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 I.

Howe duke Aimon of Ardein brought to the courte his foure sonnes, that is to wit, Reynawde, Alarde, Guichard, and Richarde, and howe kynge Charlemagne / made theym knyghtes wyth his owne handes; also howe the duke Benes of Aigremounte slewe Lohier, the eldest sonne of kynge Charlemain. the duke benes was uncle / to the foure sonnes of Aimon; and after, how the duke Benes of aygremount was slaine coming to Paris, by the commaundemente of kinge Charlemagn / after that he had appointed, for the death of his sonne. And also in this first chapitre men shall now see many other faire matters, which were to longe for to be reherced in the preamble of this present booke.

[Truelye we finde in the gestes & faites of the good kynge Charlemagne / that vpon a time at a feast of Penthecoste, the sayde kyng Charlemagne kept a ryght great and solempne court at Parys, after that he was come againe fro the partyes of Lombardy / where he had had a ryght great and mervaylous batayle agenst the Sarasyns, [et mescreans, F. orig. b. i.] and suche folke as were oute of the beleve, wherof the cheef of the sayde Sarasins was named Guithelym the sesne. The whiche the said kynge Charlemagne / by hys prowesse and valyauntnes / had dyscomfyted & overcomen. At the which battaylle and dyscomfyture, dyed greate noblenesses of kinges, princes, Dukes, Erles, barons, knyghtes, and squyers; as Salomon of bretayne / Huon, erle of Mauns, syr yves, syr yvoyre berenger, and Haton, syr Arnaulde of Beaulande, syr Walleraunte of Bollon, and many valyaunte knyghtes. The Douse peres of Fraunce were come there / and many Almaynes, and Englyshemenne, Normans, Poeteuyns, Lombardes, and Barnyers. And amonge other Dukes & princes, was come thyther the good and worthye duke Aymes of [Dordon, F. orig. b. i.] Ardeyne. And in his felawshyp his foure [beauh, F. orig. b. i.] sonnes, that is to wyt, Reynawde, Alarde, Guycharde, and Rycharde, that were wonderfull fayre, wytty, great, mightye, and valyaunte, specyally Reynawde / whiche was the greatest and the tallest manne that was founde at that tyme in al the worlde, for he had .xvi. feete of length and more. Than at this assemble and feast stood the sayd kynge Charlemagne on his feete, amonge his prynces and barons, sayinge in this wyse, 'barons, my bretherne and freendes, ye knowe howe I have conquested and gotten so manye greate londes / by youre helpe and succours. So many of the Sarasins and misbelevers brought to

[death, & in my subieccion; how but late agoe ye have seene by ye paynym Guetelym, whiche I have dyscomfyted & overcomen / and reduced to the christen faith. Not withstandynge we have loste there ryghte greate chevalry and noblenesse, and for faute of many of our vassaylles / and subjectes. that to vs dayneth not to come, howe be it that we had sent for theym, as the Duke Rycharde of Roussellon, the duke Dron of Nantuell / and the duke Benes of Aygremounte, that been all three bretherne Germayne. Wherof vnto you I complayne me and tell you, that yf it were not syr Salamon, that worthylye came to succoure vs / with .xxx. thousande fyghtynge menne, and syr Lambreyght bernyer, and syr Geffraye of Bourdelle, with walleraunte of Bullon, that bare our baner / we were alle dyscomfyted and lost, as ye all knowe well; and this by the defaut of the said three bretherene, that dayned never to come to our sendynge, nor obey, and, above all, the duke Benes of Aygremounte. Ill be it that they be all oure lyege menne / that ever owen to me servyce and fydelytie. Now I shall sende hym worde that he come to serve me at this nexte somer with all his power. And in case that he shall be refusynge to obeye oure commaundementes / by saynt denys of fraunce, I shall sende for all my freendes and subjectes, and I shall goe besyege him at Aygremounte. And yf we can have him, I shall make hym to be shamefully hanged / and his sonne Mawgis to be slaine all quycke, and shall do brenne his vncourteous wyfe; and I shall sett all his londes in fyre.' Than the good duke Naymes of Bavyere / rose vp dyligently, and said to kynge Charlemagne in this wyse: 'Syr, me semeth that ye ought not to angre your selfe so sore; and yf ye will beleve my counseyll, ye shal sende a messanger to the duke of Aygremount, which messanger shal be well and honourably accompanied. And he muste be

[sage / and prudent / for to shewe wel to the Duke of Aygremounte all, [ce que luy ordonneres, et puis quant aurez sceu, F. orig. b. ii. back.] that ye shal charge hym and after whan ye shall know hys answere and his wyll; ye shall than aduyse you what ye oughte for to doo.' 'In good fayth,' sayde the kyng, 'ye counseylle me ryght well and wiselye.' Than thoughte Charlemagne what message he myght sende to him. And than he sayde all hyghe afore them all, complayninge himselfe; 'who shall be he that shall doo thys message; and for doubte of deathe shall not leve nothynge vnsayd of hys message / to the duke benes,' but there was none of them all that aughte answered, for manye of theim were of [du parente du ait benes daigrem6t, F. orig. b. ii. back.] Sybbe to hym / as the duke Aymon of [Dordon, F. orig.] Ardeyne, that was his brother Germayne.

Thus were the foure brethern of one father and one mother. Than was kynge Charlemagne ryghte wrothe and angrye, and sware by saynte denys / that the Duke benes should be wasted and destroyed; and no manne shoulde be in the worlde that shoulde keep him therfro. Than he called high his eldest sonne Lohier, saying in this maner, 'ye must doo this message, my dere sonne, and lede with you for your conduyt and suretye / an hundred knightes / armed and honourably arrayed. And ye shall saye to the duke benes of Aygremounte, that yf he come not for to serve vs thys somer, aboute saynte Iohans daye nexte comynge, as I have saide afore / that I shall besyege Aygremounte, & shall dystroye all his lande; and he and [son filz', F. orig. b. ii.] his, I shall doo hange or slea al quycke, and his wyfe to be brente.' 'Syr,' sayd Lohier, 'al at your pleasure I shall doo. And wit that it shall not be taryed / for feare of death, but that I shal tel him al alonge all that ye have

[charged me of. And I shall depart to morow in the mornyng, by the grace of God.'

Than should you have sene ye king weepe of pitie for his sonne Lohier; for he repented him that he had charged him / for to doo this message; but syn tlat he had so sayd, he must doo it. And the morne vas come, Lohier & his noble companye / made them redy, and after lept on horsbacke, and came afore ye kyng. Than sayd Lohier to the king, his father: 'Syr, here I am redye and all my folke / for to fulfyll your wyll.' 'Fayre sonne,' sayd Charlemagne, 'I recommend thee vnto god, that on ye crosse suffred death and passion, and hym I beseche to kepe and waraunt thee / & all thy felawshyp from evyl / and from any combraunce.' Than departed Lohier and his company; wherof after warde / the kynge made great lamentacyon for his sonne Lohier, and not wyth out a cause; for he shal never see him quicke agayne, as ye shal vnderstand, yf ye wyll herken it. Now go the gentill messangers streyght towarde Aygremount, sore thretenynge the duke Benes of Aygremount, saying / that they should take the head from the body of hym / yf he doo ought to them agaynst his devoyre. But it shall go all other wyse with them; for it haped all contrary ¹to theyr myndes and purpose¹ [^1—1 omitted, F. orig. b. ii.] / wherof afterward / many ladyes abode widowes withoute husbandes, & many gentil women without a lover; and so many churches destroyed, and so many landes brente / and wasted, wherof it is yet pitie for to see. And thus, ridinge & thretynge Benes of Aygremount, a spy heard all that they sayd, and came hastelye to Aygremount to ward Benes / that was in his palays, and tolde hym how messangers were coming vnto hym from kyng Charlemagne, that sore thretened him, and that the sonne of kyng Charlemagne was there in person.

