytell fayled that ye sholde haue loste the syght of your wyfe me Than he tolde hym of the grete treason of the false letters of the hunger that he made them to suffre Kynge Ponthus blessyd hym was all abasshed sayd that neuer erst was borne suche a traytoure nor neuer was thought suche a false treason I bethynke me sayd he of Ihesu cryst y t had .xii. apostles of the whiche one solde hym And so we came hyder .xiii. felowes as it pleased god wherof one was wors than Iudas but thaÌ„ked be god he is well payed of his rewarde A sayd the kynge yf ye had lenger abyden ye had be yet more mocked God wolde it not sayd kynge Ponthus Now lete vs leue this talkynge sayd the kynge for this mater is well fynysshed to my pleasure and lete vs thynke for to lede Ioye dysporte and also tell vs of your dede how ye haue spedde Ryghte well I thanke god sayd kynge Ponthus Than he tolde hym of the batayll of the dyscomfyture how the countre was clensed well laboured and than there were some that tolde all the rule the maner how he was crowned They had all grete Ioye to here of the fayre auenture that god had sente hym Than they set theym downe to souper and songe daunsed ledde Ioye Quene Sydoyne was mery glad it is not to aske how in her herte she thanked god mekely to be escaped from soo grete peryll That nyght they were wel eased for both theyr hertes had ben in dystresse They talked of many thyÌ„ges had ynoughe of Ioye and dysporte togyder for they loued full well togyder They loued god and holy chirche were ryght charytable pyteuous of y e poore people That nyght the sowdyours of Guenelet fledde awaye who so myght go wente All y e people thanked god of y e comynge of kynge Ponthus they wente on pylgrymages processyons yeldynge graces to god for euery man wende he had be deed ¶ How the erle of rychemonde toke leue of Ponthus came in to Englonde tolde the kynge of the grete dedes of armes y t Ponthus had done ON the morowe after arryued the nauy of Englonde of brytayne of normandy whan they herde the treason of Guenelet they hadde moche meruayll how euer he durste thynke suche falsenesse The kynge of Brytayne receyued theym with grete Ioye And kynge Ponthus withhelde with hym the Erle of Gloucestre well a .xii. knyghtes more and sayd that within .xv. dayes he wolde go in to Englonde to se the kynge and y e quene her doughter Genneuer sayd to the erle of Rychemonde recoÌ„maunde me to theym and yf my lady Genneuer be not wedded I shall bryÌ„ge her an husbonde yf it please the kynge her to take hym So he tolde hym in his ere y t it was his cosyn germayne Polydes the whiche was a ryghte goodly knyght full of good condycyons lykely to come to grete worshyppe In good fayth sayd the erle ye saye trouth I can thynke the kynge wyll be ryght glad of hym haue hym in grete chere for the grete loue he hath to you So he conueyed hyÌ„ as fâ—rre as he myght and after toke his leue of theym So they departed came in to theyr owne countre with grete Ioye The erle of Rychemonde came to the courte and fouÌ„de the kynge the quene and the kynge of scottes that was come to them The kynge asked hym of the tydynges And he tolde hym of the begynnynge and endynge of all auentures And how the countre was delyuered of the sarasynes how that the countre and the people hadde be saued by the Erle of desture syr Patrycke in suche wyse that it was well laboured pleopled of men by y e trewage that they yelded wherby they lyued in peas And than he tolde hym of the grete treason falsenes of Guenelet afterwarde he tolde them of y e grete gyftes the good chere grete gentylnes y e kyÌ„ge Ponthus had shewed them And whan he had all tolde he called in couÌ„seyll y e kynge y e quene her doughter Genneuer the kyÌ„ge of scottes tolde them how kynge Ponthus wolde come thyder within .xv. dayes and had withholde with hym the erle of Gloucestre how he had spoken to hym of y e maryage of his cosyn germayne of Genneuer The kynge asked what maner knyght he was he answered y t he was the goodlyest knyght he knewe saue onely kynge Ponthus I tell you sayd he that he resembleth moche of person and of condycyons saue that he is somwhat lesse By my fayth sayd the kynge I accorde me yf it please my doughter And she kneled downe sayd what it pleased hym to coÌ„maunde her she sholde do The quene the kynge of scottes praysed agreed to the maryage And y e kyÌ„ge of scottes sayd syr it nedeth not to mary your doughter to a kynge or a lorde y t wolde not dwell in this realme for a kyÌ„ge or a grete lorde perauenture wolde not dwell in this countre that were