The right plesaunt and goodly historie of the foure sonnes of Aymon. Englisht from the French by William Caxton, and printed by him about 1489. Ed. from the unique copy, now in the possession of Earl Spencer, with an introduction by Octavia Richardson.

CHAPTER XXVI.

¶ How after that the kynge [folio I.I.vi.a] charlemagn had receyved full swetly the sones of reynawd, thei fought with the sones of folques / and discomfited them in thile of our lady, wythin paris, bycause thei had layd treison vpon reynaud their fader / for cause that he had slayn folques in the playn of valcolours /

Now sheweth the tale, that after that aymonet & yonnet were departed fro their fader, thei rode somoche by their iourneis / that they cam to paris / and lodged theim by the paleys / And whan thei were lodged / the ii children clothed theimself honestly, & all their folke / and thenne thei went wyth their feliship, holdyng eche other by thandes, to the paleys / And whan the barons of charlemagn sawe com the two bredern so richely arayed, & suche a goodly feliship of knyghtes after theim, they merveylled gretly what thei myght be / so sayd thone to thother / 'here be two fair children, and by liklihode they shold be bredern / and they must be of som hie linage' / The barons thenne folowed theym / whan they mounted to the palays / And they entred wythin the grete halle, where they founde the kyng charlemagn / that devysed with som of his barons; and there was the duke naymes, richard of normandi, salamon of breten, ogyer

of denmarke, therle ganellon / and also constans & rohars / whiche two hated reynaud of mountalban right sore, for they were the sones of foulques of morillon, that Reynaud had slayn in the playne of valcolours, when he ¹& his bredern¹ defended theim so well at the roche mountbron / Thise ii. bredern, constans & rohars, had grete name in the courte / but their hertes were full false / and the kynge charlemagn loved theim well for their prowes & grete knightehode / Wyth charlemagn were also many other grete pryncis & barons / wherof the boke maketh noo mencyon, ¹For it were to longe a thynge to be recounted¹ /

[folio I.I.vi.b] Thenne whan the ii bredern, ¹the sones of Reynawd of mountalban,¹ were com in to the hall / they sawe the kinge among his barons. soo went they vnto hym, & kneled doun afore hym, and kyssed his fete / and thenne aymonet spake first, & sayd / 'Syre, god gyve you good liff & longe / and kepe from evyll all your noble company / Syre, we are com to you for to have thordre of knyghthode / ¹yf it playse your gode grace to give it vs¹ / for of noo better hande than is yours we can not have it; wherfore, sir, we beseche you humbly for god, & for the love of our fader, that it wille plaise you to reteyne vs in your servyse vnto the tyme ye gyve the sayd ordre of knyghthode' / 'Who ben you,' sayd the king, 'that speke thus?' 'sire,' ¹sayd aymonet¹ / 'we are the sones of reynawde of mountalban' / And whan the kyng charlemagne vnderstode that they were the sones of reynaude, he rose vpon his fete lightly, & receyved theim honourably, and after sayd vnto theim, 'My children, ye be right welcom / and how fareth your fader?' 'sire,' sayd the children /

'he dooth well, thanked be god / and he recomendeth him right humbly to your good grace, besechyng you that ye will have vs for recomended / and we have left him at mountalban / but he draweth now sore to age.' 'Thus gothe the worlde, my children' / sayd the kyng, 'every man muste take in it an ende.' Moche glad was the kyng charlemagne of the comyng of the two sones of reynawd, and right gladly he loked vpon theym for the love of their fader; for the more he behelde theim, and the more fayrer he founde theym, & better liked theym, and well he loved theim, bycause they were like the fader; and whan he had loked vpon theim ynoughe / he sayd to his barons / 'Lordes, if the children wold forsake their fader / they cowde not, for never children were more like to him / than they;' and whan he had sayd soo, he torned toward [folio I.I.vii.a] the children / and said to theim / 'Fayr children, ye shal be made knyghtes at all tymes whan ye wyll / for the love of your fader, my good frende / and I shall gyve you moo londes than your father hathe, and for love of you / I shall make an hundred knyghtes more wyth you, for ye ben of suche a stocke come / that ye ben worthy to be honoured, praised, & holden dere' / And thenne whan the duke naymes, rowlande, & olivere that came there, & all the other peres of fraunce saw that they were the two sones of reynawd of mountalban, they were ryght glad of it / and thenne every man kyssed theym by grete love, and asked theym how reynaude & his bredern dyde / 'Lordes,' ⁴sayd aymonet,⁴ 'what are you that be so glad of our comyng' / 'children,' sayd the duke naymes / 'we ben all you[r] kinnesmen.' And thenne the duke naymes tolde theim all their names / and whan the children knewe what they were / thei meked theymself

byfore theim honestly; and after, yonnet sayd to theim / 'Lordes, our fader greteth you well, and prayeth you that ye wylle have vs for recomended as your kynnesmen.' And thenne whan the barons herde the two children speke soo wysly / they were glad of it, & also of their comynge. But the ii. sones of foulques of moryllon were full sory & wroth for it. 'bi my soule,' said constans to his broder rohars, 'the fader of thise two children slewe our fader / wherof the hert in my body swelleth highe for angre that I see theim here; nor my eyen can not loke vpon theim' / 'broder,' sayd rohars, 'nor I nother, by my trouth / but I counseyll not that we fyghte wyth theim not here, for it were foly. But lete vs awayte a tyme & place covenable / for sith that they shall dwelle here / we shall avenge vs vpon theym' / 'Broder,' sayd constans, 'lete vs doo one thing that I shall telle you / whiche is easy for to doo, that ye shal call thone of treyson, & I thother, saieng [folio I.I.vii.b] that theyr fader slewe our fader by treyson. And also we shall prove that their fader wrought treyson agenst the kinge charlemagn' / 'Broder,' sayd rohars / 'ye speke well: we must suffre a while tyll we see how they shall bere theimself in court / for & they doo ony otherwyse than they ought to doo, we shall mow kille theim, & be not blamed for it.' After this doon / ye ought to knowe that the children of reynaude of mountalban / bare theimself full honestly in court, for all ye barons loved theim dere, save oonly the two sones of foulques of morillon, wherof aymonet & yonnet perceyved it right well / and spake not wyth theim / nor haunted theim not. It was grete merveylle of the grete yeftes that ³the sones of aymon³ gaff to the barons & gentylmen of the court charlemagn, as were fayr

horses, & harneys, & many clothes of silke of dyverse colours / and in likewyse they gaff to the ladyes & gentilwymen fair gownes of clothe, of gold, & of silver. And of thother part they kept a grete astate & goode hous to all pour gentylmen & esquyres / and dyde somoche good that they were gretly praysed of every man / What sholde I telle you more / the children of reynaude dyde somoche in the court of the kyng charlemain, that of all the worlde they were loved / and pryncipally of the kynge charlemagn / Whan the kyng sawe that they behaved theym soo well & so wysly in his court / he was ryght glad of it, soo loved he theim moost of ony yong knightes of his court, and made theim his keruers afore him / And thenne whan the ii sones of folques sawe that the kyng loved theim so moche, they were full angry / in somoche that they wexed mad all quycke for it / and soo sware by grete angre that they shold slee theim, or ever they sholde goo from the courte. It happed soo that on wytsondaye evyn, as the kynge was atte Parys, and wolde [folio I.I.viii.a] kepe open court, and there were aymonet & yonnet wyth thother barons in the hall / This hanging, aryved there a knighte of almayn, that presented to the kyng a fayr knyff, after the facyon of the londe. thenne called the kyng yonnet, & gaaff it hym by grete love / and whan yonnet had receyved this yefte of the kyng, & as he sholde have goon to his place agen, he shoved constans wyth his elbow agenst his wyll; and whan constans sawe that yonnet had doon soo / he had grete dyspite at it / and sayd, 'what is this? must there be somoche set bi thise two boyes, the sones of a traytour / whiche ben not worthe a roten apple / and thys one is all redi becom soo proude that he hath now shoved me wyth his elbow by grete envy & pryde.' moche other langage constans sayd by yonnet, whiche he