[Than sayd the Duke to hys folke, wherof he had at that houre foi-son with him / in his palays, bicause of the feast of Penthecoste. 'Lordes,' sayde he, 'the kynge Charlemagne setteth lytle by me, that will that I shal go serve him with all my power and my puyssance; and that wors is, he sendeth to me his eldest sonne for to tel me some message that threteneth me greatly; what counsell ye me therto, my bretherne & freendes?' Than spake a good knyght, that was called syr Simon, & sayd: 'My lorde, I shall counsel you truly yf ye wyll herken and beleve me. Receyve honourably the messangers of the kynge Charlemagne / for wel ye wote that he is your ryght-wyse lorde, and wit that who that warreth against hys soverayn Lorde, he doth agaynst god / & rayson / and have no regarde to your kynne, nor to thys, that your bretherne, Gyrarde of Roussyllon, and the duke of Nantuell, wolde not obey hym. For I advyse you wel that Charlemagn is myghty / and he shall distroye you of body and of goodes; [Si ne luy obeisses, F. orig. b. iii. back.] but yf that ye obey him, and yf ye amiablie go to hym, he shall have mercy of you.' Than answered the duke, that thus he wolde not doo, and that the sayd knight gave him evill counsell. 'For yet,' sayd he, 'I am not so low brought but that I have three brethern / that shall helpe to susteine / and beare out my warre agaynst Charlemagne, & also my foure neuewes, the sonnes of my brother Aymes of Dordon, that ben full fayre knightes, worthy and well taught in faytes of warre.' 'Alas,' sayd than ye duchesse, 'my good lorde, beleve your good counsell; for no man shall prayse you that ye make warre agaynst your right-wyse lorde / and wit it well that it is agaynst the commaundementes of God, & against all equitie. Wherfore, yf ye have misdoone any thing agaynst hym, doo so much that ye be accorded with him. And take

[none heed to your brethern / as syr Symon dothe counsell you, for never good may come therof, for to oe evyl in favoure with his soverayne Lorde.' Than behelde the duke the duchesse in great wrathe, and bad her that she should holde her peace in ye devilles name, & that she should never more speake to hym of this mater / for in certayne he should not do for the kyng Charlemagne the mountenaunce of a peny. So helde her peace ye duchesse, & sayd that she should speake nomore to hym therof.

Great was the noyse and the bruyte within the palayce of Aygremount, for some counselled the duke, that thus as the duchesse sayd he should doo; and many other sayd nay. Than sayd the duke vnto them that counselled him naye, and that he should not accorde / nor make peace / with the kyng Charlemagne, that he could theym thanke. Muche longe they spake of this mater; and the messangers of the kyng Charlemagne duryng the same / have riden so muche that they ben come to Aygremount. And the castell was set vpon a rocke ryght hye, and well envyroned with stronge walles / thycke, highe, and wel garnyshed with great towres, so that for the strength and sytuacyon of the castell, it was imprenable, but only by famyshynge. Than sayd Lohier to ye lordes that were wyth hym: 'Lordes, nowe see what a fortresse is there / what walles! a ryver renneth at the foote of it; I beleve verely that in al christendome is not her lyke. It can never betake by force, but yf it is by famysshyng.' Than spake a knight that was called Savary, and sayd to Lohier his lorde, 'syr,' sayde he / 'it semeth me (spekynge vnder correction) that my lorde, the kynge Charlemagne, your father, hath enterprised a great foly, whan he troweth to come [a chief de ce due, F. orig. b. iii. back.] to

[at an ende of this duke of Aygremount, for, in good sothe, he is right puissaunt; and I beleve that he shall make as mani men for to make the warre, as shall my lorde, your father / yf it cam there to that he wolde make hym warre. It were a fayre thynge yf they myght be accorded together; ¹and, of my parte I should counsell the same, yf it myght be doone.¹ [^1—1 omitted, F. orig. ed. 1480.]

'But well I wot, that yf your father had hym, al ye golde in Paris should not kepe hym, but that he should do hange hym / or els slea him quycke. So beseche I you, ryght deere syr, that ye speake humbly vnto the duke benes of Aygremount, for, in certayne, he is ryght fyers / and outragyous, & incontinent might have there a sore meddle betwene you and hym, wherof the losse should tourne vpon vs, for we ben to few folke.' Than answered Lohier, and sayd to hym, 'that he sayd well and wysely; but alwayes,' sayd he, 'we doubt hym not of any thynge. We be here al redy an hondred knyghtes / well appoynted, and for sothe, yf he say vnto hys anye thynge vnto our dyspleasur, he shal be the fyrst that shall repent and be sory for it.' Than sayd the knight Savare al softly to hymself / that this were not wysely doone; 'for wel I swere,' said he, 'vpon my fayth, that yf it hap you to say any thyng to hym / that by any maner shall displease hym, he shall make you sorye, and shall wreke it vpon your bodye; and, happelye, we shall all be in a waye for to dy. Syr, advyse your selfe well / & wyll to procede prudently in your message. For well I say vnto you that he is ryght cruell, and of greate worthynesse accomplysshed.'

Thus, spekyng of one thyng and of other / rode so longe the messangers, that they ben come to the gate of the castel, which was sone shet by the porter. Then knocked the sayd knightes, and the porter

[answered to them,' Lordes, what be you?' 'Freende,' answered Lohier / 'open to vs this gate presently, for we wyll speake to the Duke Benes of Aigremount from the kinge Charlemayn.' 'Now abyde you a lytle, and hast you not,' sayd the porter, 'and I wyl goe speake redely to my lorde the Duke.' So went the sayde porter into the halle / where he sawe the Duke his lorde. He kneeled incontynent afore him, & tolde him howe downe at the gate was a right great company of men of armes; and that they were well an hondred men or more, ryght well horsed, & well armed. 'And with them is the eldest sonne of king charlemagne, that strongly threteneth you / and also your folke. My lorde,' sayde the porter, 'shall I open the gates vnto them?' 'Yea,' sayd ye duke, 'for I doubt them nothynge, and we ben ynough for them; and many worthy knyghtes and esquyers / ben no where able for to defende vs all, were Charlemagne himself with them with his puissaunce.' So ran incontinent the porter downe agayne / for to open vnto them the gate. Lohier & his felowes entred within, and mounted vp vnto the dongeon of the castell, where the duke was, that sayd to hys barons: 'Lordes, heere cometh the eldest sonne of the kyng Charlemagne / for to tell me his message; but (bi that god that suffred death and passyon) yf he speake wysely to vs, he shal do as sage; and yf he sayth anything that shall dysplease vs, we shall soone / & without delaye, take vengeaunce therof.' So was the duke Benes well accompanyed, & nobly of wel two hondred knyghtes and more. Thys was in the moneth of May, that all creatures humain ought wel for to reioyce then, and that folke pren and worthy in armes / taken hert and hardinesse / for to defende them self wel, and warre agaynst theyr enemyes. And this during, Lohier, the sonne of king charlemagne, entred into the halle of the Palays of Aygremount

[ryght nobly armed, and his folke also, and saw the halle ryght well garnysshed of fayre folke rychelye arrayed. And the duke sittynge right proudlye amonge his barons / and the duchesse, hys wyfe, next by him; and before hym his sonne Mawgys, that was a great mayster of the science of Nigromancy, that played afore his father of his art of nigromancy, wherin the Lordes that were there tooke great pleasure; and wit it well that in all the worlde / was not a worthyer chrysten, nor more able, than was the sayd Mawgys, except onlye hys cosyn]

[Caxton B.iii.a] [Here begins Caxton's print. [14 leaves are out of Lord Spencer's unique copy. It begins at Fol. iii. col. 3, 1. 24 o. Copland's edition of 1554.]] Renawde, one of the sones of Aymon / whereof specyally treateth now this historye / Thenne marched fourthe Lohier, & wente in the firste of alle, and after hym his folke by goode conduyte / And salued the duke Benes of Aygremounte in this wyse / wherby moche grete euyll happed to [vnto, ed. 1554. Only a few collations are put, to show how slight are the changes of word in ed. 1554. The spelling varies somewhat.] hym at laste: 'That god that created the firmamente, and made alle thynges [thynge.] of noughte, for the people to susteyne / And in [on.] the crosse suffred deth and passyon for alle soules to be redemed out of the peynes of helle, kepe and saue the / kynge Charlemayne, emperoure [ereperour in text orig. Emperour, 1554.] of Almayne and kynge of Fraunce, and all his noble lynee / and confounde the [thee.] duke Benes of Aygremounte / My fader the kynge by me expressely sendeth to the [thee.] worde, thou come Incontynente to Parys wyth fyue hundred knyghtes, [pour le servir la ou il luy plaira toy emploier, et aussi pour, F. orig. b. iiii. omitted in Caxton.] for to doo to hym ryghte and rayson of thys,

that thou were not wyth hym in armes in the partyes of Lombardye, for to fyghte ayenst the enmyes of the crysten feyth. Where, by thy fawte, were ded there, Bawdoyn, lorde of Melanke / Greffroy of Bourdelle / and many other grete dukes, prynces, knyghtes, and barons. And yf thou wylte not doo it / I telle the duke Benes that the kynge shalle come vpon the [thee.] wyth an hundred thousande men of armes. Soo shalte thou be take and brought in to Fraunce / And there thou shalt be Iudged as a theef and a false tratour to [vnto.] thy souerayne lorde. for to be fleyen [slayne.] and hanged all quycke, thy wiffe brente, and thi children dystroyed and banysshed. Do therfore this that I commaunde the in the kynges behalue / for thou knowest well that thou arte his man, vaysall, and subgette':