not good for the people nor for the countre And wete well that as longe as kynge Ponthus lyueth there shall be noo man so hardy to assay to greue his londe Than sayd the kynge that he had sayd soth Genneuer that loued so moche the kyÌ„ge Ponthus sayd in her herte that the knyght pleased her more than ony other enquyred of hym frome ferre of the Erle and of the knyghtes that haue ben at y e warre that haue sene hym and the more that she enquyreth the better she fyndeth And the more she loueth hym Now hath she no desyre so grete as to se hym and she prayeth vnto god that he may come soone ¶ How kynge Ponthus made a grete feest at vennes and a grete Iustynge for to feest y e strauÌ„gers where as he wonne the pryse aboue all other THan kynge Ponthus tourned agayne to vennes whan he had conueyed the lordes of Englonde and of the countrees beyonde Soo they wente for to here masse and after they wente to mete And than sayd kynge Ponthus vnto all the barons of Brytayne Fayre lordes yf it pleaseth you we must
se our ladyes of this countre feest theym for the loue of the erle of Gloucestre and of these knyghtes of Englonde the whiche must be feested and to disporte them with some dedes of armes for within .xv. dayes we muste go in to Englonde so se the kȳge for certayne maters I haue to speke with hym They answered y t it sholde be done Now quod he I charge eche of you to brynge of y e fayrest ladyes gentylwomen of your coūtrees And eche of you shall brynge others wyfe ye shall be here by this daye seuen nyght So this was graunted and euery man wente to his wyfe his frendes and eche of them sought of the fayrest ladyes gentylwomen best syngynge and daunsynge that they myght fynde came to vennes And kynge Ponthus wente ayenst them receyued them with grete Ioye of mynstrelles other dysportes On the morowe after were the Iustes grete Quene Sydoyne was on the scaffoldes the kynge her fader the grete ladyes of Brytayne the aged knyghtes Kynge Ponthus was of the inner partye the erle of Gloucestre Barnart de la roche Gerarde de vyttry Peers de vyttry Roger de loges the vycount de donges and Endes de doul for to Iuste ayenst all comers So the Iustes began grete harde Kynge ponthus bette downe knyghtes and horses Soo euery man doubted for to mete with hym the ladyes praysed them moche and so dyde all maner men grete was the feestes the Iustes and the dysportes lasted tyll the sonne goynge downe there were many fayre Iustes harde strokes that longe it were to tell At euen they wente sette them to souper and were serued with many dyuers seruyces Mynstrelles and heraldes ledde grete myrth and grete noyse The pryce of the vtter syde was gyuen to the lorde mountfort for ryght wel sore had Iusted so he had the cuppe of golde And kynge Ponthus had the pryce within and he had a chaplet that the ladyes sent hym And with that came thyder Geffrey de lesygnen and Androwe de la toure Guyllam de roches Leoncel de mauleon the whiche kynge Ponthus had sente for for to go with hym in to Englonde for ouer all knyghtes he loued theym best for theyr worthynes kynge Ponthus rose ayenst them toke them in his armes and made them grete chere And they sayd vnto hym that he had done euyll to ryse ayenst theym and that he was to courteyse and to gentyll After souper the lorde de lesygnen sayd ye haue this daye Insted with out vs. And yf it please you sayd he to kynge ponthus we foure y t be last come shall Iuste to morowe Than sayd kynge Ponthus ye shal haue with you my cosyn Polydes y e vycount of lyon for to be .vi. for I vnderstande by the vycountes wordes this day that he was wrothe bycause he was not of the inner partye so we shall mowe at this tyme ease his herte Than he was called Polydes tolde them that to morowe they .vi. sholde Iuste ayenst al comers So y t crye was made y t the whyte felowes sholde Iuste delyuer al maner of knyghtes he of without that sholde haue y e pryce he sholde haue a gyrdell a purse of the fayrest lady of the feest he of within y t sholde gete y e pryce he sholde kysse her haue of her a rȳge of golde So there were grete Iustes many grete strokes gyuen but who so euer Iusted well or not I lette it passe for to abredge this story And neuertheles the pryce wtout was gyuen to Geffrey de chateau bryaunt the pryce of within to Polydes but some men sayd y t Geffrey de lesygnen had wonne it So there was therfore a grete debate On the morowe after kȳge Ponthus toke his leue of the kynge of Sydoyne of the ladyes of Brytayne and than he wente to saynt Malo toke the see and ledde with hym .xii. of