ought not for to saie. And whan yonnet herde that constans had called him the sone of a traytour / he was sore an angred. So cam he to hym, & sayd, 'constans, ye have lerned a fowle crafte / that ys, that ye can speke shrewdly wythoute a cause lawfull. why for I have herde that ye have called me & my broder the sones of a traytour / and that the kyng knowethe well that our fader slewe yours by treyson / wherof I wylle ye wyte that ye lie falsly / but your fader dyde assaylle our by treyson / as a traytour / come of the linage of traytours. But god wold not that my fader sholde deie soo, nor myn vncles. My fader slewe your fader, it is trouth; but it was in his defendyng of his body / and he dyde thenne as a noble knyghte / as he is / and yf ye be soo hardy that ye wylle mayntene that he dyde it by treyson / here I cast now my gage afore this noble companye / sayeng that ye have lied falsly / ¹save the reverence of the kinge, and of his felishyp.'¹

Thenne whan the kyng charlemagn sawe that none of the barons sayd noo thynge of the striffe of yonnet [folio I.I.viii.b] and of constans / he was angry for it, & sayd / 'Constans, ye doo grete wrong for to saye that I & the twelve peres of fraunce knowe well that reynaude of mountalban slewe your fader by treyson. holde your peas,' sayd charlemagne. 'For yf ye knewe well how the matere is, ye sholde not speke of it / wherefore I commaunde you, in asmoche as ye fere to angre me, that ye make amendes to yonnet of that ye have sayd / or elles voide incontynent my court & my royame / for ye have trowbled all my courte / wherof I am not contente.' And whan rohars herde this that the kyng charlemagn had sayd to constance his broder / he was angry, and soo rose on his fete and sayd, 'Sire, I am redi for to prove vpon aymonet that his fader slew our fader by treyson, and here is my gage' /

'Rohars,' sayd Charlemagne, 'here ye take a wronge waye, and it shall be to you over late whan ye shall repente it.' whan aymonet & yonnet vnderstode thyse wordes / they kneled afore charlemagn, & sayd to him / 'Sir, for god we pray you right humbly that ye take the gages that rohars hath cast / for wyth goddys grace we shall well defende our fader of the treyson / that they put vpon him.' 'Children,' sayd the kyng / 'sith it playse you that I take theim / I shall doo soo' / and thenne the kyng charlemagn toke the gages / and constans avaunced hymself & sayd / 'Sire, we vnderstonde that we shall fyght two & two, thone agenst thother.' ¶ whan the kyng charlemayn had taken the gages of bataylle of constans & of rohars, he asked theym who shold be their seurtes? thenne lept forth the traytour guenellon, berenger, escouff of morillon, lion of pignabell, and gryfon of haute braunche / the whiche sayd vnto kyng charlemagn, 'Syre, we wyll be suretes for constans & rohars, for they be of our linage' / 'Lordes,' sayd charlemagn, 'I take theim you to kepe; And I charge you to brynge theym agayn to the [folio K.K.i.a] court whan tyme shall be.' 'Syre,' sayd the suretees, 'we shall doo as ye commaunde vs.' and whan the kyng had receyved the suretees of constans & of rohars / aymonet & yonnet came forth / and sayd in this manere / 'Syre, here ben our gages, how that we will defende that our fader slew never foulques of moryllon by treyson.' 'Children,' sayd the kyng charlemain, 'ye speke well / but I must have surete of you, as I have of ye other party / yf I wyll doo reyson' / Thenne lept forth rowland, oliver, the duke naymes of bavyre, ogier of denmarke, richarde of normandy, & escouff the sone of oedon, whiche sayd to ye

kyng / 'Syre, we ben suretees for the sones of reynaude / and we shall present theym to you at the daye of bataille' / 'Sire,' sayd the kyng charlemagn, 'it playseth me well; but the children of reynaude ben not yet knyghtes as ye knowe, but by the feyth that I owe to god, they shall be to morowe, and thenne we shall sende our lettres to reynawd, that he come for to see the bataylle of his children / for this daye fourthy dayes I devyse it.' Whan came at thevyn, the kyng charlemain made be called his stywarde, & sayd to hym / 'Goo, and brynge me to morowe the sones of reynaude / for I wylle that they ben tomorow named knyghtes / and see that they ben well honourde / for I wylle doo this for the love of their fader; and pourvey soo that thei have eche of theim a good courser, and gode harneis ⁴mete for their bodyes'⁴ / Whan the stywarde herde the commaundement of the kyng charlemagn / he dyde well the tenour therof / and whan the mornynge came/the stywarde brought aymonet & yonnet well apoynted / and in there company all suche other as the kynge ⁴for their love⁴ wolde make knyghtes that daye / And whan they were afore the kyng, aymonet & yonnet requyred thordre of knyghthode / to whome the kyng gaff it wyth good hert, and in like wyse to the [folio K.K.i.b] other for love of theim; and thenne was a grete feest made that daye / And whan the feest was / finysshed / charlemagn toke a messager / whiche he sente to reynawde of mountalban, and sent him worde that he sholde come to the court wyth gode company / for his children were called of treyson / by the sones of foulques of morillon, sayeng, that he had slayen their

fader by treyson / and how his children had caste their gages, sayeng that they had lied falsly.

Thenne whan the duke reynawd herde thise tidinges that charlemayne sente hym, he merveylled of it sore. Thenne sent he for all his bredern by his letters that they sholde com to him in armes, for it was nede / And whan the bredern of reynaude vnderstode thise tydynges / wythout ony tarieng they came to ³their broder at³ mountalban / And whan reynaude sawe theim, he was glad / and kyssed theym, thone after the other / and after, he tolde theym all that the kynge charlemagn had gyve him to knowe; and whan the bredern of reynaude vnderstode it / they merveylled of it. 'Broder,' said richarde, 'doubte not / for the mater shall come better than ye wene of / by the grace of god / I counseylle that we goo to the court of the kyng charlemagn. For whan we shall be there, we shall soone vnderstonde the kynges mynde, and what his wylle is towarde you; and I promyse you yf he hath doon ony wrong to our nevewes, ³your children³ / god never have mercy on my soule / but I shall slee hym / what happe therof.' 'Broder,' sayd reynawde, 'I wylle well that we goo to parys; and whan we shall be there / we shall well vnderstonde how the kyng charlemagn bereth hymself towarde my chyldren.' 'Brother,' sayd alarde / 'ye speke well & wysly / and me semeth after myn advyse that we ought to goo thider wythout ony long taryenge.' And thenne whan they were therto acorded, [folio K.K.ii.a] they departed from mountalban wyth right a noble company / and so moche they rode by their iourneis that they cam to the cite of parys. And whan thei were comen there, all the xii. peres of fraunce knewe

anone of their comynge, and went agenst theim / and brought wyth theym aymonet & yonnet, and receyved reynawd & his bredern wyth grete ioye & honour / And thenne whan reynawd saw his two fayr sones, he sayd to theim in this wyse / 'My children, now shall it be seen yf ye be my sones or noo; for and ye be my children / ye shall avenge me of that grete shame that thise traytoures put vpon me wythout a cause.' 'Fader,' sayd the children, 'doubte not therof / for & they were ten agenst vs / yet shall we overcom theim ¹by the grace of god¹ / For every man knoweth well that ye be as true a knyghte as ony is in the worlde' / And whan the kyng charlemagn knewe the comyng of reynawd, that was come so well acompanyed, he was glad of it / and sent worde to reynawd that he shold come to hym, the whyche thyng reynawd dide / And whan the kyng saw hym, he made him good chere, and with good hert / and also to his bredern / And whan reynawd had be with the kyng a longe while, he toke leve of hym, & went to his lodges agen / And whan he was there, he called his bredern & his chyldren, & sayd to theim / 'My sones, come hider / telle me how the kyng charlemain bereth hymself towarde you, and what he sayeth of this quarell that ye have vnder-take / I must knowe the trouthe of it' / 'Fader,' said the children, 'wite it that the king charlemagn loveth vs moche / and he entreteyneth vs above all other honourabli / for the love of you that he loveth right moche, as he sayeth.' And thenne thei tolde him how he had made theim knyghtes / and how he susteyned their quarell agenst the traytours and all other.