WHan the duke Benes of Aygremounte hadde herde Lohier [ filz du roy Charlemagne, F. orig. b. iiii. back.] thus speke, Thenne, [Than.] yf ye hadde seen hym chaunge [chaunged.] his colour, pouff, [pouffe &.] blowe / as a man cruell prowde and [B. iii. back.] owterageouse, and sayd to Lohier in this maner, 'I shal not goo to kynge Charlemayne, nor noo thynge of his wylle I shale not fulfylle / For I holde nother castelle ne fortresse of hym / But I shal goo vppon him wyth alle my puyssaunce / and shalle dystroye alle the londe of Fraunce vnto Parys' / Thenne [Than.] sayd Lohier vnto duke Benes of Aygremounte, 'Vassaylle,' sayd he, 'how dareste thou answerre thus? And yf the kynge knewe now that thou threteneste hym thus as thou dooste, he sholde come Incontinente vpon the, [thee.] and sholde vtterli dystroye the. Well thou knoweste that thou arte his liege man / and that thou canne not saye ayenste hit / Comme then redeli, and serue thy souerayne lorde, the kynge Charlemayne. And byleue me, yf thou wylle, saue thyne owne lyffe.

For yf thou doo it not, I make the [thee.] sure and certeyne / that yf he canne haue the by force, that he shalle make the [thee.] to be hanged there as the ayre and the wyndes wyth theyr grete blastes shalle drye vppe the bones of the.' [thee.] Whan the duke herde Lohyer speke to hym in this manere, he stode vppe anone vppon his feete, And sayd that to his euell chere he came there for make to hym his message. Thenne [Than.] came fourthe a knyghte, named syre Water, that was a man of the duke of Aygremount, and sayd to the duke / 'My lorde! kepe, for goodys loue, that ye doo noo folie. lette Lohyer saye alle his wylle. For ye be neuer the worse for his sayenge. And as ye well knowe, kynge Charlemayne is ryght puyssaunte, and soo moche, that there is nother castell, cyte, nor towne neuer soo stronge / that can holde ayenst hym / Goo then to hym by my counseyll. for ye be his man, his vassayll, and his subget / and of hym you holde your castell of Aygremount, and all your londes / And yf ye soo doo / ye shalle doo as sage / and hit [folio B.iiii.a] shalle be your prouffytte, and also of alle your lande. And for to werre ayenste your ryghtewys lorde, noo thynge but euyll can come to you therof.' Whan the duke had herde the wyse knyghte soo [to.] speke, He coude to hym ryghte goode thanke therfore; but alwayes alle angry he sayd to hym, 'Holde your peas / For I shalle holde noo thynge of hym as longe that I shalle maye [be able.] bere armes, and mounte a horsebake. I shall sende for my dere bretherne, Gerarde of Roussyllon, and Dron of Nantuell [Natuell.] / and Garnyer his sone. And thenne we shalle goo vpon kynge Charlemayne / and yf I canne mete wyth hym in ony place, we shall dystroye hym, and shalle doo of hym that he troweth to doo of me / Wene ye that I am a cowarde [cowarde, 1554. cowrade, Caxton.] / nay, by my feyth / For I

sholde not take all ye golde in Parys / but that I sholde slee the messager. Euylle was to hym whan he durste so threten me' / And thenne [than.] sayd Lohier, 'I nether prayse you nor doubte you not.' Whan the duke Benes of Aygremounte vnderstode Lohier, he wexed for grete wrathe as redde as ony fyre in his face / And beganne to ryse vppe and to calle / 'Now, barons! vppon hym / brynge hym to me / For he shalle neuer be warraunted [wraunted.] but that I shalle make hym to deye shamefully.' And the barons durste not saye ayenst theyr lorde, but drewe alle theyr swerdes, and Incontynente dyde renne vppon Charlemayns folke / And Lohier called his baner; & thenne [than.] beganne he and his folke to deffende theym selfe sharpely; And god knoweth how many heddes and armes were there cutte of that daye / For atte the same owre beganne a thynge / wherof afterwarde soo many ladyes and damoyselles were wythoute husbondes and wythoute louers / Soo many of children faderles, and soo many churches wasted and dystroyed that neuer syth were repayred. What shall [folio B.iiii.b] I telle you more / wyte it that they fought therein [there.] soo longe wythin the halle of the palays, that the noyse wente thoroughe alle the towne. Thenne [than.] sholde ye haue seen the bourgeys, marchauntes, and men of crafte, wyth axes, swerdes, and other wepyns / And came to the castelle warde aboute vii thousande men and more / But the entre of the palays of Aygremounte was narowe. And the frenshe men were wythin, that kepte theym well, that they entred not in atte theyr ease. Alas! what terryble and vnhappy a slaughter was there that daye / For the folke of kynge Charlemayne were but a fewe to the regarde of theym of the other parte / And as ye maye knowe, suche assemble was ryght euyll / Soo

deffended theym selfe moche nobly and valyauntly the folke of kynge Charlemayne / And soo moche that Lohier, seenge that he and his folke hadde the worse / he smote a knyghte by fore duke Benes of Aygremounte by suche a wyse that he ouerthrewe hym doun deed / 'For the,' sayd he, 'goddys curse haue thou' / And afterwarde he sayd pyteously in waylynge hym selfe, 'Lorde god, that wythin the holy wombe of the blessed vyrgyne Marye toke thy herbowrynge, and suffred dethe and passion for to redeme mankynde / whylte deffende me this daye from shamefull dethe and from tourmente / For I wote well / but yf that your hyghe dyuynyte socoure me this daye, I shalle not see the kynge Charlemayne my fader nomore' / Thenne the duke called highe vpon hym, saynge, 'Lohier, soo helpe me god, this daye shalle be your laste' / 'It shalle not be so,' sayd Lohyer. [Il prit son bracdassier, F. orig. b. v.] And wyth this he smote the duke vppon the hede; but his helme saued hym / And the stroke descended to the hele of hym, soo that the bloode ranne oute. [Parmi la salle.] 'By god,' sayd Lohier, 'ye shall not escape' / Thenne [folio B.v.a] came the duke Benes of Aygremounte to hym as woode and sore an angred / saynge, 'I sholde prayse myselfe full lytyll yf I myghte not auenge me vppon the.' Soo heued vppe the duke his branke of stele, and smote Lohier so harde vppon his bryghte helme that he cleued hym to the teeth / And Lohier felle deed afore hym / vpon the pauemente of the halle. Ha, god, what grete dommage hathe doon the duk Benes of Aygremounte, to haue thus slayne Lohier, the eldest sone of the grete kynge Charlemayne / For afterwarde alle the oost of Fraunce was in moche grete and Innumerable tourmente therefore / and in ryght grete peyne contynuall / And the duke hym selfe deyed therfore full soryly. That was the paymente that he hadde

for it, as ye here after shalle here yf peasibly ye wyll here me:

NOw is owtrageously slayne the good Lohyer, the eldest sone of kynge Charlemayne / And the duke Benes of Aygremounte, full of cruelnes, toke the hede from the body of hym. And after that the folke of the sayd Lohier, the sone of the grete kynge Charlemayne, sawe theyr lorde ded, thynke ye they made no grete deffence / Alwayes of a hundred that they were entred wythin the palays wyth theyr lorde Lohier, abode there on lyue but xx, wherof the duke incontynente made x of them to be slayne. And the other x he reteyned alyue. and to theym sayd / 'Yf ye wyl promyse and swere to me vpon your othe and feyth of knyghthode that ye shall bere your lorde Lohyer to his fader, the kyng Charlemayne, and saye to hym that I sende to hym his sone Lohyer in good arraye / and that in an euyll houre he dyde sende hym to me for to telle me suche wordes: ¹I shall lete you goo quyte & sauf¹ [^1—1 omitted, F. orig. b. vi. back.] / and to hym ye shall saye, that for hym [folio B.v.b] I shalle not doo the mountenaunce of a peny / And that I shalle goo vpon hym in this somer nexte comynge wyth [trente, F. orig. b. vi. back.] forty thousande men / And that I shall destroye hym and alle his lande / They aunswered, 'sire, we shalle doo that. that shalle playse you to commaunde vs' / Thenne the duke dyde doo make redyly a byere / and made the corps of Lohier to be putte wythin the sayd byere. And after he delyuerde hit to his x knyghtes that were lefte on lyue, and putte hit in a carte to drawe wyth two horses. And the duke conueyed theym throughe the towne / And whan they were in the feeldes / the [omitted, F. orig. b. vi.] x knyghtes byganne to wepe, and to make grete moone for theyr lorde Lohier, saynge / 'Alas, my lorde Lohier, what shalle we nowe

saye for you to the k[y]nge [Knnge in text.] your fader, that soo grete sorowe shale haue / whan he shalle knowe your cruelle deth. We may well be in certeyne that he shalle make vs alle deye' / Thus wepynge and makynge theyr mone for the loue of theyr lorde Lothyer / They roode on theyr waye streyghte to Parys /

¶ But now we shalle here leue to speke of the messagers, and shalle telle you of the kynge ²Charlemayne that was atte Parys,² [^2—2 omitted, F. orig. b. vi.]

CHarlemayne, that was atte Parys wyth a grete multytude of lordes that were there assembled. And there vpon a daye kynge Charlemayne sayd vnto his lordys and barons / 'Lordes, I am moche wrothe and sory of my sone Lohyer, that I haue sente to Aygremounte / and I feere me sore that they haue taken debate wyth the duke Benes of Aygremounte, whiche is felle and cruell, and I doubte me leste he hathe slayne my sone Lohyer / But by my crowne, yf he haue soo doone, or ony thyng that turneth to dysplaysure or dommage to my sayd sone / I shall go vpon [folio B.vi.a] hym with a hundred thousande men, & shalle make him to be hanged at a gybet' / 'Syre,' sayd the goode duke Aymes of dordon, 'I shall commende you ryghte sore yf he hathe offended agaynst you, that ye make punyssyon thereof and wrek on hym grete vengaunce. He ys your liege man, and oughte to serue / prayse / and honoure you, and to holde alle hys londe of you / Alwayes yf he hathe trespassed ayenst you in ony manere / I am ryghte sory for hit. And yf ye haue a cause to be wrothe wyth hym, I haue here my foure sones; that is, to wytte, Reynawde, Alarde, Guycharde, and Rycharde, that ben ryghte valyaunte, as ye, syre, welle knowe, whiche shalle be trusty and true to you' / 'Aymon,' sayd the kynge Charlemayne,'I conne you

grete thanke of the offre that now ye haue doon to me. And it is my wylle that ye make theym to come hether presentely, to the ende that I make theym knyghtes / And I shalle gyue to theym castelles, towres, and townes, and cytees ynoughe' / Thenne sente the duke Aymes incontynente for his children, and made theym to come afore kynge Charlemayne. And whan the kynge Charlemayne sawe theym, they playsed hym moche. And Reynawde was the firste that spake, and sayd, 'Syre, if it playse you for to make vs knyghtes / we shals be euer redy for to serue you and your noble lordeshyppe' / Thenne the kynge Charlemayne called his stywarde, and sayd to hym, 'Brynge to me the armes that were the kynge Cedres, whiche I haue wyth my handes slayne in bataylle byfore Pampelune. And I shalle gyue theym to the gentylle Reynawde / as to hym that is as I were, the mooste valyaunte of alle. And of other goode armes I shalle gyue to the other three bretherne' / Soo broughte there the stywarde the armes, that were full fayre and ryche; and [folio B.vi.b] thenne were armed the foure gentyll bretherne, children to the goode Aymes of Dordonne / and Ogyer of Denmark, that was of their kynne, dyde on theyr spores to the newe knyghte Reynawde. And the kynge Charlemayne girde hym his swerde / And then he doubed hym to a knyghte, sayenge, 'God encrease in the [thee.] goodnes / honoure / and worthynes.' And thenne mounted Reynawde on horsebacke vpon Bayarde / that was suche a horse that neuer was his like in alle the worlde, nor neuer shalle be, excepte Busifall, the horse of the grete kynge Alexandre; for as to haue ronne [dix licux F. orig. ed. 1480.] xxx myle togyder wolde neuer haue sweted. The sayde Bayarde, this horse, was growen in the Isle of Brousean / and Mawgis, the sone of the duke Benes of Aygremounte, hadde gyuen hit to his cosin Reynawde /

that after made the kynge Charlemayne full of wrothe and sory. As ye shall nowe here herafter.

REynawde was a horsbak wyth a shelde paynted hanginge att his necke / and thwerled his swerde by grete fyersnesse. And wytte well that he was a fayr knyghte, vounderfull grete and well founded. and of hym was a fayr sighte / for well he semed one of the most valyaunte knyghtes that men coude fynde in alle the worlde. And the barons that were there, sayd / 'Ha, god, what a fayre knyghte is he / neuer was, nor shall be, seen soo fayer a man of armes as Reynawde / god encrease to hym honoure and worthinesse, goodnesse and pryse! 'And after, were moche honourabli and worthyly arayed and armed, the other three bretherne of Reynawde / and syth lyghte alle on horsebacke vnder saynte Vyctor, nyghe Parys / Thenne made the kynge Charlemayne to sette vppe in the grounde a poste [folio B.vii.a] ayenste whiche he made the newe knyghtes to assaye theym selfe / They Iousted moche worthyly / but Reynawde / iousted beste vpon hys horse bayarde / And ryght well lyked and were agreable to Charlemayne, the fayttes of the valyaunt knyghte Reynawde, to whom the kyng sayd, 'reynawde, from hens forth ye shall come wyth vs in bataylle.' And Reynawde answerde hym in thys manre / 'Syre, god yelde it you an hundred thousande tymes / and I promytte yow in goode feyth to obeye and serue you truly / nor neuer ye shall fynde my selfe in noo forfaytte, But yf it come of you.'

THemperoure Charlemayne, after the ioustyng doon, retourned to his palays in Parys / Thenne he resoned wyth his prynces and barons / And there were the duke Naymes of bauyres, Oger the dane / and the archebysshop Turpyn / and sayd to theym in this wyse / Barons,' sayd he,' I canne not merueylle me to

moche of Lohier, my eldeste sone, that taryeth soo longe in hys message. I haue grete fere that some inconuenyence be happed vnto him. I dremed this nighte in my slepe, that the thonder bolte felle vpon my sone Lohier [si que il estoit tout pasme, F. orig. b. vii.] / and thenne came the duke Benes of Aygremounte vpon him, and smote his hede of / But by my berde, yf he haue doo soo, whiles he lyueth he shall neuer accorde wyth me / nor I shall neuer haue ioye atte my herte; for it is he that I loue best in this worlde.' 'Syre,' sayd the duke Naymes,' I byleue not suche thynges, nor to suche dremes ye shalle not gyue noo credence' / 'Alwayes,' sayd the kynge, 'yf he haue doon soo / I shall neuer leuer hym the value of a peny / for I shall sende for the normans, the bernygers, the flamynges / the champenoys / the almayns, ye banyers, & for englishemen; so shalt I goo vpon hym, & shall vtterly dystroye [folio B.vii.b] hym' / And Naymes sayd euer to hym, that he sholde not fraye hym selfe of noo thynge tyll that he knewe the certente. And as they spoke this, there came rydynge a messager vpon a horse fauell, sore, seke and wery, and also sore wounded to the deth. He came to Parys afore the palays, where kynge Charlemayne was at the wyndowes. And whan he sawe come the messager, he came doun lyghtely [en bas du palays, F. orig. b. vii.] from the palays halle to the gate / and wyth hym, Naymes of Bauyre and Ogyer the dane / And whan the messager sawe the kynge, he salued hym full softe, as that he was ryght sory and sore wounded, and that wyth peyne myghte speke / And sayd in this manere / 'grete folye ye dyde, whan ye dyde sende my lorde, your sone, for to aske trybute and obeyssaunce of the duke Benes of Aygremounte, the whiche trybute your sone asked hym shamfully. But the duke, whiche is sore felle and cruell, whan he herde speke my sayd

