Tille it were on the morowe.624Isres, who possessedIsres in his fals ententesby inheritancePurposedtresoupright letter n with macronand sorowe.the guard of theHe was chief Porter of theTowupright letter n with macron,[leaf 16] principalBy heritage and fee so he shulde be.628gate, planned treason.He wente to theSowdaupright letter n with macron,He repaired to theFor the riche Cite betraye woolde he,soudan and offered toAnd saide “lorde, gife me gracebetray the city onFor my goodes and for me,632condition that hisAnd I wole delyuer the this placelife and propertyTo haue and holde for ever in fee.should be spared.The keyes of this riche CiteI haue in my bandon.”636“That graunte I” quod Laban “theThe soudan promisedTo be free withouteraunsoupright letter n with macron.”it.Ferumbras made him yare,Ferumbras with 20,000With xxtithousandmeupright letter n with macronand moo,640men went with Isres.With this Isres for to fare,And to wynne the Cite soo.As sone as he entred wasOn entering the gate,The chief Gate of alle,644And alle his men in aras,114he caused theHe lete the Portcolys falle.traitor’s head to beHe smote of the traitourus hedestruck off by theAnd saide “god gife him care!648portcullis, andShal he never more ete brede,All traitours evel mot115thai fare!If he myght leve and reigne here,He wolde betraye me;652For go he west, soutħ or Nortħ,Traitourshalle he never be.”to be carried on theHe dide lete bere his hede on a sperepoint of a spearThrougħ-oute this faire Citee.656through the city.‘Treson,tresoupright letter n with macron’thai cried there,“Treason,” cried thePite it was to here and see.people within,
‹p020›FERUMBRAS TAKES THE RELICS TO AGREMORE.
The people fled by every waye,Thai durst no-where a-bide.660The hye wey ful of dede men laye,and all streets wereAnd eke by every lanys side.soon covered withFerumbras to Seinte Petris wente,dead men. FerumbrasAnd alle the Relekes he seasedanooupright letter n with macron,664went to St. Peter’s,The Crosse, theCrowupright letter n with macron,the Nailes bente;seized the relics,He toke hem with him everychone.the cross, the crownHe dide dispoile al the Citeand the nails,Both of tresoure and of goolde,668And after that brente he[leaf 17] burnedAlle þat ever myght be toolde.the whole city, andAnd alle the tresoure witħ hem þai barecarried away all theTo the Cite ofEgremouletter r with right hook, upright.672treasures and theLaban theSowdoupright letter n with macronsoiourned there116gold to Agremore,Thre monþes and thre dayes morewhere the soudan wentIn myrtħ and Ioye and grete solas.to stay. Three monthsAnd to his goddes offrynge he made,676and three days theyHe and his sone Sir Ferumbrasspent there in greatHere goddis of golde dide fade,festivities, makingThai brenteFrankeupright letter n with macronsense,offerings to theirThat smoked vp so stronge,680gods, and burningThe Fume in her presence,frankincense in theirIt lasted alle alonge.honour.Thai blewe hornes of bras,Thai dronke beestes bloode.684They drank the bloodMilke and hony ther was,of beasts and milk,That was roial and goode.and ate honey andSerpentes in Oyle were fryedsnakes fried in oil.To serve þeSowdoupright letter n with macronwith alle,688“Antrarian Antrarian” thai lowde cryedThat signyfied ‘Ioye generalle.’Thus thai lived in Ioye and blisTwo monþes or thre.692Lete we now be alle this,
‹p021›GUY AND CHARLEMAGNE APPROACH.