the barons of Brytayne and y e foure before sayd So they passed ouer for the erle of Gloucestre departed before hym a daye for to tell the kynge of Englonde that kynge Ponthus came for to se hym The kynge vnderstode well by the erle of Rychemonde that he came So was he garnysshed and stuffed of all thynges that hym neded for to receyue hym worshypfully with hym was the kȳge of scottes his brother y e kynge of Irlonde he of cornewayle his neuewe the erles the barons of his realme So they had grete Ioy of his comynge The kȳge prayed to them all for to make kynge Ponthus good chere all y e worshyp that myght be done for sayd he ye wote well all how by him this realme was releued bothe of neyghbours and of sarasynes They sayd al that they sholde do theyr power The kynge lepte on horsbalke and the other kynges rode ayenst kynge Ponthus well a myle with all maner mynstrelsy they receyued hym with grete Ioye and grete worshyppe The chere that they made hym is not for to tell for it was grete Kynge Ponthus was rychely arayed of perles and of of precyous stones and had a cercle vpon his heed of stones and of perles The were .xx. knyghtes with Polydes the .xvi. that I spake of before and foure hondred of Galyce ¶ How Ponthus came to London w t grete noblesse where y e kynge and the quene receyued hym with grete Ioye THese .xx. knyghtes were full rychely cladde in syglatons furred with veer all in one sute wel rychely arayed of gyrdelles of golde purses fayre ryche the whiche appered vnder theyr furred mantelles they were moche loked vpon theyr ordynaūces were holden for fayre good With grete Ioye entred tho kȳge Ponthus in to London there he foūde the quene her doughter the ladyes in y e coūtree abydȳge hym So whan he sawe the quene he alyght a farre wente rennynge to her warde she kyssed hym halsed hym and was than receyued with grete worshyp· The quene asked hym how he had done syth he departed from theym and he sayd ryght well And Genneuer the kȳges doughter hadde alwaye her eye for to se Polydes the whiche she hadde grete desyre for to fe So she knewe hym by the tokens and lyknes of his cosyn kynge Ponthus And she sawe hym so gracyous so pleasaunt that she lyked hym ouer all thynges and yet for to be the more in certayne she axed of the erle of Gloucestre and she shewed her by sygne syth she sayd in her herte that he had not fayled for to chese hym that her herte tolde her well that it was he they wente to mete and there were many straūge seruyces and notably serued for the barons serued by the kynges cōmaundement After mete they dronke and ate spyces Genneuer had grete desyre that they sholde speke of her mater So she sayd
theym sought a vessell made to be put therin by nyght lyuynge for a moneth And vpon the morowe full erly he ledde the chyldren to y e shyppe and set them therin set within it a crysten maryner whiche was prysoner with them and made him to be hydde with the lyuynge vnder y e hatche of the shyppe And whan the chyldren were in the shyppe he made the sayle to be lyfte vp the shyppe departed into y e hyghe see the maryner sterte out fro byneth toke the gouernayle asked them wheder they wolde go And Ponthus sayd fayre frende syth god hath sente the to vs thanked be he lede vs brynge vs into the couÌ„tre of Fraunce And he answered sayd he sholde And badde them no thyÌ„ge be abasshed tolde them how the knyght had made hyÌ„ to be put in to y e shyppe by nyght tyme theyr lyuynge with hym Than said Ponthus fayre lordes knele we downe thanke we god whiche hath done vs so moche good praye we hym that all be at his pleasynge And soo dyde all the chyldren and were daye nyght vpon theyr knees sayd theyr prayers and theyr owres deuoutly hadde theyr trust all onely in god So leue we of y e thyrtene chyldren and retourne to the knyght that had theym in to the shyppe The knyght was called patryke he wente and tolde the kynge y t well was he auenged of the chyldren whiche wolde not byleue in mahowne How sayd the kyÌ„ge haue ye done Syr sayd y e knyght ye shall neuer se them for I haue set them in an olde shyppe without ony maner of lyuynge of the worlde And within haue I made two or thre holes and let drawe the sayle vp to the toppe whiche bare theym in to the see that neuer shall ye here tydynges of them I wyll it well sayd the kynge for I haue dremed to nyght that I sawe the .xiiii. chyldren in a wood And the fayre chylde whiche spake to me became a lyon deuoured me hurte me so moche that I dyed as â—e semed soo was I sore afrayed Syr sayd the knyght that was but a dreme