wepte and Helayne wepte haboundauntly saynge Chylde ryall wherfore haue I borne the whan that I must be consentyng of thy pâ—rdyccyon O ryght noble realmes of Englande and of Castylle to daye ye shall lese your kynge and lorde After this the knyght wolde haue halfe of the fayre Helayne the which thynge Olyuer coude not vnderstande how it myght be but yf that he sholde slee her wherfore he coÌ„mytted the dede to the knyght And then the knyght answered vnto hym that he was noo murderer of ladyes and alsoo yâ— it was no reason that he sholde paye hym with his hande for he knewe well that he must paye hym hymselâ—e yâ— the whiche he had promysed hym and then sayd yf that thou hye the not it shall mysthynke vs bothe Whan Olyuer sawe that he myght haue none other thynge he came towarde his wyfe set hym on his knees in praynge her that she wolde pardon hym her dethe The good helayne sayd that she wolde pardon hym with good herte and then she embrased hym in saynge Ryght noble kynge the dyfference is grete of the Ioyous acquayntaunce that we had fyrste togyder at the tyme that ye were called Olyuer Hathe ryghte dolourous departyÌ„ge that todaye shall be made of vs two After that she hadde sayd these wordes she made her orysons to god and to the virgyn Mary in cryenge mercy to god for all her synnes that he wolde put her soule in the glorye of paradyse that yf her lorde had done ony synne for to slee her that he wolde pardon hym And whan she had ended her prayers and sayd her orysons she came towarde her lorde and husbande and kyssed hym with the teres descendynge from her eyen and sayd that she was redy for to abyde the dethe Wherfore she toke leue of hym and of her two chyldren and sette her vpon her knees with her haÌ„des ioyned towarde heuen in recommaundynge her vnto god As she that abode but the stroke of dethe Whan the kynge sawe her in that estate as a man halfe oute of â—is wytte approched and in lyftynge vp his swerde wolde haue â—louen her in two pyâ—ces ¶ How the knyght had pyte on Olyuer hauynge knowlege of his loyalte and quyted hym all And then he made hym to be knowen hym and tolde hyÌ„ what he was Capitulo lxxiiij WHan yâ— knyght sawe this pyteous aduenture he lete not yâ— swerde auale a downe for he withelde his arme sayd abyde kynge that I maye speke to you to you quene here me speke Then the began for to say demaunde the kynge yf that he had no remembrâ—unce of a knyght that was named syr Iohan Talbot the whiche was deed in his company in the sentence of cursynge And yf that he remembred hym not how that he payed the dette to the purgeys and made hym to be buryed The kynge answered ye And I tell the sayd the knyghte that I am that same knyghte and that same that serued the at the torneyment of Englande and bycause that thou hast done me pleasure I rendre to the all thy moneye and all hooly thy fynaunce that thou haste gyuen me And in lykewyse I rendre to the thy sone and quyte the in lyke wyse the halfe of thy wyfe that whiche I haue done hathe ben for to assaye the and thy frauÌ„chyle To the surplus I shall tell the wherfore at the fyrste daye of the torneyment I clothed yâ— in blacke that was sygnefyaunce of yâ— obscurâ—te that I was in The secoÌ„de daye that was in rede sygnefyed my paynes in purgatorye The last daye in whyte sygnefyed my saluacyon for so as yâ— whyte is vyrgyn for it was neuer soylled by steynynge wherby it is pure and clene In lyke wyse I am so at this presente tyme for by the and by the cause I am aledged of all my doloure and now I go in to the holy glorye of paradyse to se yâ— presence of my creatoure that is the reioysynge of the saued wherfore I take leue of the for there as I go thou mayst not come yet but be thou sure that I shall praye for the. Then he vanysshed awaye and in theyr presence he mounted in to heuen gloryously in castynge the beames of his clerenes vpon the wyndowe that the kynge and the quene lened vpon The whiche in a lytell whyle was oute of theyr syghte ¶ Then they fette them vpon theyr knees in rendrynge graces to theyr creatour and after that they had made theyâ—â—rysoâ—s in thaÌ„kynge god they began for to make the one to the other ryght pyteous acquayntaunce soo moche and by suche maner as yf the quene had ben arysen from dethe at that sâ—ame houre The kyng of Castyll that neuer had receyued one goodnes but that he hadde receyued ten euylles agaynst it lyued in Ioye with his ryght welbeloued wyfe and had neuer dyspleasure after that â—aue all Ioyes vnto the houre of his dethe Helayne was strongely seke for the fere that she had hadde dâ—rynge the whiche maladye Arthur came in to Castyll for to se Olyuer to whome Olyuer made ryghte grete chere and sone after that Helayne gate vp the whiche was cause of more gretter Ioye and all Ioye myrthe was in the realme of Castylle there