Howe Briere was I-slayn̄,
Ferumbras to qwite than̄ 520
To him he rode ful even̄.
With a spere vppone his shelde þan̄
Stifly ganne he strike;
The shelde he brake I-myddis the feelde; 524
His Hawberke wolde not breke.
Many goode strokes were delte.
Ferumbras was a-greved tho,
He smote with mayne and mygħte 528 and the worthy Hubert.
The nekke asonder, the ventayle also,
That dede he sate vprighte.
There was bataile harde and stronge;
Many a steede wente ther a-straye, 532
And leyen at the grounde I-stonge,
That resyn never aftyr that day,
IX thousand of the payens pride 9000 pagans were
That day were slayn̄, 536 killed,
And viij thousande of the Romaynes side, and 8000 Romans.
That in the feelde dede lay«n»e.
Lukafere, þat paynym proude, Lukafer destroyed
Slough Romaynes eyȝtene, 540 eighteen Romans,
Of wer[rh] moche sorowe he coude, he also slew Gyndard,
His strokes were over alle sene. a senator of Rome,
Gyndarde, a Senatoure of Rome, who had slain ten
Had slayne Sarsenys ten̄, 544 [leaf 14] Saracens.
Tille he met with the cursed gome,
Lukifere slough him than.
Tho come the Pope with grete aray, Then came the Pope
His baner to-fore him wente. 548 with a great guard
Ferumbras than gan̄ to assaye, and his banner before
If he myght that praye entente, him.
Supposynge in this though[t]e, Ferumbras, supposing
Ther was the souerayne; 552 him to be the
He spared him therfore rigħt nogħt, sovereign,
[p017 FERUMBRAS ENCOUNTERS THE POPE.]
But bare him down̄ ther in þ^e playn̄. burst open the thick
Anoon̄ he sterte on him all ane crowd and threw him
His Ventayle for to onlace, 556 down to the ground.
And saugh his crown̄ newe shafe, But seeing his
A-shamed thanne he was. tonsure, he was
“Fye, preest, god gyfe the sorowe! ashamed.
What doist thou armede in the feelde, 560 “Fie, priest,”
That sholdest saie thi matyns on morwe, he said, “what
What doist thoᶙ witħ spere and shelde? doest thou in the
I hoped, thoᶙ hadiste ben̄ an Emp«er»oure, battle-field?
Or a Cheftayne of this Ooste here, 564
Or some worthy conqueroure.
Go home and kepe thy Qwe[rh]!
Shame it were to me certayne It would be a shame
To sle the in this bataile, 568 for me to slay thee.
Therfore turne the home agayn̄!” Go home and think of
The Pope was gladde þ«er»-of certayne,[112] thy choir-service!”
He wente home to Rome that nyght The Pope retired with
Witħ Five thousande and no more, 572 5000 men,
XV thousande lefte in the feelde aplight, 15,000 being killed.
Full grete sorowe was therfore.
NOWE telle we of the messange[rh],
That wente to Charlemayne, 576 Charlemagne, having
Certyfyinge him by lettres dere, learned from the
Howe the Romaynes were slayne, messenger the great
And howe the Contrey brente was disaster which had
Vnto the Gate of Rome, 580 befallen the Romans,
And howe the people song ‘alas,’
Tille socoure from him come.
“Who” q«uo»d Charles, that worthy kinge, said, he would not
“The Sowdon̄ and Ferumbras? 584 desist until he had
I nyl lette for no thinge, [leaf 15] chased the
Till I him oute of Cristendome chace. soudan and Ferumbras
Therefore Gy of Burgoyn̄, out of Christendom.
Mynne owen nevewe so trewe, 588
[p018 THE SARACENS AGAIN ATTACK THE CITY.]
Take a thausande pounde of Frankis fyne, He gave 1000 pounds
To wage wytħ the pepul newe. of francs to his
Take this with the nowe at this tyme, nephew Guy of
And more I wole sende the, 592 Burgundy,
Loke that thou spare no hors ne shelde, and sent him off with
But þat he dede be; orders to advance
And faste hye the thyderwarde, against the soudan by
For I drede thay haue grete nede, 596 forced marches.