And of Gye nowe speke we.NOw speke we of SirGupright letter y with macroneThat toward Rome hied witħ his Oost.696Whaupright letter n with macronhe approched there-to so nyȝe,When Sir Guy drewThat he myght se the cooste,near Rome, findingAlle on a flame þat Cite was,the whole city inThat thre myle al abowte,700flames,Ther durst nomaupright letter n with macron,þat ther was,Come nyȝe the Cite for grete dowte.That was a sory Cite than,Sir Gye was in grete care,704he grieved muchTher was nowhere a soryermaupright letter n with macron,For sorowe he sighed ful sare,And saide “welallas”117the while“For we come ar to late,708that he had arrivedFor by some treson or some gyletoo late.Thai entred in at some Gate.There is no more but for to abyde,He resolved there toTille Charles come, the kinge,712wait for CharlemagneIn this mede Vnder grene wode side,[leaf 18]To telle him of this tithinge,and then to tell him,Howe Laban hath the Cite brentehow Laban had burntAnd bore the Religes118a-waye,716the city, and hadAnd howe he hath hem to Spayne sentesent the relics toWith Shippes of grete aray,Agremore,ToEgremouletter r with right hook, uprighthis chief Cite,his principal town inTher to live and ende;720Spain.And manassitħ Charles and his baronye.God gife hem evelle ende!”Kinge Charles he forgate noughtKing Charles advancedTo come to reskowe Rome,724to rescue Rome withAlle his Doȝypers were I-sought,his douzepeersFulle sone to him thay come.Thre hundred thousande of Sowdeouresand 300,000 soldiers.
‹p022›CHARLES HEARS OF THE MISCHIEF DONE BY THE SARACENS.
Kinge Charles with him dide lede,728They were doughty in all stourysAnd worthy men of dede.Sir Roulande þat worthy knighte,Roland led theHe ladde the Fowarde,732vanguard,And SirOlyueletter r with right hook, upright,that was so wighte,Oliver the rear,Gouerned the Rerewarde.The Kinge himselfe and his Baronye,the king wasWith Dukes And Erilles roialle,736Gouerned alle the medil partye.with the main body.By commaundemente generallHe ordeynede grete plenteThe provisionsOf Flessh and Fissh, brede and wyne,740In shippes to saile by the see,were conveyed by sea.To serven him ful wel and fyne.Sir Gye aspied his comynge,Guy seeing them come,He knewe the baner of Fraunce,744went toHe wenteanooupright letter n with macronayen the kingemeet the king, andAnd tolde him of þat myschaunce,told him the mischiefHowe that the cursedSowdaupright letter n with macrondone by the soudan,Hath brent Rome and bore the Relekis awaye,748And how he hathslayupright letter n with macronalle and some,That he hatħ founde ofCristeupright letter n with macronfaye.And more-over he made his a-vowe,who moreover had madeTo seke kinge Charles in Fraunce752a vow to seek CharlesAnd do him wo ther I-nowe.in France in order“God gif him moch myschaunce!”—to afflict him with“A”quoupright letter d with right vertical tildeCharles “þat neditħ noght,grief. [leaf 19] “HeHe shal fynde me nere.756will find me near,”By god, þat dere me bogħt,said Charles, “andHe shal by it ful dere.shall dearly pay forI shalle him never leve I-wisit.Withinne walle ner witħoute,760I swere by god and seinte Denys,Tille I have sought him oute;Unless he consents toAnd but if he will Baptised bebe baptized,
‹p023›HE GOES OVER TO SPAIN.
And lefe his fals laye,764Babyloyne shal he never seehe never shall seeFor alle his grete aray.”Babylon again.” TheyAnoon to shippe everymaupright letter n with macronall took ship withoutWith vitaile and with store,768delay.Euen towarde the proudSawdaupright letter n with macronWith-outeupright letter n with macronany more.Wynde him blewe ful fayre and goodeInto the Ryver of Gaȝe,772Propitious windsEven over the salte flodedrove them into theAnd ouer the profounde rase.river Gase, whereXXX legeeȝ fromEgremouletter r with right hook, uprightthey landed, 30 milesBy londe for south it is,776from Agremore,And ther withoute any moreTo londe thai wente I-wis,And brente andslougheupright letter n with macronal þat thai fonde,and laid waste theAnd stroyed both Toure andtowupright letter n with macron.780country.Thai lefte no thinge on grounde,That thai ne bete itdowupright letter n with macron.Tithinggis were tolde to Laban,Laban, hearing thisHowe Charles was I-come784news,And slough bouth childe, wyfe, manAnd brente and stroyed alle and someWith thre hundred thousand of Bacheleris,That were both stoute and gaye,788And with him al his Dosyperis,Pepul of grete araye.“And but ye ordeyne remedy,He wole you brenne andslooupright letter n with macron,792Youe and youre riche Baronye,He wole leve a-life neuereooupright letter n with macron.”Whan Laban herde these tidyngys,His herte woxe alle coolde796And saide “this is a wonder thinge![leaf 20]Howe durste he be so boolde?was astonished atLitill kennyth he what I may doo,Charles’s presumption.