lorde, your sone / he commaunded to a meyne of knyghtes that were there, that he sholde be take, and that he sholde neuer retourne ayen to yow for to recounte hys message, nor what answere he hadde founde. To the whiche takynge, the medlee was grete and cruell / soo that your dere sone Lohier was ded there. And the duke Beynes of Aygremounte kylled hym and alle your folke, excepte me and ix other, that conduytte and brynge your sone in a byere. And I myselfe am sore hurte, as ye maye see.' And thenne the messager coude speke nomore / but felle doun in a swoune, of the grete gryeffe and sore that he felte, bycause of his woundes / And whan the kynge hadde herde these wordes / he felle doun vpon the grounde for the grete sorow that he toke therof, and wrange his handes / and pulled his berde / and tare alle his heres, saynge, 'Ha, god that made heuen and erthe, ye haue broughte [folio B.viii.a] me in grete sorowe and tournement irrecouerable, that neuer shall ceasse wyth me / so requyre I to you the deth humbly / For neuer more desire I not to lyue' / The goode duke of Bauyre began to recomforte hym / saynge, 'For goddis loue, syre, tourmente not your selfe / but haue goode herte, and hope in god and recomforte your folke' / And this wolde saye the duke Naymes for theym that he sawe wepe there for theyr kynnesmen and frendes that were ded wyth Lohyer. 'And do,' saye he to the kyng, 'late your sone be worshyfully buryed atte saynte Germayne of the medowes / And thenne ye shall goo vpon the cluke Benes of Aygremount, wyth alle your noble power and grete puyssaunce / and shall dystroye hym and alle his lordes atte your playsure.' Thenne the kynge Charlemayne recomforted hym selfe / and well he knewe that Naymes counseylled hym truly and lawfully / Thenne sayd the kynge / 'barons, make you redy / and we

shall goo ayenste my dere sone Lohier' / And incontynente all the prynces and barons made theym selfe redy for to do the commaundement of the kynge / And whan they were goon two myle oute of Parys, they mette wyth the corps / And were there wyth the kynge, Naymes / Ogyer, Sampson of bourgoyne, and many other grete lordes / Thenne sayde the kyng Charlemayne whan he sawe the body of his dere sone Lohier / 'Alas, how shamefully am I treated' / he descended from his horse a foote, and toke vppe the clothe that was vppon the byere, and byhelde his sone Lohier. Thenne sawe he the hede that was smytten of from the body, and the face that was [tout detrauche, F. orig. b. viii.] alle to hewen / 'Ha, god,' sayd he / 'how well may I be madde now alle quycke. Well I oughte to hate that duke Benes of Aygremounte, that thus hathe murdered my sone' / he thenne kyssed his childe alle bloody [folio B.viii.b] full often, and sayd in this wyse / 'Ha, fayre sone, ye were a talle man and a gentyll knyghte; now praye I the puyssaunte god of glorye, that he take your soule thys daye, yf it be his plesure, into his royame of paradyse' / Grete sorowe made the kynge Charlemayne for the deth of his sone Lohier; But alwayes recomforted hym the goode duk naymes. And thenne Ogyer the dane, and sampson of Bourgoyn, ³toke hym vnder the armes,³ [^3—3 omitted, F. orig. b. viii.] and ledde hym vnto saynte Germayne of the medewes. And there the body of Lohier was buryed and ennoynted wyth balme, as it apperteyneth to alle the sones of kynges. Thus was he putte in his graue: god haue of his soule mercy!

We shalle leue here to speke of the goode kynge Charlemayne, that was moche sory of his sone Lohier / as ye haue herde / and shall tell you of the goode duke Aymon, of Renawde his sone / and of hys

thre bretherne that were at Parys / 'My chyldren,' sayd Aymon, 'ye knowe how the kyng Charlemayne is moche wroth, and not wythoute a cause, by cause that my broder, your vncle, hath slayne Lohier his sone. And I wote well that he shall go vpon hym wyth all his puyssaunce / but verely we shall not goo wyth hym / But rather shalle we goo to Dordonne, and yf the kyng make werre ayenste hym / we shall helpe hym wyth all our powre / Soo lyghted anone on horsebak the goode duke Aymon and the foure knyghtes his children, and bayted noo where tyll they came to Laon / and from thens they rode soo long tyll they came to Dordonne. And whan the lady sawe her lorde and her foure children, she was ryght gladde, and wente agaynste theym for to welcome theym, and asked after tydynges, and yf Reynawde and his other chydren were made knyghtes / Thenne the goode duk answered 'ye'; [folio C.i.a] and after, she asked whi they were departed for the kynges courte. [dauecqs le roy Charlemague, F. orig. b. viii.] And thenne he rehersed vnto her worde by worde how his broder, the duke Benes, had slayne Lohier, the sone of the kynge Charlemayn / wherof the goode lady Margerye was wounderfull wroth and sory; for well she knew that this deth of Lohier was the totalle dystructyon of the duke Aymon her husbonde, of herselfe, and of her children, and of theyr londe. She herde Reynawde her eldest sone, that thretened Charlemayne the grete kyng / thenne sayd to hym the lady his moder / 'My sone Reynawde, I praye the vnderstande me a lityll / Loue thy souerayne and thy naturell lorde / and drede hym aboue all thynge; but bere hym honour and reuerence / and god shall reward the for it / and ye, my lorde Aymon, I am moche merueylled of you, that are departed from Charlemayne wythoute leue of hym, that hath doon to you soo moche goode and soo grete

worship, and hathe gyuen to your sones soo noble and soo ryche armes, and hathe made theym knyghtes wyth his owne handes / more grete honoure he myghte not doo to you nor to your chyldren' / 'Lady,' sayd the duke, 'we be thus departed from kynge Charlemayne by cause that my broder hathe slayne his sone, as I haue tolde you afore' / 'Ha, god,' sayd the lady, 'that of the vyrgyn was borne in bedeleym, how hath ye euyl thys daye surmounted ye goode / For goddys loue, my lorde,' sayde the lady, 'medlee not wyth alle, for ye shalle see this nexte somer that the kynge shalle goo vpon your broder / and by my counseyll serue the kynge, your ryght-wys lorde, nor faylle hym not for noo thyng / For yf ye doo otherwyse, ye shall be vntrue and false towarde your souerayne and naturell lorde.' 'Lady,' sayd the duke, 'by god omnypotente I wolde leuer haue loste my castell & the halfe of my londe / than that my broder sholde haue [folio C.i.b] slayne Lohier. Now the wyll of god be doon therin, and none otherwyse.'

To speke of the good duke Aymon of Dordonne, and of his wiff the duchesse, and of theyr sones / we shall here leue, and shall retourne to speke of the kynge Charlemayne that was come again to Parys / makynge grete sorow for his son Lohier. There had you seen many a gowne torne and broken / many a hande wrongen, and many heres of the hede pulled, soo that it was pyte & wonder for to see. ²'Alas, my dere sone,' sayd kynge Charlemayne² [^2—2 et le roy demenoit le roy qui ... F. orig. c. i.] / 'he that hath slayn the soo cruelly, loued me but lityll. I shall neuer be in quyete nor in rest tyll that I haue take vengance of thy deth.' 'Syre,' sayd the duke Bauyere, 'haue mercy of your selfe / For it behoueth not to soo grete a prince as ye be, for to make soo grete sorowe as ye doo' / And in the meane while came a messager afore

the kyng / whiche shewed to hym how Aymon / the duke of Dordonne, & his foure sones, were go on in to theyr countree / wherof the kyng was sore an angred & wrothe, And sware god and saynt Denys, that afore he sholde deye, that Aymon and his chyldren sholde abye full sore for it, and that the duke Benes of Aygremount [ne ses freres ne ses ēfās, F. orig. c. i.] shold not kepe theym therfro. The dyner was redy, & they wysshe their handes, and were sette at dyner / but wyte it that the kynge dyde ete but lityll / as he that was in grete malencolye; and ye fayr Salamon serued that daye afore hym the coppe / & grete people was there. After dyner, themperoure charlemayne dyde reyson wyth his barons, & sayd to theym: 'lorde[s],' sayde he, 'ye duke Benes of Aygremounte hath doon to me grete outrage, that soo shamfully hath slayne my sone lohier / But, & it playse god, I shall go wreke it vpon hym this nexte somer, & I shall dystroye all his londe; and yf I maye take hym, I shall not leue hym, [folio C.ii.a] for the duke Aymon that shamfully is goon from me / nor for his foure sones that I haue made knyghtes, wherof I me repente sore, but that I shall make [t]hem to be hanged' / 'Syre,' sayd thenne the duke Naymes, 'now here what I shall saye to you / your sone is ded by grete vnhappe, and well in an euyll oure was he put to deth, for neuer dethe was so sore solde ne so dere boughte as this shall be / So sende now for your folke thrughe all your londes, & thenne from hens towarde Aygremount take your waye. And yf ye may take the duke Benes / lete the deth of your sone lohier be to hym full dere solde.'