[folio K.K.ii.b] When reynawde and his bredern herde the children speke thus / thei were glad of it / for

they doubted lest charlemagn wolde have faren yll wyth theym / And whan reynaude of mountalban wyst that the kyng had borne himself soo well towarde his sones, he sayd that he sholde serve hym evermore as his soverayn lorde / And on the morowe reynawde went to see the kynge at his risynge from his bed, & thanked hym moche of the grete worshyp that he had doon to his children. Thenne sayd Charlemagn to hym, 'Reynawde, ever sin that I sawe that ye dyde my commaundement with good wylle, and that ye were obeyeng to me / I dyde cast all my angre from me, & all the evyll wylle that I had agenste you / and I wylle that ye wyte that I am well yours, and shall be aslonge as I live in this worlde, for I take ³you for one of my best frendes'³ / And whan Reynawde herde the debonairte ⁴& the kynde wordes of the kynge,⁴ he cast hymself to the fete of hym / and in likewyse dyde all his bredern, and thanked hym moche / and wyte that reynaude & his bredern abode in paris wyth grete ioye ⁵& playsure⁵ vnto the daye of the bataylle that shold be of his children / And this hangyng, reynawde had doon make good harneys for his children, and had pourveyed two goode horses for theym /

Whan the daye of the bataylle was come, the children of foulques of moryllon cam & presented theim afore the kyng redy for to fyghte. And whan the kyng sawe theym / he sayd to theym / 'Children, ye have had evyll counseylle ⁶to callenge the sones of reynawd of mountalban as ye have doon.⁶ For I am sure it shall repente you / but thys is not the fyrste fawte that your linage hathe doon / nor it shalle not be the laste / I fere me of it.' And whan therle

ganellon and all they of the linage of foulques of morillon herde the [folio K.K.iii.a] kynge speke soo, they were so gretely abasshed / that they wyste not what they sholde doo / but kepte all theyr peas, and answerde noo worde. And thenne sayd constans to the kynge, 'Syre, we praye you for god that ye wylle telle vs the place where we shall fighte agenste our enmyes' / Thenne stode vp the duke naymes of bavyre / and sayd / 'Syre, constans speketh well; ye must devyse ³the place, and where they shall fyghte two agenst two / or one agenst a nother alone.'³ 'Naymes,' sayd the kynge / 'I wylle that ye Iudge this matere' / 'sire, syth that it playse you soo / I shall bespeke it wyth a goode wylle. ⁵Syre,' sayd the duke naymes⁵ / 'me semeth / because that constans hathe callid the sones of reynaude ⁶to batayll bothe for one matere⁶ / that they oughte to fyghte two agenst two / and all foure togyder.' 'Syre,' sayd reynawde / 'the duke naymes sayth ryght well' / 'By my feythe, reynaude,' sayd the kynge charlemagne / 'and I graunte it soo /but I wylle that the bataylle be made in the Isle of our lady wythin savoyne, to morowe in the mornynge' / And whan kynge charlemagne had sayd thus / the barons toke leve of hym / and eche of theym wente to their lodgys, and reynawd also, the whiche toke his two sones wyth hym. and the two sones of foulques of moryllon wente also wyth theyr frendes. Whan reynaude & his bredern had souped / and had made goode chere / he made brynge harneys ynoughe, and made alarde & rycharde / and his two chyldren,

¹aymonet & yonnet,¹ to be armed. And thenne he made to be shewed to aymonet & to yonnet how they sholde defende theymselfe of theyr enmyes, and in what maner they sholde assaylle theym / And whan this was doon / reynaude dyde sende his chyldren to saynte vyctor, and the traytours went to saynt germayn, ²for to watche [folio K.K.iii.b] that nyghte.² And whan the daye came, a bysshop, that was of the linage of constans & of rohars, sange masse afore his cosins; and the bysshop turpyn sayd masse a fore the sones of reynawd / whiche was wyth theym at saynt vyctor / and also the twelve peres of fraunce / And whan the yong knightes had herde the masse, they came all in their harneys to the palays byfore the kynge charlemagn / And whan the kynge sawe theym / he called his nevewe rowlande, & oliver, the duke naymes of bavere, & richarde of normandy, and sayd to theym, 'Lordes, ye ben all my men. I commaunde you vpon the trouth that ye owe to me, that ye goo kepe the feelde by suche maner that my honoure be saved bi it, and that ye kepe to every man his ryght / For by the feith that I owe to god / yf there be ony man soo hardy that wylle doo ony owtrage / I shall angre hym ryght sore / Wherfore I wylle that ye passe the water of sayne in to the ysle wyth the fyghters, and that ye bere wyth you the halowes for to make theym swere thervpon, afore they shall entre in to the feelde / that they goo to it all in goode quarelle truly.' 'Syre,' sayd the barons / 'we shall doo your commaundemente, and also we shall kepe therin well your honour / for we ben bounde therto.' 'Lordes,' sayd the kyng charlemagn, 'ye speke well, but ye muste take gode hede well to all / For there shall be grete folke gadred of

the one parte / and of the other / wherfore I fere me that some medlynge shall hap amonge theym / For rohars is full of grete treyson, and all his frendes, I know it well. And of the other parte / Reynawd & his brethern are right puyssaunt & wyse / and have grete power wyth theym, and they wylle not see theymselfe wronged. and namely, Richarde the broder of reynawd / For & he be ones angry / he spareth [folio K.K.iv.a] nother kynge nor erle. And therfore I fere hym moost of all the other, for he wolde ones have slayn me / I am yet wel remembred therof / Of reynaude I doubte noo thynge / for he is in every thynge resonable.' 'Syre,' sayd the duke naymes, 'be not dysmayed of noo thynge, for we shall kepe well your ryght & your honour wythoute to doo ony wronge to ony body' / This hangynge, the children of foulques of moryllon went to the sayd isle / where as the kynge charlemagne had tolde theym that they sholde fyghte / And whan they were passed over the ryver in to the ysle wyth theyr horses, they bounde theym / and thenne they set theymselfe doun vpon the fayr grasse / waytynge after theyr adverse party. Now here what the traytours had ordeyned / Ye oughte to wyte that while the kynge charlemagne had spoken wyth his barons ⁴as ye have herde,⁴ Berenger, ardocke, & gryffen of haute braunche dyde put theymself in a busshe / nyghe by the sayd isle of our lady / and had proposed that yf the sones of reynawde had the beter of the feelde agenst the two other sones of moryllon / that thenne they sholde yssue oute vpon theym wyth a ryght grete nombre of folke, for to slee theym shamfully.