And I shalle come aftirwarde Himself would follow
As faste, as I may me spede.” as soon as possible.
SPEKE we of Sir Laban̄
And let Charles and Gy be, 600
Howe he ordeyned for hem than̄
To Distroye Rome Citee.
“Sir Lukafe[rh], thou madiste thi boost Laban reminded
To conque[rh] the Romaynes 604 Lukafer of his
And to bringe me the Ooste vaunting promise to
Of the xij peris and Charlemayne. bring him Charlemagne
Vppon̄ a condicion̄ I graunte the and his douzepeers,
My doghter, dere Dame Floripas. 608 in return for his
Wherefore, I aske nowe of the daughter Floripas.
To holde coven«au»nte in this cas.”
“That I saide” q«uo»d Lucafere, Lukafer said, he
“To Mahounde I make a vowe 612 would do all he had
To done al þat I hight the the[rh], promised.
Ye and more th«a»n[113] for Florip love.”
He ordeyned assaute anone in haste With 10,000 men he
With x thousande men and moo; 616 attacked the city on
And Ferumbras at that oþ«er» side faste one side, the other
Assailed hem with grete woo. being assaulted by
The saute endured al þ«a»t daye Ferumbras. The combat
From morowe, tille it was nyght, 620 continues as long as
To throwe and shete by eu«er»y waye, daylight lasts. At
While that hem endured the light. night they retired to
Tho wente thai home to thai[rh] tentys, their tents.
[p019 THEY ENTER ROME BY TREASON.]
Tille it were on the morowe. 624 Isres, who possessed
Isres in his fals ententes by inheritance
Purposed treson̄ and sorowe. the guard of the
He was chief Porter of the Town̄, [leaf 16] principal
By heritage and fee so he shulde be. 628 gate, planned treason.
He wente to the Sowdan̄, He repaired to the
For the riche Cite betraye woolde he, soudan and offered to
And saide “lorde, gife me grace betray the city on
For my goodes and for me, 632 condition that his
And I wole del«yu»er the this place life and property
To haue and holde for ever in fee. should be spared.
The keyes of this riche Cite
I haue in my bandon.” 636
“That gr«a»unte I” q«uo»d Laban “the The soudan promised
To be free withoute raunson̄.” it.
Ferumbras made him yare, Ferumbras with 20,000
With xx^{ti} thousand men̄ and moo, 640 men went with Isres.
With this Isres for to fare,
And to wynne the Cite soo.
As sone as he entred was On entering the gate,
The chief Gate of alle, 644
And alle his men in aras,[114] he caused the
He lete the Portcolys falle. traitor’s head to be
He smote of the traitourus hede struck off by the
And saide “god gife him care! 648 portcullis, and
Shal he never more ete brede,
All traito«ur»s evel mot[115] thai fare!
If he myght leve and reigne here,
He wolde betraye me; 652
For go he west, soutħ or Nortħ,
Traito«ur» shalle he never be.” to be carried on the
He dide lete bere his hede on a spere point of a spear
Througħ-oute this faire Citee. 656 through the city.
‘Treson, treson̄’ thai cried there, “Treason,” cried the
Pite 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. 660
The hye wey ful of dede men laye, and all streets were
And eke by every lanys side. soon covered with
Ferumbras to Seinte Petris wente, dead men. Ferumbras
And alle the Relekes he seased anoon̄, 664 went to St. Peter’s,
The Crosse, the Crown̄, the Nailes bente; seized the relics,
He toke hem with him everychone. the cross, the crown
He dide dispoile al the Cite and the nails,
Both of tresoure and of goolde, 668
And after that brente he [leaf 17] burned
Alle þat ever myght be toolde. the whole city, and
And alle the tresoure witħ hem þai bare carried away all the
To the Cite of Egremou[rh]. 672 treasures and the
Laban the Sowdon̄ soiourned there[116] gold to Agremore,
Thre monþes and thre dayes more where the soudan went
In myrtħ and Ioye and grete solas. to stay. Three months
And to his goddes offrynge he made, 676 and three days they
He and his sone Sir Ferumbras spent there in great
Here goddis of golde dide fade, festivities, making
Thai brente Franken̄sense, offerings to their
That smoked vp so stronge, 680 gods, and burning
The Fume in her presence, frankincense in their
It lasted alle alonge. honour.