'Naymes,' sayd the kyng, 'ye be a good man / sage, curtois, & valyaunt. euyn thus shall I doo / for well wyselli ye haue counseylled me' / Thenne gaaf he leue to many of his barons and gentyll men

that were in his courte at that tyme, and tolde theym that eche of theym sholde goo in to his countree for to make theymselfe redy, and that they sholde come ayen to hym the nexte somer. Soo was it doon as the kynge had commaunded. And thus wente the barons & the gentyllmen ¹from the courte into their countrey,¹ [^1—1 omitted, F. orig. c. ii. back.] and by theym were tydynges broughte thrughe all the londes vnto Rome / That kynge / Charlemayne made a grete assemble of men of armes, soo that the renomme therof floughe vnto the duke Benes of Aygremountes court / whiche of that other parte dyd sende for his kynsmen & frendes / & in especyall he sente for his bredern Gerarde of roussyllon and Dron of nantuell / soo that they were whan they came togider well foure score thousande fyghtyng men & moo / and as fayre folke as euere were seen / whiche thenne sayd 'I byleue, yf the kynge beseege the castelle that the worsse shalle retourne vnto hym' / Thenne sayd the duke Benes of Aygremounte to Gerarde of Roussillon, [folio C.ii.b] 'Broder,' sayd he, 'be not dyssmayd / for I hope to hurte the kynge soo sore yf he come vppon vs, that he shall be wery of his bargayn / but lete vs goo fourth towarde Troye ³in champayne,³ [^3—3 omitted, F. orig. c. ii.] and / there we shall fyghte wyth the kyng vygorously / for well I wote that god shall helpe vs ayenste hym' / This was atte the begynnyng of the moneth of Maye, and Charlemayne was at Parys / that abode after his men that sholde come for to goo wyth a grete puyssaunce vpon the duke Benes of Aygremounte. And bode not longe, that Rycharde of Normandy cam to the kyng with xxx thousande fyghtyng men. And of a nother side, came to hym the erle Guy, that hadde wyth hym a ryght noble and a grete company of goode men. And [Amd in text.] after hym came Salamon of bretayne, and the erle Huon; and of all sides

ye sholde haue seen come to the kynge Charlemayne, Poeteuyns, Gascoyns, Normans, Flemynges, Bernyers, & Bourgoyns / and so many other grete lordes that it was grete wonder for to see / whiche come all, & lodged theym selfe in ye medowes of saynte Germayne.

Thenne whan the kyng Charlemayne knewe that his folke was all arryued, he had of yt grete Ioye / and incontynente made his bataylles to departe / for to go to his enterpryse; and made of Rycharde of Normandy, of Walleran of bryllon, of Guydellon of banyere, of Yzacar of Nemours, of Oger the dane / and of Esconf the sone of Oedon, wyth theym xl thousande men, his forewarde / There sholde ye haue seen a ryght noble companye, and many hardy men. They departed from nyghe Parys / and putte theym selfe to the waye streyghte towarde Aygremounte. And they thus rydynge after many dayes Iourney, whiche I canne not telle, came there streyghte to Ogyer the dane, that was [folio C.iii.a] in the forewarde, a messager sore hastily rydyng / that asked to whom was this noble companye / And he answered to hym, that they were kynge Charlemaynes folke. Thenne sayd, ²Syr, the messager,² [^2—2 omitted, F. orig. c. ii.] that he wolde well speke wyth hym. Thenne went Oger the dane, and shewed hym to the kynge / And assoone as the messager sawe hym, he made hym due reuerence / and the kyng gaaf hym ayen his salute / and hym demaunded what he was and fro whens he come. And the messager tolde hym that he was of Troye / and that vnto hym he was sent from Aubrey, the lorde of Troye, that was his liege man, [car il tenoit de luy Troye, F. orig. c. ii.] whiche besoughte hym humbli for socoures, for the duk Benes of Aygremounte, and his two brederne, Gerarde of Roussyllon and Dron of nantuel, and wyth theym an hundred thousande fyghtyng men, had beseged

hym wythin Troye; and that yf he come not to helpe hym, he muste yelde vp the towne, and also the fayre towre that Julyus Cesar dyde buylde there.

Whan Charlemayne the emperour vnderstode that Troye was beseged by the duke Benes and his bretherne / he was full sory for hit. And he swore thenne by saynt Denys of Fraunce, that he sholde goo there wyth his army, and that yf he myghte holde the duke of Aygremounte, he sholde make hym deye a shamfull deth. Soo called he the duke Naymes of Bauyere / Goodebew of Fryse / and the duk walleran, and sayd to theym, 'Barons, ye vnderstond what this messager sayth / lete vs ryde hastely towarde Troy or it be take.' And they answered to hym ryght gladly that they wolde doo it soo / Soo dyde they rydde a goode paas till that they came nyghe Troye / And fyrste of alle came the forewarde wyth the Oryflame / of the whiche were gouernours Oger the Dane / Rycharde of Normandye: and [folio C.iii.b] the duke Walleran / and [with] theym fourty [trente, F. orig. c. ii.] thousande men / and the messager of Troye that conduytted theym / And whan they were comen soo nyghe that they sawe Troye afore theym, a messager came to Gerarde of Roussyllon that was afore Troye / saynge to hym that the kyng Charlemayne came vpon theym, for to socoure Aubrey wyth a ryght grete and puyssaunte companye / Thenne sayd Gerarde to his bretherne / That is to wyte, duke Benes of Aygremounte and the erle Dron of Nantuell, 'that it were goode that they sholde goo ayenste kynge Charlemayne wyth all theyr puyssaunce, and that eche of theym sholde preue hym selfe a goode man' / They dyde soo as they hadde deuysed, and Gerarde of Roussyllon was the fyrste in the forewarde; and they roode soo longe tyll that the one partye sawe the other. Thenne sayd Ogyer the Dane to Rycharde of Normandye, whan he

sawe come Gerarde of Roussyllon / 'See,' sayd he, 'how Gerarde of Roussyllon weneth for to fare fowll wyth vs. But now lete vs thynke for to diffende vs well, soo moche that the worshyppe abyde to the kynge Charlemayne / and to vs' / And thenne they lete renne theyr horses from one parte and from the other / And Gerarde of Roussyllon went and smote an Almayn wyth his spere soo moche, that he made it to entre thorughe the body of hym, whiche felle anone deed to the grounde. And Gerarde toke his baner and cryed wyth an highe voys / 'Roussillon, Roussyllon!' [omitted, F. orig. c. iii. back.]