of that that be ye quyte I wyll well sayd the kynge than sayd the knyght vnto hym By mahoune I ought to couÌ„seyll you truly wherfore I rede you that none be put to the dethe but he wyll defende hym for ye haue made a fayre conquest for this is the fayrest countre the moost delectable that is And who that sholde slee y e people the londe sholde be without fruyte And men saye comynly as moche auaylleth a myl that gryndeth nought as an ouen y e baketh nought lette euery man byleue in suche lawe as he wyll but all the fortresses and the countre that wyll not obey vnto you and yelde trybute be they dyscomfyted and lete y e other lyue and labour ye shall be as ryche as ye wolde ye shall be lorde of the countre and the ryche men whiche may be raunsoned that ben prysoners take theyr fynaunces and by fayrenes drawe them to our lawe of mahoumet Than sayd y e kynge by mahoune ye counseyll vs truly Gooth and serche the prysoners and they that wyll not byleue in our lawe be they trybutayrye in seruage and yelde vnto vs trybute after theyr puyssaunce and we put all the rule of our lawe in you ¶ How the knyght Patryke delyuered from pryson y e Erle Desture and y e other crysten men THus was the knyght all gouernoure of theyr lawe of the prysoners and of the ordynaunce of the countree And the knyght whiche that toke no hede but to saue the crysten people and the countre to his power wente all aboute to serche the prysoners putte theym to lyght raunsome after that he founde with them And amonge the other prysoners he fouÌ„de the kynges brother of Galyce that was the erle of Desture whiche was hurte of two woundes but not to the dethe So was he taught to whiche he was whan the knyght knewe hym he toke hym and ledde hym asyde in to a chambre they two alone sayd vnto hym Syr yf ye be the kynges brother I wote well ye haue grete desyre to saue the countre and the people whiche is fall in grete caytyfnes and seruage tyll that Ihesu cryst sette remedy there to soo saye I you in good fayth pryuely by youre good counseyll all the best remedy that I can or may I shall putte there to Thenne the erle hadde ryght grete Ioye to here speke of the name of Ihesu Cryste and that he wolde the auayle of the crysten people sayd vnto hym syghynge ryght sore Ryght swete syr I wote neuer yf ye say these wordes for to assaye me but yf it pleased god y e youre herte wolde it as your mouthe sayth it I sholde than oure lorde Than sayd the knyght vnto hym all his doynge and how he hadde be take in bataylle and how for to refuse the dethe for to auayle vnto the prysoners of that batayle to all crysten men he had feyned too be a Sarrasyn and bare the sygne but his herte was alwaye in Ihesu cryste And he tolde hym how he hadde saued .xiiii. chyldren and how he hadde doo so moche to the paynym kynge that none sholde no more be putte to the swerde And that euery man sholde holde his lawe and yelde trybute and be in seruage to the kynge And that he had do tyll god wolde sette remedy therto how he had be charged to rauÌ„some the prysoners Than the erle kneled doune and thanked god wepynge â–ª And the knyght toke hym vp than clypped they togyder kyssed wepynge thaÌ„ked Ihesu Cryste And whan they had longe weped of pyte than sayd they that god had assembled theym for to do some good to y e people whiche were in waye to be dede destroyed And syr patryke sayd Swete syr I thynke yet y e god shall haue mercy on this countre and of the people it behoueth to haue the more space to speke togyder and to ordeyne y e comyn good and profyte of the crysten people that ye feyne you to be a sarrasyn as I am the kynge shall haue ryght greâ—e ioye therof I shall saye it vnto hym yf god wyll we shall sette suche ordynaunce vpon it that it shall be profytable in a bydynge the mercy of god I shall tell you what myn herte sayth me Myne hert sayth me that the chyldren whiche I haue saued shal yet relyeue this couÌ„tre agayne also the kynge tolde me suche a dreme And than he tolde hym of the .xiiii. chyldren and how y e gretest became a lyon and deuored hym· A sayd the erle how moche ye ease my poore herte for that is my neuewe and my sone whiche god them lede as myne herte wylleth and desyreth ThaÌ„ swore they felowshyp togyder to endure togyder in good or in euyll and