Whan thenne reynawde sawe that it was tyme that his sones sholde goo to the isle for to

accomplisshe theyr bataylle / he called aymonet, and sayd to hym / 'Come hyder, fayr sone. ye be the eldest/ and therfore ye oughte to be honoured a fore the yonger brother. holde, I gyve you flamberde, my goode swerde / by the whiche ye shall take vengaunce of thyse traytours / For ye ben in the right / and they in the wronge.' 'Fader,' sayd aymonet, 'ye may be in a surete that ye shall see thys daye suche a thyng that shall be to your hertes ioye, for [folio K.K.iv.b] we shall brynge the traytours to theyr shamfull dethe / ²and it plaise god'² / And whan reynaud herde his sone soo valiauntly speke, he was glad / and kissed hym / and thenne he gaff hym his benedyctyon / and in lyke wyse to yonnet. And whan he had don this, he broughte his brethern & his children to ye isle of our lady. And whan they were over, he & his bredern came agen towarde the kyng / But as they wolde have goon / there came a messager that ascryed to reynaud as lowde as he mighte / 'Reynawde, haue mercy on thy children / For yf thou see not well to theym they be lost / Wyte that gryffen of haute braunche is embusshed wyth a grete nombre of folke by the isle for to slee thy chyldren' / And whan reinawde vnderstode thise wordes, he blustred rede in his face all for angre / and said / 'Ha, swete fraunce / that it is grete dommage that ye maye never be wythout traytours' / And whan he had sayd this / he called his brother richarde / and said to hym, 'Fair broder, goo wythout taryeng / and arme yourself / and doo arme all our folke, and thenne brynge theym to the isle, and yf the false traytour griffen of hautbraunche come for to greve my children, slee hym incontynent. and whan ye be there, doo that ye may be seen of bothe partyes / And for god kepe well, yf the sones of foulques of moryllon have the better, that ye helpe not

in noo wyse my children, but lete theim deye yf it come soo. For it were grete dyshonour for us yf ye dyde otherwise' / 'Broder,' sayd rycharde / 'lete me alone therof / our worship shall be saved by the grace of god. For I wolde not helpe if it came soo, for all the goode of the worlde / For all our live dayes we sholde be rebuked for it, and all our linage also' / And whan rychard had sayd soo / he departed fro his brothern / and went & armed hym & all his folke / and [folio K.K.v.a] thenne thei lighted on horsbacke, and went anone there as reynaude had sayd. This hangynge, went reynawde to the kynge in hys paleys / and whan the kynge sawe him / he sayd to him, 'Reynawd, ye be right welcom.' 'Syre,' sayd reynaude / 'god encrease your honour' / And whan charlemagn saw not rycharde wyth his brethern, he toke some susspectyon of him, & sayd to reynaude, 'Where is your broder richarde, that he is not here wyth thother?' / 'Sire,' sayd reynaude, 'he is goon there as I have sent hym, but take noo susspectyon at all for hym' / 'nomore I doo not,' sayd Charlemagne, 'as longe as ye be alive; but we must goo vpon the towre of sayne for to see the bataylle of your children' / 'lete vs goo there, sire,' sayd reynaude, 'whan it playse you' / Thenne went they vpon the towre, and wyth theym the bysshop turpyn, salamon of breteyne, ogier the dane, guydellon of bavere, & many other barons.

Thus as the kynge charlemagn was goon vpon the towre for to see the bataylle / he loked, & sawe come the broder of reynaud / and a grete company of men armed / and whan charlemain sawe hym he knewe hym well / for he bare his owne cote of armes. and richarde had doon soo, for bi cause he sholde be knowen / And whan charlemagne sawe this / he was

all abasshed of it / and thenne he called reynawde, & sayd to hym, 'What wylle ye doo, reynaude? wille ye dishonour me? have ye forgoten all redi your trouth?' 'Syre,' sayd reynaude, 'nay, save your reverens / but I wylle serve you & worshyp you as my soverayn lord' / 'whi,' said the kyng charlemagn, 'is rycharde goon in to the isle of our lady wyth soo grete felishyp for to breke the feelde? of the whiche thynge / I shall be dyshonoured' / 'Syre,' sayd reynawd, 'have noo doubte therof / for I take god to surete & waraunt that knoweth alle [folio K.K.v.b] thynges / that rycharde shall doo no thynge that shall torne to your dishonour ne to noo dommage to you / and I shall telle you why my broder rycharde hathe put himself in armes. ye must wyte that the traitour gryffen of haute braunche is embusshed vnder saynt marcell in a garden, with a grete nombre of folke armed / that wyll breke your felde for to slee my children / And therfore hathe my broder rychard armed him for to socour theym yf nede be / and yf ye see that rycharde doo ony thynge agenst your wylle & commaundement / here I am that vpon me take the vengaunce' / 'Is it trouth,' sayd charlemagn, 'that gryffen hathe doon soo as ye saye' / 'ye,' sayd reynawd, 'verely / for I wolde not telle you otherwyse' / Ryghte angry was charlemagne whan he herde that reynawde had tolde hym / Thenne he sware god, & all his sayntes / that yf he myght take gryffen of haut braunche / that he sholde make him to be hanged, and all his folke wyth him. He called thenne salamon & the erle of poytees, & guydellon of bavyere, & said to theym, 'Lordes, make me anone a thousande knyghtes to be armed / For I wylle goo in to the isle for to see the pryde of thise traytours. And I swere you by saynte Iames, yf I maye, they shall doo me noo more dyshonoure; and yf I can fynde theym / they shall abye it full derely' /

'Syr,' sayd reynaude, 'ye speke like a kynge.' The barons thenne dyde that the kyng charlemagn had sente in to the isle, saw rycharde wyth his folke in armes / And whan rowlande sawe that they were armed / he was not well contente wyth it, and sayd to the other barons that were come wyth hym for to kepe the feelde, 'What wylle rycharde doo / blame have the kynge yf he take not vengaunce vpon reynaude of that they have doon agenst his commaundement.' 'by my feyth,' sayd oliver & the duke naymes, 'ye saye well' / Thenne sayd ogyer / 'lordes, I promyse [folio K.K.vi.a] that Reynawd knoweth noo thynge of that that rycharde dooth' / Thus as the peres of fraunce were spekynge of that richarde was come to the feelde ⁵in armes,⁵ Gryffen yssued out of his busshement wyth his folke, by cause he was a ferde that richarde wold greve the children of foulques of moryllon. And whan rowlande saw him / he cried to hym with a hye voys, 'By god, traytour, this shall not avaylle you, for afore that ony stroke be gyven of theym, they shall make theyr othe / and ye shall abye full derely that ye have doon.' Right sory was rowland whan he sawe the fowle treyson that gryffen wolde have broughte abowte / This hangyng, cam there charlemagn wyth a grete company of folke well armed, and whan he sawe rowland, he sayd to hym, 'Nevewe, why doo ye suffre the outrage that the sones of foulques of morillon wolde doo to the children of reynawd of mountalban / I blamed reynawd / by cause his broder had armed him, but I knowe now well

that they had reyson.' 'Sir,' sayd roulande, 'none can beware of traytours' / 'nevew,' sayd charlemagn, 'ye saye trouth / but by the feyth that I owe to god, I shall make theym all to be hanged in dyspyte of all theyr linage, oonly for the treyson that they have doon this daye' / 'by god, sire,' sayd rowlande, 'ye shall doo well.' And thenne cam there reynawd vpon a palfrei wythout swerde; and whan rouland sawe hym / he sayd to hym, 'Sir reynaude, is it your wille that richarde your broder is come hither in armes' / 'sire roulande,' sayd reynaude / 'ye verely / For noo thynge that I have doon shall not be hyd from you. Ye have now seen the treyson that the traytours wolde have wroughte agenst my children / And therfore whan I knewe theyr falshode / I commaunded my brother Rycharde that he sholde put hymselfe shortly in armes wyth my men, for to socour theim if the traytoures [folio K.K.vi.b] came theym vpon. And yf ye thynke that Rycharde or I have doo amys in ony thynge, soo lete the kynge make iustyce of it' / 'By my soule,' sayd rowlande, 'nother you nor your broder be not to be blamed / but ye have doon as good knyghtes sholde doo / And I promyse you that your enmyes shall be this day broughte to shame & confusion' /