Thenne beganne the bataylle sore strong, felle, and cruell. And when Oger the dane sawe thus his folke deye, he was woode and mad wyth hit / Soo wente he, and smote a knyghte named Ponson by suche a wyse, that he putte his spere thorughe the body of hym, whiche felle doun [folio C.iiii.a] deed afore him. And whan Gerarde hadde seen the same, he wente and smote one of Ogyers men / soo that alle deed he cast hym afore hym / ³And thenne he sayd,³ [^3—3 omitted, F. orig. c. iii. back.] 'Ye haue this for your maysters sake, Ogyer' / Moche grete and merueyllouse was the stoure, and the bataill soo fyers. For there sholde ye haue seen soo many of sheldes perced and clouen / and soo many a haubergeon broken / and salettes and helmes vnbocled and sore beten / and soo many men lienge vpon thother deed, that all the erthe was couered wyth the blood of the deed men, and of theym that were hurte there, soo that it was a grete pyte for to see. And thenne came the duke Benes of Aygremounte, that spored hys horse terryble, and wente and smote Enguerran, lord of Peronne and of saynte Quyntyne, soo harde, that he ouerthrewe hym deed afore hym, and thenne sayd, 'Now goo, goddys curse haue thou!' and cryed wyth an highe voys, 'Aygremounte' / And thenne

came to him his brother, the duke of Nantuell, wyth all his folke, and they wente all togyder vpon Charlemaynes folke. And of the other parte came wyth grete puyssaunce Almayns, Poeteuyns, and Lombardes also, that were of the parte of kyng Charlemayne / So medled theymself the one partye among the other / And there was moche harde and horryble assemble / For there were slayne many myghty and worthy knyghtes of bothe sydes / And Rycharde of Normandye shewed well there his grete prowesse and worthynes / for he wente and smote a knyghte that Gerarde of Roussyllon loued moche, by suche a streyngthe that he ouerthrewe hym deed from hys horse to the erthe afore the sayd Gerarde / whiche thenne sayd / 'Now am I well sory and wrothe for hym that now ys deed, that I loued soo sore. Certes, I shall neuer haue Ioye atte my herte but that I be auenged [folio C.iiii.b] therof shortely.' Thenne toke Gerarde of Roussyllon his baner in his fyste / but his broder of Nantuell came [Promptement, F. orig. c. iii.] anone to hym and sayd, 'Broder, I counseylle you that ye tourne agayn / for here cometh Charlemayne wyth his folke, and well I telle you, that yf we abyde hym / the losse shalle torne vpon vs.' And whyle they were spekyng thus, Walleron of Bollon smote the neuew of Gerarde of Roussillon soo that he foyned atte hym wyth his swerde thrughe the body of hym, and felle doun deed to the erthe. Thenne trowed Gerarde to haue goon oute of his wytte / and sente [querir, F. orig. c. iii.] anone for the duke Benes his broder, that he sholde come soone to socoure hym / And he dyde soo as preu and valyaunte that he was. And of the other side assembled there the kynge and his folke. ¶ Soo shall you now here of a thyng merueyllouse, of soo grete a noblesse, that at the same feelde were cruelly slayne / This was in the moneth of Maye,

vpon a mornyng, that kyng Charlemayne dide assemble his folke wyth the folke of the duke of Aygremounte and of his bretherne / to the whiche assemble ye sholde haue seen many fayr harneyses shynyng, for the sonne that fayr and clere was that daye, the whiche assemblee was wonderfull stronge / For there were so many feet and hedes smytten of, and so many good horses slayne, ¹and tho ther ranne thrughe the medowes, wherof the maysters leye deed vpon the grasse.¹ [^1—1 et les aultres courir parmi les prez dont les maistres gisoiēt mors par dessus lerbe.] And wyte it for trouth, that there were deed that same daye of the one side and of the other, more than xl [lx, in F. orig. c. iii.] thousande men. Ha, god, what slaughter! there was moche grete noblesse deed. The duk Benes, sore angred, went and smote sire Walter, lorde of Pyerelee, in his shelde, soo that his spere wente thorughe the body of hym, and felle doun deed afore hym. Thenne cryed he wyth an highe voys, 'his banere, [folio C.v.a] Aygremounte!'

Grete was the preesse / and the bataylle fyers and merueyllouse. And there shewed Rycharde of Normandye moche worthyly his grete hardynes / For he Iousted ayenste the duke of Aygremounte soo that he perced his sheelde, and dyde hurte hym ryght sore / And sayd to hym / 'By god, ye shall not this daye escape dethe. It was an euyll daye for you whan ye dyde slee my lorde Lohyer' / And wyth that, he dyd drawe oute his swerde / And smote the duke agayne vpon his helme / in suche a wyse that yf it hadde not be the coyffe of stele that made his stroke to slyde / the sayd benes hadde be deed that houre. And the stroke felle doun vpon the horse, and cutte the horse in two, as thoughe hit had be noo thyng; and thus felle the horse deed vnder his mayster / Thenne was the duke Benes sore abasshed whan he thus founde hymselfe

a grounde / But he stoode vppe on his feete redyly, as he that was preu and valyaunte, holdyng hys swerde in his hande / And wente and smote a knyghte named sire Symon, soo that he kylled hym sterke deed in the place / And thenne he called wyth an highe voys / Aygremounte his baner. Thenne came to hym his two bretherne / the duke of Roussyllon and of Nantuell / And of the side of kynge Charlemayne came Ogyer, Naymes, Walleran of Bollon, Huon lorde of Mauns, the erle Salamon, Leon of Fryse, the archebyshop Turpyn, and Escouf the sone of Oedon / And thenne sholde ye haue seen there, at that assemble, moche grete and merueyllouse noblesse of knyghtes that leye deed vpon the erthe, the one vpon the other, that it was a pyetous sighte to be-holde.

To this inhumayn occysion was come themperoure Charlemayn, [de France, F. orig. c. iv. back.] crryeng, 'barons, yf they escape vs, we shal [folio C.v.b] neuer haue honoure' / and thenne he bare vppe his spere to the reest, and wente and smote in to the shelde of Gerarde of roussyllon, so that he ouerthrewe bothe horse and man to the grounde / And there hadde be his last daye, yf hit hadde not be the duke Benes and Dron, his bretherne / that moche worthyly, and wyth grete deligence, socoured hym. Of that other partye, came Ogyer the Dane, vpon his goode horse Broyforte, that smote a knyghte of the folke of Gerarde, duke of Roussyllon, called sire Foulquet, soo that he cloue hym to the teeth, and felle doun deed to the erth. And whan Gerarde of Roussillon sawe thus his knyghte slayne, he called to god and to our lady, sayng, 'Well haue I this day loste my fayr and goode knyghte.' And the duke of Aygremounte was sore abasshed, and prayed god also full pyetously that it wolde playse hym to kepe hym from deth, and from fallyng into the handes of Charlemayne. Nyghe

was the sonne vnder, and it was well aboute complyn tyme / and the fyghters of the one parte and of the other were wery and sore chauffed / And soo wythdrewe the thre bretherne abacke to their tentes wyth moche wrathe / and in especyall Gerarde of Roussyllon, that hadde loste that daye Aymanoy his cosyn, and a hundred other of the beste Knyghtes of his company / And he sayd in this wyse / 'An euyll houre it was whan the sone of Charlemayne was slayne' / Thenne came to hym the duke Benes of Aygremounte bledynge, as he that was horrybly wounded / And whan Gerarde sawe hym / he began to sighe tenderly, saynge / 'Fayr brother, are ye wounded to dethe?' 'Nay,' sayd he, 'I shall soone be hole.' Thenne swore Gerarde the duke of Roussyllon, that to morowe atte the sonne rysynge / He sholde begynne agayne the bataylle ayenste kynge Charlemayne and his [folio C.vi.a] folke, wherfore xxx thousande shall lose theyr lyues. 'Alas, for god, nay,' sayd his broder, the duke Nantuell. 'But yf ye wyll doo my counseyll we shall sende xxx. of the wysest knyghtes that we haue, vnto kyng Charlemayne, and by our sayd knyghtes we shall doo hym to wyte, and shewe humbli that he haue pyte and mercy of vs, and that the duke Benes our brother shall amende hym the deth of his sone Lohier, euen soo as it shall be aduysed by the prynces and barons of his felaushyp and of ours / and ye knowe well all redy that we ben his liege men, and that for to werre ayenste hym we doo cruell falshed / And yet more it is / that yf he had lost all his folke that he [qu'il amene sur nous, F. orig. c. iiii.] hath here wyth hym / or euer that it were a moneth passed he sholde haue recouered twys as many / soo maye we no thyng doo ayenst hym / And therfore maye we noo thyng doo ayenst hym; and therfore I praye you, my brethern, that ye

well doo thus' / And to hym answered his two brethern that they wolde doo it / syn that he counseylled theym soo; And concluded togyder that they sholde sende thyther as soone as it were daye. They made that nyghte good watche vnto the mornyng / and thenne they made redy theyr messagers for to sende to the kyng Charlemayne. And whan they were redy / Gerarde of roussyllon sayd to theym / 'Lordes, saye well to kynge Charlemayne that we be sore dysplaysed of the deth of his sone Lohier, and that our brother, the duke Benes, repenteth hymselfe of it full sore, & that yf it playse hym to haue mercy of vs, that we shall go and serue hym where it shall playse hym to sende vs, wyth x thousande fyghtyng men / And also ye shall saye to Naymes of bauyere, that we praye hym that we he wyll employe hymselfe towarde the kynge Charlemayne, that this accorde maye be hadde.' [folio C.vi.b]