was no spekynge of nothynge saue to make good chere The sone and yâ— doughter of the kynge were alredy grete in so moche that yâ— doughter was redy for to be maryed Wherfore the kynge sayd vpoÌ„ a daye to the kynge of Algarbe my broder I haue but one felowe in all the worlde and that is you For ye may wel auaunte you that ye be parsonere of the goodes that god hathe gyuen me And therfore as vnto my broder I wyll tell vnto you myn aduyse Fynably ye be to mary as yet hathe no wyfe wherfore I am gretely ameruaylled that ye haue abydeÌ„ soo longe I haue two chyldren a sone and a doughter and by my fayth yf that I thoughte that ye were contente for to mary you I wolde gyue you my doughter in maryage and therto reloke and my doughter dothe please you yf that ye thynke that she is for you I gyue her to you Or yf that it semeth you better elles where take it Ye maye saye he repryuely your wyll for yâ— loue that I haue to you maketh me for to saye thus to you ¶ How Olyuer of Castylle gaue his doughter in maryage to his felowe Arthur of Algarbe and of the dethe of Olyuer and of Helayne his wyfe Ca. lxxv ANd whan that Arthur Kynge of Algarbe herde the kynge of Castylle speke so humbly he thanked hym in saynge yâ— he dyde to hym more honoure than apperteyned to hyÌ„ and syth that it was his pleasure for to gyue hyÌ„ his doâ—ghter that he sholde be ryght vngracyous for to refuse her Whan the kynge of Castylle vnderstode that his felowe hadde grete wyll for to atteyne to this maryage he sente incontynent after all the noble meÌ„
shyp stroke on grounde by so grete force that it claue in two pyeces and all were perysshed excepte Olyuer and syr Iohan Talbot Whiche seynge londe the whiche was not ferre of tooke some comforte For whan they sawe that theyr shyp was clouen and that all theyr felysshyp were perysshed they sayd that it was better that they put themself for to swymme for to saue theyr lyfe as longe as it myght be possyble And therfore eche of them in makynge the sygne of the crosse and recommaundynge them in the kepynge of our lorde leâ—te in to the see and began for to swymme trustynge for to saue themselfe the whiche was impossyble for them yf that our lorde had not extended his grace for they were swymmynge so longe that there was neyther of theÌ„ but that he lacked breth and were at the poynt to haue ben lost And also the water was so colde and soo aspre that yf they had suffred none other euyll it hadde ben in oughe for to haue deyed And in that estate they lenthed not ferre the one from the others and requyred our lorde with all theyr hertes of his mercy and grace and that he wolde haue pyte on them for they trusted neuer to haue escaped Neuerthelesse our lorde that euer purueyeth for his true seruauntes scute them socour for they were all abasshed whan that that sawe by theym a whyte herte the whiche Olyuer toke by the horâ—â—s and mounted on his backe Talbot the whiche was not ferre from hym gate vp behynde Olyuer And in yâ— estate the herte bare them to the lande and then he vanysshed awaye then eyther of them as well as they myght haue laudes and thankynges to god that of his infynyte grace had preserued them this done they enforced theÌ„ for to go vnto a lytell place the whiche was not ferre from the see syde This place was a gentylmans of the couÌ„tree and whan he sawe them in that plyte he had grete pyte on them And made them a good fyre and warmed chaffed them ryght well layde them in a softe bed And he dyde to them all the pleasure that he coude And whan that they were a lytell amended he demaunded theym how they were escaped And they recouÌ„ted to hym all yâ— daunger and peryll that they had ben in and how that god of his endlesse grace hadde saued them by myracle Wherof theyr hoost had grete meruayll Notwithstandynge he byleued them ryght well for he wyst well that there was nothynge impossyble to god wherby we may haue alwaye memorye herof to the ende that yf we fynde our self in ony daunger or peryll by fortune and also to the occasyon for to flee synne for whaÌ„ a synner gothe to commyt synne and remembreth the mercy and puyssaunce of god and deuoutely reclaymeth the ayde of our lord Then god permytteth and gyueth them suche comforte that they ben delyuered from all temptacyon as to the purpose of these two the whiche he preserued from the peryll of the see ¶ How the knyght that was Olyuers felowe deyed and of that the whiche happened after his dethe Capitulo xvij RYght as they deuysed Olyuer demaunded in what countree they were in And they tolde hym that it was Englande Wherof the knyght that was with Olyuer was moche reioysed notwithstandynge that he was sore syke And enquyred of his hoost yf he knewe not a knyghte that was called syr IohaÌ„ Talbot He answered that he had often herde speke of suche one but he neuer sawe