Whan Rycharde of mountalban sawe charlemagne / he knewe well that he was come for to kepe the feelde, and that the traytours sholde not conne doo ony thinge to his nevews / Soo sayd he to his folke, 'lete vs take of our harneys, For sith that the kynge is here hymselfe, we nede not to wayte here noo more' / Thenne wente rycharde & his folke, and dysarmed theym / and whan rycharde had doon soo / he lighted agen vpon his horse / and came agen over the ryver of sayne, swymmynge vnto the forsayd isle.

and whan he was on londe, he spored his horse / and made hym to lepe thre or four lepes afore the com pany / and thenne he cam streyghte afore the kyng, and made to hym reverens honourably / Whan the kynge sawe richarde / he sayd to hym / 'and ye, richarde, wylle ye dishonoure me / that are come in armes for to breke my feelde?' 'Syre,' sayd rycharde, 'save your grace, for I never thoughte it / but wyte it well for certeyn, that yf griffen of haute braunche had come for to greve myn nevewes, I wolde have made his forhede for to swete. Syre, ye be our soverayn lorde, so oughte ye to mayntene & kepe vs / and soo shall I telle you a thynge afore al your barons, that yf ye byleve the traytours of Maunt / ye shall ones repente it / I am well apayed that ye / [&] your twelve peres have seen the treyson of griffen of hautbraunche, how he wold have slayn myn nevews' / 'Ha, bi god,' sayd charlemagne, 'ye saye trouth, he is [folio K.K.vii.a] well worthy to be blamed. and I telle you they that shall be overcome shall be hanged / nor shall not be saved for none of theyr linage' / 'Sire,' sayd rycharde, 'it playseth me well, but I telle you that yf I sholde deye / I sholde never suffre my nevews to be wronged' / 'By my hede,' sayd the kynge / 'ye shal see that I shall do reyson to every party / For I shall bryng theym togyder / lete god helpe the ryght!' Thenne whan charlemagne had sayd soo / he wente to the two chyldren of foulques of moryllon / and sayd to theym / 'Now, lordes, hyghe you of that ye have to doo / goo and swere vpon the halowes, that iustly ye entre in this quarell' / 'Syre,' sayd they, 'we shall doo it wyth ryght good wylle / for the children of reynawde ben deed, but yf that they confesse / that their fader slew our fader by treyson.' Thenne spake the bysshop turpyn, and sayd / 'lordes, come hither / and swere

vpon the halowes / and see to that ye forswere not yourself / For he that forswereth hymselfe shall be overthrowen / ²noo doubte therof'² / whan the bysshop turpyn had sayd this, the two sones of foulques of moryllon kneled doun afore thalowes / and sware that reynawde of mountalban had slayn theyr fader by treyson / and after they had made theyr oth, they kyssed the halowes / and offred two besans of golde / and thenne wente & lighted vp on their horses. And thus as they lighted / they were to nye eche other, soo that thone hurted the other soo harde that thei felle doun almoost bothe to the erthe. And whan reynawde sawe this, he sayd to thother barons, 'here is an evyll token; I byleve that they ben forsworne.' Thys hangyng, came the chyldren of reynaude, that kneled afore the halowes, & swore that the two sones of foulques had lied falsely all that they had sayed / And thenne they putte theyr handes vpon [folio K.K.vii.b] the halowes / and offred a ryche gyfte. and the bysshop turpyn gaaff theym the benedyctyon / and in like wyse the kynge charlemain / and all the other barons / and thenne of reynawde / and of his brethern / And after they wente & mounted vpon their horses lightly.

Whan the foure champyons were vpon theyr horses, they made none other taryeng / but gaaff the spores to their horses, and ranne the one agenste thother, & smote eche other in their sheeldes so sore that the speres flew in peces wythout that ony of theym felle to the grounde. And whan they had broken theyr speres, they set hande to theyr swerdes / Thenne aymonet, that helde flamberde in his hande, sayd to yonnet his brother / 'I praye you, brother /thynke to doo well / For yf ye helpe me, they shall be vtterly shamed & dyscomfyted, as traytours as they

ben' / 'Broder,' sayd yonnet, 'doubte not / for I shall never faylle you to the dethe; and also we oughte to recomforte vs / For we ben in the right / and they ben in the wronge' / Whan the two brethern had spoke ynoughe, they went bothe atones vpon theyr enmyes / wyth theyr swerdes in their handes. And thenne aymonet overtoke constans wyth flamberde his swerde / and gaaff hym suche a stroke that the swerde slided vpon the vyser / and kut it and his nose a sondre. And whan aymonet sawe the nose of his enmye falle to the erthe, he mocked hym, and sayd, 'By god, constans / it is worse wyth you than it was afore, for ye shall never be wythout a mocke for that, that this stroke hath doon to you / Flamberde that slewe your fadre / and soo shall it doo you, & it playse god.' And whan rohars sawe that his brother was so sore wounded, he ranne vpon yonnet / and gaaff hym soo myghty a stroke vpon his [folio K.K.viii] helme / soo that yf it had not be of goode stele, he had slayne hym wythoute faylle / This hangynge, aymonet ranne agayne vpon constans / and gaaff hym suche a stroke vpon his helme / that he made hym to bowe his backe vpon the sadle / and for the grete myghte of the stroke the horse muste nedes falle doun vpon his knees / and smote his mussell in to the erth / And whan the horse felte that stroke, he rose lightely vp agen all afrayed / and began to renne thrughe the medowes magre of his mayster, as madde, nor constans had not the myghte to rule hym / by cause he was amased & astonyed of that stroke / that he had receyved / And thenne aymonet & yonnet wente both vpon rohars, and beganne to fare fowle wyth hym. And whan rohars sawe hymself soo sharpely handled / he began to crye wyth a hie voys, 'Broder! where be you? shall ye lete me thus to be slayn falsly?' Constans, that

ranne thorughe the medowe, was comen agen to hymself, and apeased his horse a lityll, herde his broder crye / Soo came he agayn to hym / and smote aymonet vpon his helme a grete stroke; but the helme was goode, and dommaged hym not / And whan constans sawe that he had not slayne aymonet wyth his stroke / he wende to have goon oute of his wytte; and of the other parte, he saw the place that was all covered wyth the blode of his broder / soo wyst not constans what to doo / For aymonet gaaffe hym soo moche to doo.