kyssed them togyder with alyaūce of loue and so had they deuysed togyder of the rule and of the comyn profyte vpon that syr patryke departed and came to the kȳge and sayd vnto hym Syr ye ought to thāke mahowne of his grace for I haue conuerted the kynges brothers herte of this coūtre that is the erle of Desture he shall be of our Mahownes lawe And we shall make you to haue y e grete trewes the grete honour of this countre so shall he I ryde tofore the townes we shall speke to the cytezeyns and barons to theym whiche wyll obeye ye shall take to mercy the other shall be punysshed The kynge had ryght grete Ioy of this and made y e kynges brother to come before hym and made theyr alyaunce togyder And the kynge rode tofore the townes and fortresses with well a thyrty thousande fyghtynge men so that all the coūtree was full of them the ende was that all the coūtree sholde be trybutary and yelde trewe vnto the kynge So dyde they there ryght grete thynges whiche sholde be to longe to tell And I passe forth for to abredge this mater and leue to speke of y e kynge whiche reygned there well aboute twelue yere so as by a vengeaūce of god And syth was the coūtree made clene of the wycked lawe so as ye shall here more playnly here after ¶ How ponthous and his felawes arryued by fortune in lytell bretayne how y e seneshall Harlant foūde them vpon a roche HEre shall I tourne agayne to y e chyldren whiche were in the see ryght heuy in grete drede of theyr lyues But fortune whiche is ryght meruaylous brought them to the partyes of morygne that is lytell brytayne Soo was the wynde stronge and the torment of y e see grete whiche made theym to arryue vp at y e last that was towarde a forest where was an abbay there was a roche the sayle the mast were broken the shyppe smote vpon the roche but god saued them for the sayle yerde fell bytwene two roches the sayle yerde saued them came all vpon the roche nyghe to y e londe as god wolde So Ioyned they theyr handes togyder towarde heuen thāked god and alway be sought hym with good herte and god whiche forgate not the clamour of his seruaūtes herde the voyce of the chyldren he sent them socour in shorte tyme so as ye shall here In what tyme reyned in bretayne kynge Huguell a worthy man and a true but he was olde of grete age And he had but one doughter of all his chyldren whiche was by a syster of the duke of normandy The moder was ful of the goute and myght not bestere her The doughter was the fayrest the swetest the courtoysest that ony man myght fynde in ony countre And there was no myrth but of her goodnes So it befell that Herlant the seneshall of brytayne a ryght good knyght and a true the whiche was keper of all brytayne that daye hunted in the forest of suffone and as of auenture an harte wente vnto the water tofore the roche there y e chyldren were Harlant loked sawe them on the roche came thyder and cryed to them asked what folke they were And they answered said they were dryuen thyder by aduenture And than the seneshall smote his horse with y e spores and came thyder vnto them for the see was withdrawe yet y e horse went to the bely So made he them lepe vp behynde him behynde his knyghtes his squyers brought them to the drye londe And than he asked them what they were of whens they were And they answered and sayd they were of the countre of Galyce And one of them whiche hyght verrac sayd vnto the Seneshall Syr se Ponthus there whiche is the kynges sone of Galyce also his cosyn germayne Polydes And the other ben barons sones of galyce And whā he herde that Ponthus was the kynges sone he made to hym ryght grete chere dyde him grete worshyp· And set hym in wordes of many thȳges And the chylde whiche was wyse answered hym ryght wysely And thā he tolde hym how Broadas the soudans sone had sealed Croyne slayne his fader and taken the coūtre And how he had be sette in a shyppe also y e maner And whan the seneshall herde the dyscomfyture of y e countre the sorowe of the realme of Galyce he had grete pyte of the kynge and of the countre and that suche folke had the lordeshyppe vpon crysten people So made he them to lepe vpon theyr horses ledde theym to vennes vnto the kynge y e whiche was there as at that tyme. And whan that y e kynge sawe them And had vnderstondynge of the dethe of the kȳge of Galyce the exyle of y e coūtre he was all abasshed wepte and had ryghte grete sorowe for he loued the kynge meruayllously And sayd that many tymes he had done hym good and worshyp vpon the partyes of spayne where he had be in werres ayenst the sarasyns in the kynges felawshyp of Fraunce And I say you well sayd the kynge that it is ryght grete harme to all crystendome for the kynge was a meruaylous good knyght a semely And also the coutre is bothe fayre and good And amonge all other thynges we bourtons sholde haue more harme therby