Thai blewe hornes of bras,
Thai dronke beestes bloode. 684 They drank the blood
Milke and hony ther was, of beasts and milk,
That was roial and goode. and ate honey and
Serpentes in Oyle were fryed snakes fried in oil.
To serve þ^e Sowdon̄ with alle, 688
“Antrarian Antrarian” thai lowde cryed
That signyfied ‘Ioye generalle.’
Thus thai lived in Ioye and blis
Two monþes or thre. 692
Lete we now be alle this,
[p021 GUY AND CHARLEMAGNE APPROACH.]
And of Gye nowe speke we.
NOW speke we of Sir Gȳe
That toward Rome hied witħ his Oost. 696
Whan̄ he approched there-to so nyȝe, When Sir Guy drew
That he myght se the cooste, near Rome, finding
Alle on a flame þat Cite was, the whole city in
That thre myle al abowte, 700 flames,
Ther durst no man̄, þat ther was,
Come nyȝe the Cite for grete dowte.
That was a sory Cite than,
Sir Gye was in grete care, 704 he grieved much
Ther was nowhere a soryer man̄,
For sorowe he sighed ful sare,
And saide “welallas”[117] the while
“For we come ar to late, 708 that he had arrived
For by some treson or some gyle too late.
Thai entred in at some Gate.
There is no more but for to abyde, He resolved there to
Tille Charles come, the kinge, 712 wait for Charlemagne
In this mede Vnder grene wode side, [leaf 18]
To telle him of this tithinge, and then to tell him,
Howe Laban hath the Cite brente how Laban had burnt
And bore the Religes[118] a-waye, 716 the city, and had
And howe he hath hem to Spayne sente sent the relics to
With Shippes of grete aray, Agremore,
To Egremou[rh] his chief Cite, his principal town in
Ther to live and ende; 720 Spain.
And manassitħ Charles and his baronye.
God gife hem evelle ende!”
Kinge Charles he forgate nought King Charles advanced
To come to reskowe Rome, 724 to rescue Rome with
Alle his Doȝypers were I-sought, his douzepeers
Fulle sone to him thay come.
Thre hundred thousande of Sowdeoures and 300,000 soldiers.
[p022 CHARLES HEARS OF THE MISCHIEF DONE BY THE SARACENS.]
Kinge Charles with him dide lede, 728
They were doughty in all stourys
And worthy men of dede.
Sir Roulande þat worthy knighte, Roland led the
He ladde the Fowarde, 732 vanguard,
And Sir Olyue[rh], that was so wighte, Oliver the rear,
Gouerned the Rerewarde.
The Kinge himselfe and his Baronye, the king was
With Dukes And Erilles roialle, 736
Gouerned alle the medil partye. with the main body.
By co«m»maundemente generall
He ordeynede grete plente The provisions
Of Flessh and Fissh, brede and wyne, 740
In 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, 744 went to
He wente anoon̄ ayen the kinge meet the king, and
And tolde him of þat myschaunce, told him the mischief
Howe that the cursed Sowdan̄ done by the soudan,
Hath brent Rome and bore the Relekis awaye, 748
And how he hath slayn̄ alle and some,
That he hatħ founde of Cristen̄ faye.