Thys hangyng, yonnet toke rohars by the helme, and wolde have strangled hym bi fyne force / But whan constans saw that / he spored his horse wyth the spores, and shoved hym bytwene rohars & yonnet, soo that it was force to yonnet to lete goo his prise, wolde he or noo / And whan aymonet sawe that constans had delivered rohars from the handes of yonnet / he wente, and ranne vpon constans, [folio K.K.viii.b] and smote him wyth flamberde vpon his sheelde soo harde that he made of it two peces / Shortly to speke / the children of reynawde hasted somoche the ii. sones of foulques of morillon that thei began to lese place, and were soo wery / that they asked none other / but to rest theimself / But aymonet & yonnet had none other wylle but for to fight styll / and I telle you for certein, that they were all iiii. soo sore wounded that they loste moche blode, for thei had fought longe / and whan constans had soiourned a lityll / he cam vpon aymonet, & gaffe him suche a stroke, soo that he made him a grete wounde / but no deed wounde. And whan aymonet saw hym so wounded he gaff constans soo grete a stroke vpon the ere, that he bare it awaye wyth all the iawe bone / whan charlemain

saw that grete stroke, he myght not forbere / but he sayd / 'By god, now is he worse arayed thanne he was byfore / for the two sones of foulques of morillon ben shamed & confuse.' 'Syre,' said reynaud, 'thei have well deserved it / for thei have forsworne theymself falsly.' This hangyng, yonnet went vpon Rohars / and gaff him so grete a stroke vpon his helme, that he brake it, and made his swerde to entre in his hede a fynger depe / Wyte it that the bataille lasted longe thone agenst the other. and it happed that by force of fightynge / thone agenste the other / they were fightyng two & two togyder, well a bowe shot from eche other / and soo made they two bataylles. For aymonet fought agenst constans, and yonnet faughte agenst robars, whiche was sore greved, for yonnet had brought him to therthe / and whan yonnet sawe that he had brought doun rohars / he said that it were shame to fighte with hym on horsbacke agenst hym on fote, soo lighted he doun for to fyght wyth rohars / But whan he had habandouned his horse / Incontynent, the sayd horse ranne to the horse of rohars, [folio L.L.i.a] and wold have strangled hym / and whan charlemagn saw that, he began to lawghe wyth it, & sayd / 'By my feyth, we have iii. bataylles; but I see well that yonnet hath broughte rohars soo lowe that he maye noo more.' Whan rohars sawe that he myght nomore endure the grete strokes of yonnet / he began to crye, & sayd, 'Ha, fayr broder constans / where are ye that ye com not & helpe me that are soo good a knyght, and that toke first the quarell in hande / wherof it goth full evyl wyth vs. For yf ye socour me not now, I shall deye incontynent' / and whan constans herde his broder crye thus / he left aymonet / and went toward yonnet / for to helpe his

broder / but wyte it well that he went not very sounde from aymonet / for he had made him moo than xx. woundes / and whan constans was com to his broder, incontynent, he ranne vpon yonnet with his horse. And whan aymonet sawe that / he began to crye after constans, & sayd / 'By my soule, he baptysed you full yll that named you constans. For I sawe never more cowarde than ye be that soo renneth awaye for fere of me' / and whan he had sayd soo / he ranne after for to socour his broder yonnet. And whan he was come there / he went a fresshe vpon constans / and constans vpon him / the whiche gaff him a grete stroke vpon his helme, but the stroke slided vpon the horse, & slew hym wyth all / And whan aymonet sawe hym a grounde / he righted hym quye[k]ly, & smote constans vpon his helme, & it was soo harde that flamberde cowde not entre in it, and ye stroke slided vpon the viser / and brest it, and a grete parte of his visage, soo that the teeth were seen playnly, and wyth that felle the stroke vpon the horse necke / soo that he kut it in two / ¹and soo felle thorse deed to the erth¹ /

Sore abasshed was constans ²whan he sawe his horse slayn.² and thenne aymonet sayd to him / 'By god, false [folio L.L.i.b] traytour, now shalt you deye / ye dide yll whan ye called ever my fader of treyson, whiche is as true a knyghte as is ony in all the world / but now is the daye come that ye shall aby it full dere.' And whan reynaude herde his sone speke thus / he was right glad of it, and thanked god therof hertly / and whan aymonet sawe constans vpon his fete agen, he went him vpon / and hasted him right sore with grete strokes, so that constans had no power to strike one stroke more / but he wente abacke here & there for to eschewe the

strokes of aymonet / And whan constans sawe that, he wyste noo more what to doo, he cast his sheelde to therthe, and toke aymonet by the wast for to wrastle wyth hym. And whan aymonet sawe this he was not aferde of it, for he was strong & lighte / soo toke he constans by the helme, and drewe it towarde hym wyth suche myght / that he pulled it from the hede of him. And whan constans sawe hym so sore handled / he cried vpon his broder rohars, & sayd, 'ha, broder, socour me, for I have noo power for to defende myself' / Whan rohars herde his broder calle thus / he was full sory that he myght not helpe hym, for he had loste soo moche blode that he myght not well stande on his fete, but alwayes he forced hymself somoche / that he came vnto his broder constans / and wende for to have smyten aymonet from behynde, but he dyde not, by cause aymonet sawe hym come, and went & smote hym suche a stroke that he felde hym to the erthe / And thenne went agen vpon constans / and gaaff hym suche a stroke / that ²he smote almoste his lefte arme of.² Thenne began constans to cry, & sayd / 'ha, fayr broder, socour me, or elles I am deed' / 'Broder,' sayd rohars, 'I can gyve you nother socours nor helpe, for I am myself nere goon' / And whan charlemagn sawe this, he sayd, 'by god, now are deed the sones of foulques of moryllon by theyr [folio L.L.ii.a] false wyt.' 'Syre,' sayd ogyer, 'ye oughte not to recke / for they mayntened a false quarell.' 'ye saye trouth,' sayd charlemagn. 'Now their falshode apereth well.' Whan reynaude saw that his chyldren were to their above, he was right gladde of it / but soo was not ganellon / for he was soo angry for it, that he became as blacke as a moure. Thenne called the said ganellon, berenger, hardocke, henry of lion, & pygnabell

of moryllon, & sayd to theym, 'Lordes, now be we all dishonoured / for the sones of foulques of moryllon are dyscomfyted. I wolde fayn socour theym yf I durste / but I fere to sore the kyng that is there wyth grete puyssance' / 'Syre,' sayd hardres or hardocke / 'woo is me for it / but we can not doo none other thynge as for this tyme, therfore we must refreyne our wrath, and shewe a good face / to thende that noo medling falle not vpon vs / and lete vs abyde tyll tyme come / that we may avenge vs herof.'

This hangyng, aymonet sawe that he had smyten constans a deed wounde / soo was he right glad of it. 'By god, broder, ye have doon yll that ye have slain this false traitour / for I wold have slain hym myn owne handes; but sith ye have brought it soo ferre, make an ende of hym atones, & I shall goo slee rohars' / 'Broder,' sayd aymonet, 'ye speke well, now goo slee thone & I the other, for thus oughte men to do wyth traytours' / Thenne ranne the two bredern vpon theyr enmyes that leye on grounde / that is to wyte, vpon constans, to whom he sayd all on hie, by cause all they that loked vpon sholde here it / 'Telle me, constans, false traytour / why dyde ye calle my fader of treyson, wythstandyng that men know well that he is one of the trueste knyghtes of the worlde / And that he slewe your fader in his body defendynge / where as your fader had purchaced for to have slayn him by treyson. [folio L.L.ii.b] Now telle me your falshode, and confesse your treyson afore the kynge / ²or elles I shall now cut your throte'² / 'Aymonet,' sayd constans, 'for god have mercy on me / For I yelde me to you' / and thenne he toke hym his swerde / And whan aymonet had the swerde of the sayd constans / he toke hym vp and broughte hym afore the kyng charlemagn, to whom