hym but he saed that his pryncypall abydyng was in Caunterburye as they sayd all aboute and sayd that he was but twenty myle from thens Thenne the syke knyght sayd vnto hym blessyd be god that hathe brought vs he ther for I am that same syr Iohan Talbot that I spered after afore and my dwellynge is in the cyte of CauÌ„terburye And bycause that I knowe that without the mercye of god I am neuer lyke to releue of my maladye and also that I fele my dethe approcheth I beseche you that ye make me to be caryed to Caunterbury to the ende that I may make my testament ordynaunces as a good crysten man And ye shall be well recompensed Olyuer seynge this knyght soo greuously vexed with that maladye he was ryght pensyf and sorowfull as he yâ— whiche knewe not whether for to goo or resorte And then the gentyll Olyuer sayd vnto hym My lorde and my frende I am ryght dyspleasauÌ„t of your maladye bycause that I haue founde with you so good company I shall neuer habandon you yf that it please you tyll yâ— tyme that I haue sene as our lorde wyll expose your sykenes for as for my parte I thanke god that I am all guarysshed and in good poynt and redy â—or to mounte on horsbarke for to conueye you whether that ye please The knyght thanked hym full humbly and sayd that al his voleÌ„te was for to go there as he had specyfyed and that he requyred none other thynge and all was at the dyspence of his hoost and wolde take nothynge of them And then he was caryed in a hors bere to his place and Olyuer rode with hym but he lyued not longe after he was comen in to his place and his frendes made grete sorowe for hym but after his dethe they shewed hyÌ„ but lytel sygne of amyte bycause of moneye that he oughte te a burgeys of the cyte he was in the sentence of cursynge vnto the tyme that the burgeys were contended he had ben the space of seuen yere in that sentence as he the whiche had not wherof to paye but yf that he sholde haue solde ryght largely of his godes for to haue payed his dette withall and in suche estate he deyed wherfore the burgeys was not content but yf that he were payed that the knyght were put in holy grounde but his heyres seynge this concluded and loued better for to burye hym in the prophane and vnhalowed grounde thaÌ„ for to paye his derte as they the whiche loued not the soules oâ— theyr frendes so well as they dyde the goodes moundaynes ¶ How Olyuer made the knyght for to be buryed of the Iustes that were publysshed in Englande the whiche was this that who that dyde best sholde haue the fayre Helayne in maryage that was the kynges doughter Capitulo xviij OLyuer seynge the grete falste and auaryce of the frendes of that deed body was no thynge well contente with them He dyde all the dylygence that he myght that he were buryed as wel towarde hym that he oughte the good to as to them that sholde paye it too the ende that the knyght the whiche he had knowen in his lyfe for a good and a vertuous man myght be buryed in holy grounde but it was impossyble for hym to fynde ony appoyntement for the knyghtes frendâ—s wolde not do nothynge And the burgeys sayd that he wolde do nothynge excepte that he were payed all
alonge that whiche was his duete Olyuer seyng that there wolde be none other thynge enquyred what the some of the deth dyd drawe to And founde that it drewe to a .lx. pounde not withstandynge that durynge his vyage he had spente a good parte of his M. nobles that he had but lefte alytell more than halfe yet he was delybered for to content the burgeysland payed hym And also he made the seruyce of the knyght ryght honourably for whiche cause he was moche praysed of euery body and to the contrary the frendes of the deed bodye was moche blamed as it was ryght Olyuer the whiche had but a lytell money lefte soiourned a lytell space of tyme in Caunterburye where as he herde tytynges that the kynge of Englande at the instaunce of his subgectes had made a crye of a torneyment that sholde laste thre dayes And theder myght come all noble men And he that sholde doo best by the saynge of the prynces and pryncesses the whiche was commysed therto sholde haue his onely doughter in maryage yf that she had wyll vnto hym The whiche doughter at that present tyme was holden for the moost fayrest lady that was in all the monarchye of the worlde And the Kynge her fader wolde not mary her to noo grete prynce bycause he wolde not haue her lenthed fro hym For he loued her so feruently that he coude make no good chere yâ— daye that he sawe her not Also he dyd thynke that for the welfare of the countree it was more necessarye for to gyue her to a hardy and a valyaunt man thought that he were poore than to a grete lorde that had not those vertues And also as touchynge noblesse and râ—â—chesse she had ynoughe for theÌ„ bothe and for that cause he had made crye the