And more-over he made his a-vowe, who moreover had made
To seke kinge Charles in Fraunce 752 a vow to seek Charles
And do him wo ther I-nowe. in France in order
“God gif him moch myschaunce!”— to afflict him with
“A” q«uo»[d+] Charles “þat neditħ noght, grief. [leaf 19] “He
He shal fynde me nere. 756 will find me near,”
By god, þat dere me bogħt, said Charles, “and
He shal by it ful dere. shall dearly pay for
I shalle him never leve I-wis it.
Withinne walle ner witħoute, 760
I swere by god and seinte Denys,
Tille I have sought him oute; Unless he consents to
And but if he will Baptised be be baptized,
[p023 HE GOES OVER TO SPAIN.]
And lefe his fals laye, 764
Babyloyne shal he never see he never shall see
For alle his grete aray.” Babylon again.” They
Anoon to shippe every man̄ all took ship without
With vitaile and with store, 768 delay.
Euen towarde the proud Sawdan̄
With-outen̄ any more.
Wynde him blewe ful fayre and goode
Into the Ryver of Gaȝe, 772 Propitious winds
Even over the salte flode drove them into the
And ouer the profounde rase. river Gase, where
XXX legeeȝ from Egremou[rh] they landed, 30 miles
By londe for south it is, 776 from Agremore,
And ther withoute any more
To londe thai wente I-wis,
And brente and sloughen̄ al þ«a»t thai
fonde, and laid waste the
And stroyed both Toure and town̄. 780 country.
Thai lefte no thinge on grounde,
That thai ne bete it down̄.
Tithinggis were tolde to Laban, Laban, hearing this
Howe Charles was I-come 784 news,
And slough bouth childe, wyfe, man
And brente and stroyed alle and some
With thre hundred thousand of Bacheleris,
That were both stoute and gaye, 788
And with him al his Dosyperis,
Pepul of grete araye.
“And but ye ordeyne remedy,
He wole you brenne and sloon̄, 792
Youe and youre riche Baronye,
He wole leve a-life neu«er»e oon̄.”
Whan Laban herde these tidyngys,
His herte woxe alle coolde 796
And saide “this is a wonder thinge! [leaf 20]
Howe durste he be so boolde? was astonished at
Litill ke«n»nyth he what I may doo, Charles’s presumption.
[p024 A GREAT BATTLE ENSUES.]
He dredith me litil nowe. 800
But certes he shalle, e[rh] he goo,
To Mahounde I make a vowe.
Sir Lucafe[rh] and Ferumbras He assembled all his
To him dide he calle 804 barons,
And Mavon̄ and Sortebras
And his Barons alle.
I charge you vppon̄ youre legeaunce,
That ye bringe me that gloton, 808 and charged them to
That clepeth himselfe kinge of Fraunce, bring him alive that
Hidere to my Pavilon̄. glutton that called
Kepe him a-live, the remenaunte sle himself king of
The xij Peris ychoon̄! 812 France, and to slay
I shalle tech him curtesye, the remnant.
I swere by god Mahounde.”
Ferumbras anoon̄ than Ferumbras went forth
Arrayed him for to ride 816 with many Saracens.
With proude Sarasyns many a man,
That boldely durst a-bide.
Rowlande met with Ferumbras He meets with Roland.
And gafe him such a stroke 820
That al astonyed þerof he was,
It made him lowe to stoupe.
Ferombras smote him agayne They deal each other
With myghte and may«n», with ire 824 heavy strokes.
That he stenyed alle his brayne,
Him thought, his eyen̄ were alle on fyre.
With Lucafe[rh] Olive[rh] mette, Oliver cuts off a
And hit him on the sheelde 828 quarter of Lukafer’s
A stroke, that was right wel sette; shield.
A quarter flye in the feelde.
Thus thai hurteled to-gedere The combat lasted the
Alle the lefe longe daye, 832 whole day.
Nowe hider and nowe theder;
Mony an hors wente ther astraye. Well fought the
The Dosyperis thay foughten wele, twelve peers.
[p025 CHARLES ENCOUNTERS FERUMBRAS AND LUKAFER.]
Duke Neymys and Oge[rh], 836
With goode swerdes of fyne stele
And so dide Gye and Syr Brye[rh].