he sayd, 'Syre, holde this traytour, & doo wyth hym as reyson requyreth' / and whan charlemagn sawe this, he was glad of it, & sayd to aymonet, 'Frende, ye have doon wel your devour, I can no more aske of you / and wyte it that whan thother is vaynquyshed / I shall gare theym bothe to be hanged.' 'Syre,' sayd aymonet / 'doo your wylle wyth theim' / And whan he had sayd soo, he went agen to his broder yonnet for to helpe hym, holdynge his swerde in his hande ¹all blody wyth the blode of constans,¹ & said to rohars / 'By god, false traytour, ye shal deye here anone' / and wolde have smyten hym / but yonnet that sawe that / sayd to his broder / 'Fayr broder, slee hym not / nor touche him / but goo your way & rest yourself, for I wyll conquere hym by my self, as ye have doon yours' / 'Broder,' sayd aymonet, 'ye saye yll / for it was ordeyned that we sholde eche helpe other.' and whan yonnet saw that his brother wolde nedes helpe agenste his wylle, he sayd vnto hym, 'Fayr broder, I make myn a vowe to god / yf ye touche rohars I shal never love you' / 'broder,' sayd aymonet, 'ye saye not well, but I shall forbere me sith it playse you soo; but I promyse you, yf I see you in dangeour, I shall helpe you yf ye sholde slee me' / 'Broder,' sayd yonnet, 'I wylle well.' And thenne aymonet wythdrewe him a lityll a backe, and thenne ranne yonnet vpon rohars / that rose vp agen for to defende hymselfe / thenne gaaffe yonnet to hym soo grete a stroke vpon the sholder / that the arme wyth the sholder bone felle clene of to the grounde, [folio L.L.iii.a] and his swerde wythall. whan yonnet had gyven that stroke / he put his swerde agen to the sheth, & said to rohars, 'Thou false traytour, thou must now confesse wyth thy owne mouth that reynawd my fader is noo tratour / but he is one

of the truest knyghtes of the worlde, and yf you wylte not doo soo / thou shalte deye incontynent' / and whan he had sayd soo, he toke rohars by the helme & pulled him to hymwarde so harde that he drew it fro his hede, and began to smyte hym with the pomell of his swerde vpon the bare hed / And whan rohars sawe that he was soo shrewdely handled / he began to crye, & sayd / 'good lorde, have mercy on my soule, for I know well that it is doon wyth my body.' And whan constans herde his broder saye soo / he began to wepe, for he cowde none other doo / and whan yonnet / saw that rohars wolde not forsake that he had said / nor wolde not crye him mercy, he smote hym wyth his owne swerde soo harde that he toke awaye thone legge from the body of hym, and thenne he put his fote vpon hym and sayd, 'Now anone, false traytour, confesse your falshode / or elles ye be now deed,' to the whyche thynge rohars answerde not; and whan yonnet sawe that / he smote hym the hede of / Whan aymonet sawe that his broder yonnet had sleyn rohars / he was glad of it / and went to hym and sayd, 'Broder, ye have doon valiauntly / lorde gramercy, that ye have slayn soo this traytour' / the two bredern toke eche other by the hande & went to charlemagne, to whom aymonet sayd in this wyse, 'Syre, like it you that we have doon / for we be redy for to doo moche more for you yf ye commaunde us.' 'Fayr sones,' sayd charlemagne / 'ye nede not to doo more, For ye have doon ynough / for constans is overcome / and rohars deed / Now goo reste yourselfe / and see that ye have goode leches for your woundes / And I promyse you that I shall doo [folio L.L.iii.b] wyth the traytours as it perteyneth.' And thenne charlemagn commaunded that constans shold behanged / and the body of his broder by him / and

whan the kyng had gyven this commaundement, constans was anone taken, & the body of his broder, and were drawen at horses taylles byfore all their linage / and thenne were hanged as they had well deserved. whan they were hanged, charlemagne sayd, 'Lordes, wyte that I wold not for a grete thyng that it went otherwyse.' wyte it that whan ganellon sawe hange the ii. sones of folques, that were his nevews / he was sore an angred for it, that he almost had lost his wit / Thenne called he hardres, berenger, & malger, that wyste more falshode than lucyfer, henry of lion, pynabell, & geffray, men that never dyde good, & sayd to them, 'Lordes, ye see how charlemagn hath doon to vs grete dyshonour, for he hath doon hange our kynsmen shamfully / but we shall see yet the day that this shame shall be avenged.' he sayd trouth, the traytour, For he betrayed afterwarde the xii peres of fraunce / and made theim all deye at the bataylle of rouncevals.

After thise thynges above sayd, reynaude of mountalban sawe that his children had vaynquesshed the children of foulques / he was right glad of it, & thanked moche our lord god therof / thenne he & his brethern went to theim and asked how they dyde / 'fader,' sayd the children, 'we do right wel, lorde gramercy' / Thenne alarde & guycharde behelde their woundes, wherof they were glad / This hangyng, cam there charlemagn; & the children cam him agenst, and kneled afore hym. thenne charlemagn asked theim, 'children, how is it wyth you? be ye sore wounded' / 'Syr,' sayd the children, 'it is well with vs, thanked be our lorde & you / we shall soone be hole' / Thenne the kyng sent for all his leches, & sayd to theim that they sholde [folio L.L.iv.a] loke the woundes of aymonet & of yonnet, the whiche thinge they dyde without ony tarieng / and after they sayd to the kyng that they made noo doubt

of theim, & that they sholde be soone hole. And after that the iustice was doon of the sones of foulques of moryllon, Reynawde abode in paris till his children were hole / and whan thei were hole, they wente to ye palays to see the kyng charlemagn, the whiche made theym good chere, and gaff theim many fayr yeftes, as ben castelles & fortresses of grete name. Thenne reynaude & his bredern asked leve of the kyng / and he gaff it theym agenst his wylle, and prayed theim that they wold com see hym agen / 'sire,' sayd reinawde / 'we shall doo gladly your commaundement' / Whan reinaud had taken leve of the king, & also his bredern & children, they toke on their waye towarde mountalban / and they dyde so moche by their iourneis that they cam to bourdeus / And whan reynaud had rest him a lityll, he called his children afore his bredern, & said to theim / 'my children / here what I wylle saye to you / I ordeyn at this tyme that yonnet shall have arden for his part, & aymonet mountalban / for it is not long agoo sin I herde saye that god sayd / that the tree that bereth fruyt shall never deye. wyte it that I have offended god gretly / and me semeth that the tyme is now com that I sholde amende myself, for I fere sore my pour soule / wherfore I shall doo my devour for to yelde it agen to that blessed lorde that made it after hys ymage.' and whan his bredern herde speke thys, they knewe well what he wolde doo / and therfore they began to make grete sorow / And whan reynaud sawe that, he sayd to theym, 'forsothe, sires, ye are not wyse to make suche sorowe, for ye know not yet what I wylle doo / see ye not that I am yet wyth you, wherof are ye abasshed / be not ye ryche ynough / there is nother of you / but may kepe a thousand [folio L.L.iv.b] horses in his stable / Of the other parte, thoughe I am now hole of my body / thanked be our lorde / yet

