OF THE DOINGS OF THE FRENCH KNIGHTS
As the Admiral sat at dinner there came into the hall the chieftain
who was named Lucifer, and was a special friend to the Admiral. He
said, "Is it true, as I have heard, that Fierabras, your son, who was
the very best knight in the whole world, has been overcome and taken
prisoner?" "It is true," answered the Admiral, "I will not hide the
thing from you. A French knight, whom may Mahomet confound, overcame
him. But we have taken five of King Charles's knights; seven other
knights came hither bearing a very insolent message to me from the
King, all these therefore are in prison. I gave them into the hands
of Floripas my daughter, and she has shut them up in prison."
"Sir," said Lucifer, "this was not well done of you, to trust these
prisoners to a woman, for women are apt to change, and to turn from
one thing to another. If it please you I will go and see in what
condition they are."
Then said the Admiral, "That is well counselled; go and see, and when
you return make my daughter to return with you."
So Lucifer went, and when he came to the chamber where Floripas was
he did not seek to have the door opened to him, but smote it so
stoutly with his foot that he brake down the bolts and bars.
When Floripas saw this she was very wroth, and said to Roland, "This
violence is ill-pleasing to me, Sir Roland, all the more because this
man that has done it should have been my husband, though I loved him
not. I pray you avenge me of this wrong."
"Be content, fair lady," answered Roland, "this fellow shall be made
to know of his misdoing ere he depart hence. Never did he pay so
much for the making of a lock as he shall pay for the breaking of
it." Meanwhile Lucifer entered the chamber, and coming up to the
Duke of Naymes, who was bareheaded, took him by the beard, and drew
him to himself so roughly that he had well-nigh thrown him to the
ground. "Whence come you, old man?" said he, "Tell me the truth."
The Duke told him, "I am Duke of Naymes, and I am a councillor of
King Charles, from whom I have come, with these lords whom you see,
bringing a message to the Admiral. And because what we said was not
to his liking, he has made us prisoners. But now take your hand from
my beard, you have held me long enough. And be sure that I say not
all that I think." The pagan answered him, "May be the Admiral will
forgive you your folly. But come, tell me truly of your countrymen,
how do they bear themselves, and what games do they play?" The Duke
answered, "When the King has dined every man may go where he will.
Some ride on horses, and some go into the fields, and some play at
chess or tables. In the morning every man hears Mass when it is
said; they are wont also to give alms to such as are in need. And in
battle they are not easily to be overcome."
[Illustration: BLOWING THE GREAT COAL.]
Lucifer said, "Old man, you dote; these things are naught; say, can
your folk blow at the great coal?" "I never heard of the great
coal," said the Duke. Then said Lucifer, "I will teach you the
manner of it," and he came near to a great fire that was in the
chamber, Roland making a sign meanwhile to the Duke that he should
bear with the man's way. Then Lucifer took the biggest brand that
was on the fire, and blew it so strongly that the sparks flew about
abundantly. "And now," said he to the Duke, "You must blow also."
Thereupon the Duke took the coal, and blew it so strongly that the
flame came near to the pagan's face, and burnt his beard. Lucifer
was almost out of his wits for anger, but before he could as much as
speak the Duke smote him with the brand upon the neck so strongly
that the bone was broken, and the man fell dead upon the floor. "By
my faith," said Roland, "you can play right well at blowing of the
coal. Now blessed be the arm that struck that blow." The Duke said,
"Blame me not, my friends, for ye saw how the man trifled with me."
Then said Floripas, "Sir, you are worthy of all honour. Lucifer, I
reckon, will have no more desire to play with you at the great coal.
Nor will he wish to marry me. For indeed that was his purpose.
Verily I had rather died the most villainous death than have had him
for my husband."
After a while Floripas, being a woman of wise counsel, said to the
knights, "This Lucifer that is now dead was a man much beloved by my
father, who doubtless is even now waiting for him to come to dinner.
As soon as it shall be known that he has been slain, you will be
assailed; and if you be vanquished, not all the gold in the world
will redeem you from death. Arm yourselves, therefore; and, being
armed, wait not till you are assailed in this place, but issue forth
and yourselves assail the Admiral's palace, and be sure that you do
this in such fashion as to become masters of it."
This counsel seemed good to the Knights. So they armed themselves,
and went forth, bold as lions and fierce as hungry wolves, and the
time of going forth was the hour that is between day and night.
First of all went Roland, and slew King Corsablis; next came Oliver,
and he also smote a king, Coldro by name; great was the slaughter,
for the Saracens were taken as they sat at meat. Many were killed
and not a few leapt from the windows and so perished. As for the
Admiral he escaped most narrowly; for as he leapt from a window
Roland dealt a great blow at him with his sword, and the sword made a
hole of a foot deep in the marble stone of the window. "Brother,"
said Oliver, "the Admiral has escaped from you." "You say true,"
answered Roland, "and I am but ill content." But the Frenchmen made
themselves masters of the palace, and having shut fast the gates,
were safe. But this was like to trouble them, that they had no meat.