Ferumbras was euer a-bowte [leaf 21]
To fyghte witħ Olyvere, 840 Ferumbras charges
And Olyue[rh] with-oute dowte Oliver.
Leyde on with goode chere.
Kinge Charles saugh Ferumbras, King Charles, seeing
To him fast he rode 844 this, rides on to
And it on the helme witħ his mace, Ferumbras,
That stroke sadlye abode. and strikes his helm
Ferumbras was woode for woo, with his heavy mace.
He myght for prees come him to 848 Ferumbras cannot
For no worldis thinge, that myght be tho. approach him on
Kinge Charles anoon[119] Ioye oute-drowe, account of the crowd.
And with his owen honde Charlemagne with his
XXX^{ti} Sarseynys ther he slowe, 852 sword Mounjoy slew 30
That 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, 856 encountering Charles,
And saide “Sir, with harde grace,
What hastowe here to done?
I behight Laban to bringe the to him told him that he had
And the xij peris alle; 860 promised the soudan
Now shaltowe come from al thy kyn to bring him Charles
Into the Sowdans halle. and the douzepeers.
Yelde the to me” he saide,
“Thy life shalle I safe.” 864
A stroke on him than Charles layde; Charles strikes him
He made the Paynym to rafe. on his helmet,
He smote him on the helme
With mown-Ioye, his gode bronde. 868
Ne hadde he be reskued than,
He hade slayn him with his honde.
[p026 THE SARACENS QUIT THE FIELD.]
Than came Baldeȝynȝ with thronge but Lukafer is
To reskue there here lorde, 872 rescued by a great
And nubens with hem amonge throng. Roland,
And Turkes by one accorde. drawing Durendale,
Tho Roulande Durnedale oute-drowe cleared a space
And made Ro«m»me[120] abowte. 876 around him and
XL of hem ther he slowe,
Tho were thai in grete dowte.
Roulande as fiers as a lion̄
With Durnedale[121] tho dinge 880 hammered the heads of
Vppon the Sarsyns crowne, the Saracens.
As harde as he myght flynge. [leaf 22]
Duke Neymys and Sir Olyue[rh], So do the other peers,
Gy and Alloreynes of Loreyne, 884
And alle the noble xij Peris,
Oge[rh] and Brye[rh] of Brytayne,
Thai foughten as feythfully in þat fight,
The feelde ful of dede men laye. 888
XXX^{ti} thousande, I you plight, and 30,000 Saracens
Of Sarsenys ther were slayn̄. were slain.
Al thinge moste haue an̄ ende,
The nyghte come on ful sone, 892 At night the Pagans
Every wighte retourned to wende; quit the field.
Ferumbras to his men gan gone
And saide “oure hornes blowe we,
This day haue we a ful ille afraye, 896
To saie the south and not to lye,
Oure goddis holpe vs not to daye,
What devel þat ever hem̄ eilith.
This bataile was so sharpe in faye, 900
That many a man it wailyth.
Shalle I never in herte be glade to daye, Ferumbras vows, never
Till I may preve my myghte to desist
With Roulande, that proude ladde, 904
Or with Olyue[rh], that is so lighte,
[p027 CHARLES PRAISES THE OLD KNIGHTS.]
That evel hath vs ladde;
And in Paris be crowned kinge unless he be crowned
In despite of hem alle, 908 king at Paris.
I wole leve for no thinge
What so evere byfalle.”
Kinge Charles with grete honou[rh] Charles went to his
Wente to his Pavilon̄; 912 pavilion and
Of the treyumple he bare the flou[rh]
In dispite of Mahounde.
Almyghty God and Seynte Denyse thanked God
He thanked ful ofte sithe 916
And oure lady Marie of Paris, and St. Mary of
That made hem gladde and blitħ. France.