wylle I gyve in my life to my children their parte / to the ende that they fall not in discorde after my dethe; and therfore I wylle that eche of you know fromhens forthon what he shall have.' And whan reynawde had thus ordeyned for his children / yonnet departed from his fader¹ wyth his blessinge¹ / and wente to ardeyn, where they of the londe receyved him to be their lorde, & made to him fewt & homage / And after that yonnet was gon, reinawd & his bredern wyth aymonet went to mountalban / and whan they of mountalban sawe their lorde / they were right glad, & receyved him honourably. And whan the feste was passed, Reynawd commaunded all his subgettes that thei sholde make their homage vnto his sone aymonet / and whan al this was doon, and that nyghte was come / every man went to bed / And thenne reynawde entred his chambre & walked in it tyll it was mydnyght passed. thenne reynaude vnclothed hymself all naked / and toke a cote of sory russet vpon his flesshe wythout ony shert, and therupon a grete mantell of the same. And thus arayed, barefote, and wythout ony wepyn, but oonly a staaf in his hande for to defende him from the dogges, yssued out of his chambre / and went oute of ye paleis / and came to the gate of the towne / and made it to be opened / and whan the porter sawe his lorde soo yll, & in soo pourly araye and barefote, he sayd to him / 'Syre, alas, whether goo ye thus wythoute felishyp, and soo yll apoynted? I wylle goo awake your brethern, & my lorde your sone / for ye be in grete dangeour of theves, by cause ye have nother armour nor wepyn for to defende yourself.' 'frende,' sayd reynaude, 'lete alone / goo not there / For my truste is in god, that he shall kepe me from all dangeour. But thou shalte telle my [folio L.L.v.a] bredern whan

thou seest theym tomorow, that I grete them well / & to my sone also / and that they thynke alwayes to do well / and that they love eche other as they oughte for to doo; and soo telle theym that thei shalle never see me more as I trowe, For I goo to save my soule, yf god gyve me the grace to doo soo; and soo shall I deye whan it playse god / For thrughe my cause are deed many a man, wherof I fele my pour soule greved sore, and therfore wyll I bere peyn on my body / for it doyng penaunce all the remnaunt of my life / and yf I may save my soule, I aske none other thyng' / And whan reynaude had sayd this, he loked on his fynger, & toke a rynge wyth a precyous stone, whiche was well worth v. marke, and gaff it to the porter, & sayd to him, 'My frende, ye be well rewarded of your servyse that ye have doon to me.' 'Syre,' sayd the porter, 'gramercy of this yefte / but alas, sir, ye put now all your countree in grete sorowe for your departynge!' and thenne he began to wepe right sore. This hangyng, went reynaude on his waye, thus arayed as ye have herde; and as he wente / the porter loked evermore after hym by the lighte aslonge as he myght see hym; and whan he myght nomore see hym / he felle doun in a swoune to the erthe, and was thus a longe while / And whan he was come agen to hymselfe, he made grete mone / and sin sayd / 'Ha, god, whether gooth now my lorde soo pourly arayed' / and after he had made grete sorow a longe while / he shet the gate agen, and went in to his house / And whan he was there, he loked vpon the rynge that reynaude had gyven hym, and knewe well that it was a ryche yefte / wherof he was glad. ¶ We shall leve here to speke a lityll of the valiaunt reynaud of mountalban, that gooth for

to save his soule, and to doo penaunce for his sinnes thorughe the wodes lokynge dounwarde / and we shall speke of [folio L.L.v.b] his bredern / and of his sone aymonet /

Notes

• de montauban, F. orig. Z. iii. back.
• Et devez scauoir quilz ressembloient bien enfans de prince, F. orig. Z. iii. back.
• ^1—1 omitted, F. orig.
• ^1—1 omitted, F. orig.
• ^1—1 omitted, F. orig.
• ^1—1 omitted, F. orig.
• ^1—1 omitted, F. orig.
• a qui dieu doint bonne vie, F. orig. Z. iv.
• de montauban, F. orig.
• de montauban, F. orig.
• Et cuyde quilz feront une fois bonnes gens se ilz vivent leur cage, F. orig. Z. iv.
• ^4—4 omitted, F. orig.
• Et si ne feray jamais liez jusques je naye ung occis, F. orig. Z. iv. back.
• ^3—3 les enfans de regnault, F. orig. Z. v.
• ^1—1 omitted, F. orig.
• Constans, F. orig. Z. vi.
• Si ne leur devons faillir. F. orig. Z. vi.
• ef, orig.
• Seigneurs, F. orig. Z. vi. back.
• de ma main, F. orig. Z. vi. back.
• ou parlefroy, F. orig. Z. vi. back.
• ^4—4 omitted, F. orig.
• ^4—4 omitted, F. orig.
• Lesquelz il auoit fait veiller celle nuyt en leglise de nostre dame, F. orig. Z. vi. back.
• Comment gens traictres extraitz de traictres par droicte lignee, F. orig. Z. vi. back.
• de montauban, F. orig. Z. vii.
• ^3—3 omitted, F. orig.
• ^3—3 omitted, F. orig.
• ^1—1 omitted, F. orig.
• moult honnorablement, F. orig. Z. vii. back.
• grant, F. orig.
• au matin, F. orig. Z. vii. back.
• ^3—3 pour men amy, F. orig. Z. vii. back.
• ^4—4 de Charlemaigne, F. orig. Z. vii. back.
• ^5—5 omitted, F. orig.
• ^6—6 de faire ung si fort appel, F. orig. Z. viii.
• et comment nous devons faire cest assauoir se nous combatrons deux contre deux ou ung contre ung, F. orig. Z. viii.
• ^3—3 que lon doit faire, F. orig. Z. viii.
• dist le duc naymes, F. orig.
• ^5—5 omitted, F. orig.
• ^6—6 traictres sans riens nommer et rohars lautre, F. orig. Z. viii.
• et juge leaulment, F. orig. Z. viii.
• et parens, F. orig.
• ^1—1 omitted, F. orig.
• ^2—2 des prez, F. orig. Z. viii. back.
• de montauban, F. orig.
• et loyaulment, F. orig. Z. viii. back.
• et bien amesure, F. orig. Z. viii. back.
• dooo, orig.
• ^4—4 omitted, F. orig.
• ^2—2 omitted, F. orig.
• a paris, F. orig. M. i. back.
• richart, F. orig. M. ii.
• or avez vous bien dist. Passes vous mesmes en lisle et qui fera oultre vostre commandement quil soit pugny a la rigueur tellement que ung chescun y preigne exemple. Lors les gens du roy sen alerent sus lisle ainsi que le roy lauoit commande la ou Ilz trouverent richart qui sestoit mis en tel lieu que chescun le pouvoir bien voir, F. orig. M. ii.
• richart qui estoit en armes, F. orig. M. ii.
• sur ma foy, F. orig. M. ii. back.
• ^5—5 omitted, F. orig.
• la quelle chose vist charlemaigne, F. orig. M. iii.
• richart, F. orig. M. iii.
• et mort, F. orig. M. iii. back.
• ^2—2 omitted, F. orig.
• sans eulx repouser ne les ungs ne les aultres, F. orig. M. iv. back.
• sus lespaulle .. F. orig. M. iv. back.
• lelme. orig.
• mais va en recullant, car il ne peult plus souffrir les grans coups que yonnet luy donne, F. orig. M. v.
• ^1—1 et constans cheust a terre moult felonneusement mais incontinent se releva au mieulx quil peust, F. orig. M. v.
• ^2—2 omitted, F. orig.
• parmy les espaulles .. F. orig. M. v. back.
• ^2—2 quil luy trancha tout le visaige, F. orig. M. v. back.
• ^2—2 ou autrement vous estes mort, F. orig. M. vi.
• ^1—1 omitted, F. orig.
• straytour, orig.
• tratoiur, orig.
• de moult grans coups, F. orig. M. vi. back.
• godde, orig.
• dordonne, F. orig.
• ^1—1 omitted, F. orig. M. viii.
• dordonne, F. orig. M. viii.
• cent. F. orig.
• or nous est grant mal advenu car nous sommes du hault ou bas, F. orig. M. viii. back.