than ony other nacyon for we sent our marchaūdyse to chaūge with theyr good wynes So haue we loste more than we knowe of but god of his grace delyuer the countrees of that false byleue And syth that god hath gyuen me that grace to haue the kynges sone and the barons sones of that countree I thanke hym therof ryght hyghly for I shal make them to be nourysshed and to be lerned as myne owne propre chyldren and than called he the Soneshall and betoke hym Pouthus and to eche of the barons he sente one And departed them for a thre yere And than he sette terme for to se them agayne And prayed eche of them that they sholde be taught of the wood and of the ryuer and of the chesses and of tables and of all maner of dysportes And he whiche taught his best him sholde he conne moost thanke And so departed he theym as ye haue herde ¶ How Harlant by the commaundement of the kynge ladde with hym Ponthus for to nourysshe SO were the .xiiii. chyldre departed with the barons of Brytaygne Herlant wente his waye to gouerne Ponthus and taught hym of all dysportes of the chasses hawkynge huntynge and of all mauere playes of the tables of other dysportes Ryght grete was the name thorugh all Brytaygne of the grete beaute of the witte of the fayre gouernaūce of y e curtesye of Ponthus al of hym spake ferre nyghe amonge all other thynges he loued god holy chyrch And his first werke was whā he was
whan they were in the shyppes wel arayed and garnysshed of al thynge that theym neded and had taken theyr leue of the lordes and of theyr frendes they drewe vp sayles had wynde at wyll departed with grete Ioye out of the hauen of hampton And Ponthus toke his leue of the kenge the quene of Genneuer her doughter So there was ynoughe of sorowe wepynge they made Ponthus to promys them to come agayne se them as soone as he myght come vnto an ende of his warre And he thanked theym hyghly of the grete honour that they had made hym The kynge of scottes and the kynge of Irlonde the kynge of cornewayle they conueyed Ponthus whyther he wolde or not to y e shyppes and there he toke his leue of them with grete heuynes and the kynge of Irlonde sayd vnto hym Now I se well that ye loue me not ye that haue done so moche for me that neytheyr I nor my realme may neuer deserue it to you ye wyll not suffre me to go with you to bere you felawshyp Syr sayd Ponthus I thanke you I refuse not your good helpe after that I fynde in my countre yf nede be but I shall neyther lede you nor none of myne lordes tyll that I knowe more how that the countre standeth for certayne causes Soo they toke theyr leue that one of that other thus departed Ponthus from the realme of englonde with his army And his goynge was sore complayned of the men of the londe So he sayled daye and nyght that he londed by Uennes he ordeyned his nauy to abyde in the hyghe see and sayd that he wolde not that they sholde come to londe nor shewe past a forty shyppes and that they sholde make them marchaūtes to come for salte to y e bay So he ordeyned well his nauy all his nede toke with hym certayne vessell where as he wolde londe and well a thre hondred fyghtynge men londed by nyght bytwene Auroy ▪ vennes there he ordeyned that they sholde not goo thens tyll they herde tydynges of hym that they sholde come to hym lyke as he sholde sende theym worde and this was on the mondaye of Pentecost and the weddynge sholde be on the tuesdaye of y e kynge of bourgoyne and Sydoyne Than he lepte on horsbacke he and a man with hym on the tuesdaye in the mornynge betymes And as he rode he met with a poore palmer beggynge his brede the whiche had his gowne all to clouted and an olde pylled hatte so he alyght and sayd to the palmer frende we shall make a chaunge of all our garmentes for ye shall haue my gowne and I shall haue yours and youre hatte A syr sayd the palmer ye bourde you with me In good fayth sayd Ponthus I do not so he dyspoyled hym and cladde hym with all his rayment he put vpon hȳ y e poore mannes gowne his gyrdell his hosyn his shone his hatte and his bourden And than his man sayd vnto hym syr what do ye be ye out of your wytte that haue gyuen your clothes for suche an habyte Holde thy peas sayd ponthus thou wotest not why that I do it kepe the pryuely thy two horses here at y e townes ende go not awaye tyll that I come agayne to the. ¶ How Ponthus departed from his dwarfe wente to Uennes lyke a pylgrym how he founde Guenelet and the kynge of Bourgoyne SO he wente forth with his bourden came in to the waye where as the kynge of bourgoyne sholde passe And anone after he sawe