He recomendide the olde Knightes, He praised the elder
That þat daye hade the victorye, 920 knights for having
And charged the yonge with al her myghtes won the victory and
To haue hem in memorye; exhorted the young
For worthynesse wole not be hadde, ones
But 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, 928
Howe ye shalle both hurle and rage
In felde with sheelde and spere.
And take ensample of the xij Peris, to take an example by
Howe thai have proved her myght, 932 them.
And howe thai were both wight and fiers
To wy«n»nen honourys in righte.
These hethen houndes we shal a-tame
By God in magiste, 936 They make merry and
Let us make myrtħ in goddis name go to supper.
And to souper nowe goo we.” Prayer addressed
“O THOW, rede Marȝ Armypotente, to the red Mars
That in the trende baye hase made þy trone, 940 Armipotent,
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 moone 944
Witħ herte, body and alle myn entente,
A crown̄ of precious stoones,
And howe to the I gyfe
Withouten fraude or engyne, 948
Vppon̄ thy day to make offerynge,
And so shal I ever, while þat I live;
By righte þat longith to my laye,
In worshipe of thy reverence 952
On thyn owen Tewesdaye
With myr[rh], aloes and Frankensense,
Vppon̄ condicion̄ that thou me gr«a»unte, to grant the
The victorye of Crystyn̄ Dogges, 956 Mahometans the
And that I may some[122] hem adaunte victory over the
And sle hem down̄ as hogges, Christians.
That have done me distruccion̄
And grete disherytaunce 960
And eke slayn my men w«i»t«h» wronge.
Mahounde gyfe hem myschaunce!”
IN the semely seson of the yere, In the spring of the
Of softenesse of the sonne, 964 year
In the prymsauns of grene vere,
Whan floures spryngyn̄ and bygy«n»ne, [leaf 24]
And alle the floures in the fritħ
Freshly shews here kynde, 968
Than it is semely therwytħ, man ought to show his
That manhode be in mynde; manhood
For corage wole a man to kitħ,
If he of menske haue mynde, 972
And of loue to lystyn̄ and lithe, and to think of love.
And to seke honu[rh] for þat ende. For none can be a
For he was neu«er»e gode werryou[rh], good warrior, unless
That cowde not loue a-ryght; 976 he knows how to love.
[p029 THE SOUDAN RALLIES HIS TROOPS.]
For loue hath made many a conquerou[rh]
And many a worthy knighte.
This worthy Sowdan, though he heþen we[rh], The soudan was a
He was a worthy conquerou[rh]; 980 great conqueror;
Many a contrey with shelde and spere
He conquerede wyth grete honoure.
And his worthy sone Ferumbras, Ferumbras and
That kinge was of Alisaund[rh], 984
And Lucafe[rh] of Baldas, Lukafer wrought
That cruel kinge of Cassaund[rh],
That wroughten wonders w«i»t«h» here honde wonders with their
With myghte and mayne for to fyghte, 988 hands.
And over-ride mony a manly londe,
As men of Armes hardy and wighte.
The Sowdan seyinge this myschief,
How Charles hade him a-greved, 992
That grevaunce was him no thinge
lese,[123]
He was ful sore ameved.
He sente oute his bassatoures The soudan sent for
To Realmes, provynces fer[rh] and ne[rh], 996 his vassals,
To Townes, Citeis, Castels and Tours,
To come to him the[rh] he were,
To Inde Maior and to Assye,
To Ascoloyne, Venys, Frige and Ethiope, 1000
To Nubye, Turkye and Barbarye,
To Macedoine, Bulga[rh] and to Europe.
Alle these people was gadred to Agremore, and assembled more
Thre hundred thousand of Sarsyns felle, 1004 than 300,000 Saracens
Some bloo, some yolowe, some blake as at Agremore.
more,
Some horible and stronge as devel of
helle.
He made hem drinke Wilde beestes bloode, [leaf 25]
Of Tigre, Antilope and of Camalyon̄, 1008
As is here vse to egre here mode,
Whan þai in werre to battayle goon.