torâ—eymeÌ„t that the moost valyauntest of the feest sholde haue his ryght beauteuous and fayre doughter in maryage And that after his decesse his kyngdome myght falle in to the handes of the valyaunt knyght and lorde for to kepe and defende it from all them that wolde greue it There were foure hoÌ„dred knyghtes commysed of within for to resyste agaynst all comers And it was .xi. monethes syth that the feest had beÌ„ publysshed thrughe all the realmes crysten This not withstandynge vntyll that tyme Olyuer had herde no tydynges therof and there was no more but .xv. dayes to the corneyment wherfore Olyuer had grete dyspleasure bycause that hym thoughte that he myght not come theder sone ynoughe also bycause that he had but lytell moneye for to go theder withall Neuerthelesse he made hymredy for to be there in the best wyse that he myght yf that our lorde sente hym not some empesshement that he coude not go And fro that houre he beganne for to fele the sparcles of loue sayd to hymselfe that he sholde be well eurous yf that after his grete aduersyte and euylles he myght attayne vnto so hye a thyÌ„ge as for to haue her in maryage of whome he herde speke soo moche good thrughe the vnyuersall worlde ¶ How Olyuer was assaylled by theues and slewe theym and of that whiche happened hym vpon his waye towarde London Capitulo xix OLyuer hauynge ryght grete desyre wyll for to be with the other at the tornaymente aforesayd consyderynge that the terme was shorte payed and contended his hoost and after departed frome the cyte of Caunterbury all alone withouten ony company towarde the cyte of London Where as the grete and solempne feest sholde be holden And therfore dyuers grete lordes were comen theder all redy And there came so many that all the lodgynges and ynnes were full Soo as Olyuer exployted hym so on his Iourneye that he was a good dele auaunged as he the whiche thought that he sholde neuer come theder tyme ynoughe for to se her for whose loue he toke that Iourneye and so he passed on his way in suche thoughtes and in those thoughtes he came into a lytell busshy wodde somwhat out of his hye waye he had not longe gone therin whan he mette .xv. theues the whiche were armed in complete harnays and cryed to hym saynge that he was but deed and he was enuyronned with them or euer he loked vp and lefte his pen sees of loue And whan he sawe that he coude not escape without medlynge he sette his hande to his swerde and smote one of them vpoÌ„ the heed so asprely that he claue hym to the tethe and soo fell downe deed And than he smote on the ryght hande and on the lefte hande so impyteously that he cutte armes and hedes in a suche wyse that the hardyest of them durst not abyde hym a buffet for he had sette his backe agaynst a thycke hedge so that his enemyes myght not endommage hym behynde And for to make it shorte he dyde so moche by the helpe of god that he slewe .xi. of them and the remenauÌ„t fledsoâ—e wounded Whan Olyuer sawe that he was delyuered of them he thanked god of that vyctorye and alyghted of his hors and tayde hym to a tree and then he began for to bynde some of his woundes in the beste wyse that he myght but they were not mortall wherof he gaue thankyÌ„ges to god And so as he toke kepe to his wouÌ„des his hors brake loose for he had not tayed hym fast And so wente awaye with his casket of moneye the whiche was at the arson of the sadell and was gone all redy a good waye or euer Olyuer apperceyued hym Neuerthelesse whan that the apperceyued hym he begaÌ„ne for to renne after hym as well as he myghte and Olyuer ranne so longe and so fast that he was alâ—moost bretheles And in that estate the hors came rennynge bofore the place where one of the theues was hydde that had escaped from Olyuer And whan the sayd thefe saw the horse he knewe hym well ynoughe and ranne after hym toke hym and incontynente mounted vpon his backe and rode his waye with casket and all Whan Olyuer apperceyued hym he knewe well ynoughe yâ— he had lost his horse and his casket with moneye wherfore ye may well thynke that he was ryght dysplesaunt for he founde hymselfe without moneye and also in a straunge couÌ„tree where as he hadde no knowledge and whan he saw that all was lost he sayd to hymselfe O good swete lorde Ihesu cryst I requyre yâ— comforte this poore vnhappy catyf for all myn esperaunce and hope is onely in the for I se well that fortune is contrary to me and that yf it procede not of thyn infynyte grace myne enterpryse can neuer be encheued wherfore good lorde I put me totally in to thy grace and mercy In praynge the good lorde Ihesu cryst that thou dystinge it after thyn owne wyll for lyghtly I can not haue worse than I haue had hetherto wherof I thanke the. ¶ How a knyght came for to comforte Olyuer and of yâ— promesses that they had togyder Capitulo xx RYght