Now the Admiral had lighted in a ditch, and now began to cry to his
men that they should draw him out. And this service Brullant and
Sortibrant did for him. And when he was drawn out, Sortibrant said
to him, "Sir Admiral, did I not say to you that you should not trust
a woman? See now what has happened. Another day you had better
believe me. Keep by the tail of an old dog, and you will not go out
of the way." The Admiral said, "Sortibrant, reproach me no more. I
will be avenged of these men before many days be passed." "That is
well," answered Sortibrant, "but now the night is far spent. I would
counsel you to do nothing before the morrow." With this the Admiral
was fain to be content. But he made great lamentation over Lucifer.
As for the Frenchmen, he vowed that he would drag them at the tails
of his horses, making sure that they could not hold out, because they
had nothing to eat, nor could their King send them any help, "for,"
said he, "all help must needs come over the bridge Mantryble, and
that bridge we hold."
The next day the Admiral having assembled a great host, began to
assail the castle with stones from slings and poisoned darts. In
this way they did but little damage, but the knights and the maidens
in the castle were sorely pressed for want of food, nor did any one
suffer more than Floripas herself, who was grieved not for herself
only, but for the knights also, and for the maidens that waited on
her. When Guy of Burgundy saw this, he said to his fellows, "It is
now three days since we had any bread. 'Tis a grievous thing to
endure; and I suffer more for these damsels than for myself. It were
better to die than to endure this pain. Let us, therefore, sally
forth, and get for ourselves some victuals." This counsel pleased
all the Frenchmen.
But Floripas said to them: "Now I see that the God whom you worship
is of little power, seeing that he suffers you to remain in such
straits. Now, if you had worshipped our gods, they would, beyond all
doubt, have furnished you with abundance of meat and drink." Roland
said, "Madam, let us see your gods. If they have such power as you
say, we will surely worship them." Then Floripas took the keys, and
took the French Knights to a place that was under the castle, where
the gods were set in great state, Apollo, to wit, and Mahomet, and
Termagaunt, and Jupiter, and others with them. Very splendid was the
place, and full of gold and jewels. Guy of Burgundy said, "Here is
store of gold: did King Charles possess this, he could set up the
churches that have been overthrown."
Floripas said: "Sir Guy, you spake blasphemy against the gods; do you
now worship them, that they may be inclined to help you." Sir Guy
answered, "Madam, I cannot pray to them, for it seems to me that they
are all asleep and take no heed of what may be said." So saying he
smote the image of Jupiter that it fell to the ground, and Ogier the
Dane smote another of the images. When they were all brought to the
ground, Roland said to Floripas, "Madam, these gods are of no power
and avail nothing." After this the maiden believed in them no longer.
After these things, Floripas having swooned for trouble and hunger,
the knights sallied forth. And Roland said, "Now some one must keep
the gates that we may be able, when the occasion comes, to enter it
again. Let the Duke Naymes therefore keep it, or Ogier the Dane."
The Duke said, "Think you, Sir Roland, that I am of estate so poor
that I will serve as your porter? Assuredly I will not do so. Old I
am, but yet I can ride my horse in battle, and my sinews are well
set, and I have enough of strength to fight my enemies." "You shall
do as you will, Sir Duke," said Roland. No man desired to take the
place. Nevertheless, at the last Thierry abode with Geoffrey to keep
the gate.
Meanwhile the Admiral, sitting at a window, saw how the Frenchmen
came forth to battle. He sent, therefore, for Sortibrant and
Brullant, and said to them, "I see that the Frenchmen are coming to
fight. If they be not all slain, I shall be very ill content." Then
the Saracens, of whom there was a great host, assailed the Frenchmen,
but could not stand against them. Roland, having his sword Durendal
in his hand, did great deeds of valour. Nor were the knights beaten
back, even though King Clarion, who was the Admiral's neighbour, came
to his help with 15,000 men. That day, therefore, the knights fought
with much glory. And when the battle was ended, there came to them a
marvellous good fortune. For they saw that there passed by the
castle twenty beasts laden with provender, bread to wit, and wine,
and venison, and a store of other victuals. These were on their way
to the Admiral, but the French knights straightway slew the escort,
and drove the beasts into the town. This thing, however, was not
accomplished without much toil and trouble.
Now the trouble was this. The French knights were so hard pressed by
a multitude of Saracens that followed King Clarion that some were
slain, as the Duke Basyn and Aubrey his son, and that Guy of Burgundy
was taken prisoner, his horse having been killed under him. The
Saracens blindfolded him and led him away, King Clarion meanwhile
scoffing at him and saying, "Cry and bray as you will, my fair
friend," for Guy called upon God to help him, "nothing will avail
you. This day I will deliver you to the Admiral, and to-morrow you
shall be hanged." The Frenchmen did marvels of valour, but they
could not stand against the multitude of their enemies, and were
constrained to take refuge within the Tower.