‹p024›A GREAT BATTLE ENSUES.
He dredith me litil nowe.800But certes he shalle,eletter r with right hook, uprighthe goo,To Mahounde I make a vowe.SirLucafeletter r with right hook, uprightand FerumbrasHe assembled all hisTo him dide he calle804barons,AndMavoupright letter n with macronand SortebrasAnd his Barons alle.I charge youvppoupright letter n with macronyoure legeaunce,That ye bringe me that gloton,808and charged them toThat clepeth himselfe kinge of Fraunce,bring him alive thatHidere to myPaviloupright letter n with macron.glutton that calledKepe him a-live, the remenaunte slehimself king ofThe xij Perisychooupright letter n with macron!812France, and to slayI shalle tech him curtesye,the remnant.I swere by god Mahounde.”Ferumbrasanooupright letter n with macronthanFerumbras went forthArrayed him for to ride816with many Saracens.With proude Sarasyns many a man,That boldely durst a-bide.Rowlande met with FerumbrasHe meets with Roland.And gafe him such a stroke820That al astonyed þerof he was,It made him lowe to stoupe.Ferombras smote him agayneThey deal each otherWith myghte and mayn, with ire824heavy strokes.That he stenyed alle his brayne,Him thought, hiseyeupright letter n with macronwere alle on fyre.WithLucafeletter r with right hook, uprightOliveletter r with right hook, uprightmette,Oliver cuts off aAnd hit him on the sheelde828quarter of Lukafer’sA stroke, that was right wel sette;shield.A quarter flye in the feelde.Thus thai hurteled to-gedereThe combat lasted theAlle the lefe longe daye,832whole day.Nowe hider and nowe theder;Mony an hors wente ther astraye.Well fought theThe Dosyperis thay foughten wele,twelve peers.
‹p025›CHARLES ENCOUNTERS FERUMBRAS AND LUKAFER.
Duke Neymys andOgeletter r with right hook, upright,836With goode swerdes of fyne steleAnd so dide Gye and SyrBryeletter r with right hook, upright.Ferumbras was euer a-bowte[leaf 21]To fyghte witħ Olyvere,840Ferumbras chargesAndOlyueletter r with right hook, uprightwith-oute dowteOliver.Leyde on with goode chere.Kinge Charles saugh Ferumbras,King Charles, seeingTo him fast he rode844this, rides on toAnd it on the helme witħ his mace,Ferumbras,That stroke sadlye abode.and strikes his helmFerumbras was woode for woo,with his heavy mace.He myght for prees come him to848Ferumbras cannotFor no worldis thinge, that myght be tho.approach him onKinge Charles anoon119Ioye oute-drowe,account of the crowd.And with his owen hondeCharlemagne with hisXXXtiSarseynys ther he slowe,852sword Mounjoy slew 30That laie dede vppone the sonde;Saracens.Many of hem therfore made joy Inowe.Sir Lucafere of Baldas,Lukafer of Baldas,He presed to Charles sone,856encountering Charles,And saide “Sir, with harde grace,What hastowe here to done?I behight Laban to bringe the to himtold him that he hadAnd the xij peris alle;860promised the soudanNow shaltowe come from al thy kynto bring him CharlesInto the Sowdans halle.and the douzepeers.Yelde the to me” he saide,“Thy life shalle I safe.”864A stroke on him than Charles layde;Charles strikes himHe made the Paynym to rafe.on his helmet,He smote him on the helmeWith mown-Ioye, his gode bronde.868Ne hadde he be reskued than,He hade slayn him with his honde.
‹p026›THE SARACENS QUIT THE FIELD.