He saide to hem “my frendes de[rh], He addressed them in
As my trust is alle in you, 1012 order
[p030 THE SARACENS SACRIFICE TO THEIR GODS.]
On these Frenche dogges, that bene here, to increase their
Ye moste avenge me nowe. ardour,
Thai have done me vilanye,
Mikille of my people have thay slayn̄. 1016
And yet more-over thay manace me
And drive me to my contrey agayn;
Wherefore I wole at the bygynnynge ordered a solemn
To Mahounde and to my goddis alle 1020 sacrifice to his gods,
Make a solempne offerynge;
The better shall it vs byfalle.
The laste tyme thai were wrothe,
We hade not done oure dute. 1024
Therefore to saye the southe” . . . .
There were many hornys blowe,
The preestes senden̄ thikke I-nowe
Goolde, and silver thikke thai throwe, 1028
With noyse and crye thai beestes slowe,
And thought to spede wel I-nowe;
And every man his vowe he made
To venge the Sowdan̄ of his tene. 1032
Here goddis of golde thai wex alle fade,
The smoke so grete was hem bitwene.
Whan alle was done, the Sowdan than
Charged Ferumbras redy to be 1036 and charged Ferumbras
On the morowe, ere day began,
To ride oute of þat Cite
With xxx^{ti} thousande of Assiens, to march with 30,000
Frigys, Paens and Ascoloynes, 1040 of his people
Turkis, Indeis and Venysyens,
Barbarens, Ethiopes and Macidoynes,
“Bringe him to me, that proude kinge; against the Christian
I shal him teche curtesye, 1044 King, whom he wished
Loke that thou leve for nothinge to teach courtesy,
To sle alle his other mayne, [leaf 26] and to slay
Safe Rouland and Olyuere, all his men except
That bene of grete renowne, 1048 Roland and Oliver,
[p031 FERUMBRAS CHALLENGES 6 CHRISTIAN KNIGHTS TO SINGLE COMBAT.]
If thai wole reneye he[rh] goddis the[rh] if they would
And leven on myghty Mahounde.” renounce their
FERUMBRAS with grete araye gods. Ferumbras led
Rode forthe, Mahounde him spede, 1052 out his troops;
Tille he came nyȝe the[rh] Charles lay until arriving near
By syde in a grene mede. Charles’s camp, he
In a woode he buskede his men ordered them to
Prively that same tyde, 1056 halt in a wood, and
And with his felowes noon but ten advanced with only
To kinge Charles he gan ride ten of his men to the
And said “si[rh] kinge, that Arte so kene, camp of Charlemagne,
Upon trwes I come to speke with the, 1060
If thou be curteis, as I wene,
Thou wolte gr«a»unte a bone to me,
That I migħte fight vppon̄ this grene, and offered him to
With Rouland, Olyvere and Gye, 1064 fight at once against
Duke Neymes and Oge[rh] I mene, Roland, Oliver, Guy,
Ye and Duke Richarde of Normandye, Duke Naymes, Ogier
With al sex attones to fight. the Dane, and Richard
My body I prof[rh] here to the 1068 of Normandy.
And requyre the, kinge, thoᶙ do me right,
As thou art gentille Lord and fre;
And if I may conquere hem in fere, If he should conquer
To lede them home to my Faderis halle; 1072 them, he would lead
And if thai me, I gr«a»unte the here, them away to his
To be thy man, body and alle.” father’s hall; if he
The kinge Answered with word«is» mylde should be conquered,
And saide “felowe, þat neditħ nought, 1076 he would be his man.
I shalle fynde of myn̄ a Childe,
That shal the fynde that thou hast
sought.”
The kinge lete calle Sir Roulande The king sent for
And saide “thou most with this man figħt, 1080 Roland and ordered
To take this bataile here on honde, him to undertake
Ther-to God gyfe the grace and myghte!” the combat. Roland
Roulande answered with woordis boolde refuses,
And saide “Sir, have me excuse[d+]!” 1084
[p032 ROLAND REFUSES TO UNDERTAKE THE COMBAT.]