comynge his somers and his offycers than after he sawe the kynge come rydynge on a palfray comynge togyder he and Guenelet the traytour the kȳge helde his hande on Guenelettes sholdre as they passed Ponthus sayd Se here two well nourysshed felawes for bothe they haue grete belyes A saynt Mary sayd he to Guenelet your bely hathe receyued many a fatte morsell of the courte ye are full well shapen for to be a veray grete flaterer of the courte Guenelet wexed reed was an angred tourned his hors and sayd vnto hym what fals trewande must thou myssay me so he wolde haue stryken hym with his warderer Ponthus lyft vp his bourden and came to hymwarde and sayd that he wolde make his berde yf he touched hym the kynge sayd to Guenelet lete the trewande go for men sholde haue no worshyp for to touche hym So they wente forth And Ponthus that loued theym not made as he had ben a fole mocked them folowed after came to y e courte as he sawe y t men went in he threste in amonge the prees the porters wende for to haue put hym out toke hym by bothe sholders for to haue put hym abacke but Ponthus threwe hym vnderfote and passed forthe sayd that he was one of the poore men that sholde ete before the bryde in y e worshyp of god and of his apostles ¶ How Sydoyne knewe the pylgrym Ponthus by a rynge that she had gyuen hym or he went for to dwell in Englonde AT the solempne feest of this maryage of the kynge of bourgoyne and of Sydoyne at after mete the bryde sholde gyue them drȳke her owne handes suche was the custome there So Ponthus went and set hym downe as for one of y e poore men grete was the weddynge and grete was the feest Ponthus ete but lytell but loked vpon his lady the whiche was ryght symple all for wepte for Guenelet had affermed ouer all y t Ponthus was in Irlonde she wende veryly that it had be soo After mete whan the tables were take vp they ledde the bryde vnto her chambre for to chaunge her aray and her attyre for to go vnto the scaffolde for to se the Iustes And as they went to her chambre there was a tresaunce where as the .xiii. poore men were And there were two gentylwomen that one had a grete potte of syluer full of wyne that other helde a cuppe of golde Sydoyne toke the cuppe and gaue euery man drynke And Ponthus was the laste and he toke the cuppe and dranke and lette fall in the cuppe a rynge of golde with a dyamounde the whiche that she hadde gyuen hym as ye haue herde before whan he had dronken he sayd vnto her pryuely Madame drynke the lytell remenaunt for the loue of Ponthus And whan she herde the name of Ponthus her herte lepte in her breste and soo she dranke the remenaūt and as she dranke she apperceyued knewe the rynge so she was all entred in to Ioye and wyste neuer what to thynke Than she called Elyos her gentylwoman and badde her in counseyll that she sholde brynge the moche poore man in to her warderobe the other poore people wende that she wolde haue gyuen hym some thynge or some grete gyfte for the loue of god for they knewe her for a good
woman ryght charytable and whan she was in her warderobe there was none but she Elyos the poore man Than Sydoyne spake fyrst and sayd vnto hym Swete frende and loue who toke you the rynge that I founde in the cuppe I praye you tell me and hyde it not from me Wote ye not quod he to whome ye toke it to yes sayd she is he deed or a lyue tell me Truely sayd he he is on lyue She Ioyned her handes togyder thanked god and sayd lorde I thanke the of thy grace O madame wende ye that he were deed ye truly said she for Guenelet had soo affermed it ouer all Madame sayd he yf ye sawe hym what wolde ye saye what sholde I saye sayd she neuer erst befell me so grete Ioy as I sholde haue Whan he herde all this he fordyde no more his speche toke a cloth and rubbed his vysage anone she knewe hym A sayd she ye be Ponthus the thynge in the worlde that I moost loue nexte god my fader and ye be ryght welcome Than she had grete Ioy halfed hym A madame sayd he I haue grete Ioye y t ye be so well and rychely maryed and he sayd it for to assay her A my swete loue sayd she speke neuer therof for I shall neuer haue other than you yf it please you for to haue me for I swere to you bothe with mouthe and w t herte and so y ◠latter dede standeth for nought for the fyrste othe must be holden A madame thynke neuer for to take a poore man beggynge his brede and to leue a ryche kynge and a myghty I wolde neuer coūseyll you so for to acquyte your trouth Ryght dere knyght and loue sayd she I shall neuer haue other but you for I sholde be a thousande tymes more