Than came Baldeȝynȝ with throngebut Lukafer isTo reskue there here lorde,872rescued by a greatAnd nubens with hem amongethrong. Roland,And Turkes by one accorde.drawing Durendale,Tho Roulande Durnedale oute-drowecleared a spaceAnd made Romme120abowte.876around him andXL of hem ther he slowe,Tho were thai in grete dowte.Roulande as fiers as alioupright letter n with macronWith Durnedale121tho dinge880hammered the heads ofVppon the Sarsyns crowne,the Saracens.As harde as he myght flynge.[leaf 22]Duke Neymys and SirOlyueletter r with right hook, upright,So do the other peers,Gy and Alloreynes of Loreyne,884And alle the noble xij Peris,Ogeletter r with right hook, uprightandBryeletter r with right hook, uprightof Brytayne,Thai foughten as feythfully in þat fight,The feelde ful of dede men laye.888XXXtithousande, I you plight,and 30,000 SaracensOf Sarsenys ther wereslayupright letter n with macron.were slain.Al thinge moste haueaupright letter n with macronende,The nyghte come on ful sone,892At night the PagansEvery wighte retourned to wende;quit the field.Ferumbras to his men gan goneAnd saide “oure hornes blowe we,This day haue we a ful ille afraye,896To saie the south and not to lye,Oure goddis holpe vs not to daye,What devel þat everheupright letter m with macroneilith.This bataile was so sharpe in faye,900That many a man it wailyth.Shalle I never in herte be glade to daye,Ferumbras vows, neverTill I may preve my myghteto desistWith Roulande, that proude ladde,904Or withOlyueletter r with right hook, upright,that is so lighte,
‹p027›CHARLES PRAISES THE OLD KNIGHTS.
That evel hath vs ladde;And in Paris be crowned kingeunless he be crownedIn despite of hem alle,908king at Paris.I wole leve for no thingeWhat so evere byfalle.”Kinge Charles with gretehonouletter r with right hook, uprightCharles went to hisWente to hisPaviloupright letter n with macron;912pavilion andOf the treyumple he bare the flouletter r with right hook, uprightIn dispite of Mahounde.Almyghty God and Seynte Denysethanked GodHe thanked ful ofte sithe916And oure lady Marie of Paris,and St. Mary ofThat made hem gladde and blitħ.France.He recomendide the olde Knightes,He praised the elderThat þat daye hade the victorye,920knights for havingAnd charged the yonge with al her myghteswon the victory andTo haue hem in memorye;exhorted the youngFor worthynesse wole not be hadde,onesBut it be ofte sougħte,924[leaf 23]Ner knigħthode wole not ben hadde,Tille it be dere boghte.“Therfore ye knightes, yonge of age,Of oolde ye may now lere,928Howe ye shalle both hurle and rageIn felde with sheelde and spere.And take ensample of the xij Peris,to take an example byHowe thai have proved her myght,932them.And howe thai were both wight and fiersTo wynnen honourys in righte.These hethen houndes we shal a-tameBy God in magiste,936They make merry andLet us make myrtħ in goddis namego to supper.And to souper nowe goo we.”Prayer addressedOThow, rede Marȝ Armypotente,to the red MarsThat in the trende baye hase made þy trone,940Armipotent,That god arte of bataile and regent
‹p028›SPRING IS THE TIME OF LOVE.
And rulist alle that alone,To whom I profre precious present,To the makande my moone944Witħ herte, body and alle myn entente,Acrowupright letter n with macronof precious stoones,And howe to the I gyfeWithouten fraude or engyne,948Vppoupright letter n with macronthy day to make offerynge,And so shal I ever, while þat I live;By righte þat longith to my laye,In worshipe of thy reverence952On thyn owen TewesdayeWithmyrletter r with right hook, upright,aloes and Frankensense,Vppoupright letter n with macroncondicioupright letter n with macronthat thou me graunte,to grant theThe victorye ofCrystyupright letter n with macronDogges,956Mahometans theAnd that I may some122hem adauntevictory over theAnd sle hemdowupright letter n with macronas hogges,Christians.That have done medistruccioupright letter n with macronAnd grete disherytaunce960And eke slayn my men withwronge.Mahounde gyfe hem myschaunce!”IN the semely seson of the yere,In the spring of theOf softenesse of the sonne,964yearIn the prymsauns of grene vere,Whan flouresspryngyupright letter n with macronand bygynne,[leaf 24]And alle the floures in the fritħFreshly shews here kynde,968Than it is semely therwytħ,man ought to show hisThat manhode be in mynde;manhoodFor corage wole a man to kitħ,If he of menske haue mynde,972And of loue tolystyupright letter n with macronand lithe,and to think of love.And to sekehonuletter r with right hook, uprightfor þat ende.For none can be aFor he was neuere godewerryouletter r with right hook, upright,good warrior, unlessThat cowde not loue a-ryght;976he knows how to love.
‹p029›THE SOUDAN RALLIES HIS TROOPS.