at hertes ease to suffre in youre felawshyp the pouerte dysease that ye suffre than all the rychesse with y e myghtyest kynge that is And yf ye haue ony pouerte or trybulacyon god hathe sente you for to assaye you the whiche after wyl sende you of rychesse more than euer ye had so that ye haue good truste in hym Whan Ponthus herde of the grete trouthe of Sydoyne and stedfastnes of her the teres fell from his eyen after smyled sayd Madame neuer truer nor better lady was there neuer than ye be I shall hyde no thynge fro you wete it for trouth that I haue more golde syluer and precyous stones Iewelles seuen tymes than hathe my lorde your fader and also I haue .xii. thousande men of armes waged for halfe a yere to conquere the realme that was my faders so dysmay you for no thȳge but I shall tell you what ye shall doo make Polydes my cosyn germayne for to lede you and that he kepe him with you and all my felowes suche as loue me and I shall come se you in suche araye Soo he tolde her how he sholde be arayed and ordeyned and I may no lenger abyde with you And toke his leue and folde her in his armes halsed her and yet durste not kysse nor desyre for to kysse her ¶ How Ponthus came to the Iustes and Iusted at auenture with the kynge of Burgoyne and ouerthrewe hym so that he dyed SO he wente his waye haltynge as he had ben a lame begger came to his man that abode him lepte vpon horsbacke came to the wode where as he had lefte his felawshyp whan they sawe hym in suche plyght they knewe hym not and some there were that wolde haue taken hym for a spye but he began to laughe sayd I am Ponthus quod he to them and than euery man knewe hym so there was game ynoughe Syr sayd the erle of Gloucestre almoost we had doo you shame how be ye thus dysguysed Fayre lordes quod he I dyde it for a cause I wolde not ben knowen Than ordeyned he y t euery man sholde arme them for to come to y e Iustes that they sholde come by ·xx by .xxx. to the scaffolde that none sholde Iuste but by his cōmaundement he tolde them of the maryage and of the grete feest that was there So Ponthus arayed hym and fourty knyghtes all in a sute of the best of the notablest of all his felawshyp And he tolde theym all his mater that he had to doo So they came to Iuste in the ranges the brytons the bourgoygnyons were sore ameruaylled what they were y t were so nobly arayed that so well Iusted And Sydoyne was come before to the scaffoldes with ladyes and gentylwomen Polydes ladde her by the brydel and therfore was Guenelet ryght wrothe that Polydes had taken it from hym saynge vnto him that she had so cōmaunded hym And she had tolde hym afore that he sholde se Ponthus his cosyn germayne wherfore Polydes had so grete Ioye that no herte myght thynke it and than she tolde it to all his felowes saue onely Guenelet wherfore they were all as Ioyous as they myght be it is not to for aske yf Sydoyne had all worldly Ioye in her herte So she sawe Ponthus comynge the whiche was more semelyer than ony other knyght more goodlyer he Iusted from ranke to ranke bette downe knyghtes horses and brake speres dyde meruayles in armes Sydoyne bowed downe to Polydes tolde hym Se ye yonder knyght armed in purple and asure with a whyte lady that holdeth a lyon enchayned ouer the lyon ben letters of golde that sayth God helpe the fourty felawes And they ben all in sute of hym saue onely they haue no letters of golde truely he with y e letters of golde is Ponthus your cosyn germayne and all the other ben of his felawshyp So Polydes helde hȳ with Sydoyne lyke as she had cōmaūded hym The kynge of bourgoyne came in to the felde vpon a grete Iennet of spayne he was rychely armed with hym forty knyghtes in a sute euery man his spere in his hande so they begā to renne Iuste And whan Ponthus sawe them he dressed hym towarde them and began to ouerthrowe bothe hors man soo that euery man was abasshed for to mete with hym The kynge of Brytayne y t was on the scaffoldes with the ladyes the olde knyghtes asked who was that goodly knyght that had the lady in his shelde holdeth a lyon enchayned with letters of golde and hath so many knyghtes in a sute euery body sayd that they wyste neuer saue that he hytteth none but that he ouerthroweth So he ouerthrowe beteth doune knyghtes and horses and what dedes of armes that he doth he is a stronge aduersary ▪ Truly the lady of Dueyl whiche was ryght wyse a fayre lady I sawe neuer no knyght erst y t coude soo well ryde an hors nor none y t resembled so moche Ponthus on whose soule god haue mercy Than sayd the kynge to Sydoyne