After that the messagers hadde well alle alonge vnderstande what they sholde saye to the kynge Charlemayne from the thre bretherne dukes / They lyghted on horsebacke eche of theym / berynge braunches of olyue tree in their handes, In token of peas / And ceassed not to ryde tyl that they were come afore the tente of the kynge Charlemayne / Thenne spake one of theym, whiche was named Steuyn / that salued the kynge in this manere /

'Syre, I praye [celluy dieu q' forma noz pere et mere adam, et eue createur de toutes choses, benoise vous roy Charlemagne, F. orig. c. v. back.] our lorde that of his grace gyue you goode lyfe and longe / And wyte, syre, that the duke Gerarde of Roussyllon, & the duke Benes of Aygremount, and Dron of Nantuell, ben comen hider, the whiche crye you mercy / and byseche you ryght humbly that it playse you to pardone theym the dethe of your

sone Lohyer / of the whiche they are wrothe and sory. And the duke of Aygremounte lete you wyte by vs / that yf hyt be your playsure to doo soo, that he and his bretherne shalle be your liegemen, [Et luz et ses freres Gerart de Roussyllon et Dron de Natuel les quelz vous viedrot servir.] And shalle come to serue you wyth x thousande fyghtynge men in alle that shalle be your playsure to employe theym / Syre, for godys sake, haue remembraunce that god forgaffe his dethe to Longys, that cruelly stycked hym to the herte; [de sa lauce, F. orig. c. v.] wherfore, syre, playse it you to pardone theym, and take theym to your goode grace. And of this right humbly they beseche you.'

Whan the kynge Charlemayne hadde thus herde speke the messagers of the thre bretherne / He frompeled his forhede, and knytted his browes, and loked ful angrely / And atte that owre he answered to theym noo thynge / And thenne soone after he beganne to speke in this manere: 'By my feyth, Sir Steuyn,' sayd he, 'well had the duke Benes lost his wyttes whan he soo shamfully slewe [folio C.vii.a] my dere sone Lohier, the [we in text.] whiche I loued soo tenderly. Now, is he my man? wyll he or not?' 'Syre,' sayd Steuyn, 'I am certeyne that he shalle doo to you alle rayson to the dyrectyon of your goode counseylle' / Then sayde the kyng, 'of this we shalle counseylle vs' / And wythdrewe hym a lityll a side / and called to hym duke Naymes, Ogyer the dane / sire Salamon, Huon of Mauns, Walleron of Boullon / Odet of Langres, and Leon of Fryse, and sayd to theym / 'Lordes, here ben the messagers of the duke Benes & of his brethern, that sende me worde that they wyll come to serue me where my wylle shall be, wyth x thousande goode fyghtynge men / yf we wyll pardonne theym the dethe of my sone Lohier; And they shall be oure

vassaylles and treue liege men; And of vs they shalle holde theyr londes and theyr lordeshyppes' / 'Syre,' answered the duke Naymes, 'in this is noo thynge but well. Soo counseylle I you that ye pardoune theym / For [car les troys ducs, F. orig. c. v.] they be moche valyaunte / and of grete renowne; wherfore pardoune theym, yf it playse you.'

Thenne by the counseylle of the duke Naymes of Bauyere, the kyng dyde pardoune the thre bretherne, and called to hym the thre [omitted, F. orig. c. v.] knyghtes / and sayd to theym / how he pardouned the thre dukes the dethe of his sone Lohier / by suche a condycyon that the duke Benes of Aygremounte sholde come for to serue hym atte the feste of saynte Iohnn [baptiste, F. orig. c. v.] nexte comynge wyth ten thousande fyghtynge men well arrayed. 'And ye shalle telle to theym, that they surely come now to me for to take of theym theyr othe and feyth, that they shalle from hens fourthe / obeye and serue me truly; And that of me they shalle holde alle theyr landes.' Thenne departed the knyghtes from afore kynge Charlemayn, & cam ayen to the dukes, and shewed to theym how they [folio C.vii.b] had sped of their message wyth the kynge, wherof the thre bretherne thanked moche humbly oure lorde / Thenne sayde the duke Rycharde [Girart de Roussillon a ses freres, c. v. F. orig.] of Roussillon, 'it is rayson that we take of [off.] oure goode gownes, and goo to the kynge naked, and crie hym mercy of this that we haue thus offended ayenst his highe puyssaunce and lordeshyppe' / And the other two bretherne answered that well they oughte to doo soo / Soo toke the noble knyghtes theyr clothes of, [off.] and alle naked, bare fote, and in poure estate, departed from theyr lodges / And well foure thousande knyghtes wyth theym, alle bare fote & in theyr shertes, and in suche estate as were theyr maysters. In thys

wyse they came to fore the kynge Charlemayne, And wyte well that in ryght grete humylite were sette the thre bretherne for to haue peas and accorde wyth the kynge Charlemayne, that was wrothe to theym, specyally to the duke of Aygremounte / as more playnly ye shalle here hereafter.

Whan kynge Charlemayne sawe thus come the thre bretherne wyth theyr barons and knyghtes, he called to hym the duke Naymes and many other barons / and sayd to theym / 'Canne not ye telle me what folke ye see yonder commynge?' / 'Syre,' sayd the duke Naymes, 'it is duk Benes of Aygremounte wyth his folke / that come for to requyre you of mercy' / This hangynge, the duke Benes of Aygremounte came afore the kynge, and caste hym selfe vpon his knee / and sayd to hym in this wyse / 'Syre, for god I crye you mercy; we ben here comen by your commaundement / Yf I haue sleyne your dere [omitted, F. orig. c. vi. back.] sone by my foly, I now (as your man) yelde me and my bretherne also, Gerarde of roussillon & Dron of nantuel, & wyll be your liege men & serue you wyth all our pussaunce where your plaisur [folio C.viii.a] shalle be to sette vs vnto / and neuer dayes of our lyues we shall faylle you / but yf it be longe of you' /

Thenne whan the kyng sawe theym thus come humbli towarde his presence in theyr shertes, and barefoote, & had herde this that the duke of Aygremounte had sayd to hym / he had of them right grete pyte / and pardouned theym the deth of his sone Lohier, & all his euyll wyll / Thenne shold ye haue seen from one parte and from the other, kysse and colle eche other theyr kynsmen / and some wepte for ioye, & thother for pyte.

Thenne were pleased the barons wyth the kyng Charlemayn by the counseyll of the good duke

Naymes. thenne sware and promysed the thre brethern good fidelite ¹to the kynge Charlemayne¹ [^1—1 omitted, F. orig. c. vi. back.] / and that they sholde serue hym at all tymes that he sholde calle for theym / Soo toke they a glade leue from kynge Charlemayne; but the kyng charged the duke Benes of Aygremount that he sholde come to serue hym at the feste of seynt Iohn nexte comyng / And thenne retorned kyng charlemayne towarde Parys / and the bretherne wente ayen right glad, eche of theym towarde his place / for well they trowed to haue accorde the duke Benes of Aygremounte theyr broder towarde Charlemayne / But other wyse it wente, & full lityll was worthe their accorde, for soone after deyed therof the duke Benes of Aygremounte by trason, and vnder the saufconduyt of the kynge Charlemayne, as ye [ye ye in text.] shall vnderstonde yf ye wylle here me. ¶ Ye shall wyte that a lityl afore the feste of saynt Iohn baptiste that the kyng Charlemayne helde a grete court in Paris, & the duke Benes forgate not to goo thyder as he had promysed / soo departed he fro Aygremounte wyth two hundred knightes, and toke his way for to come to Paris towarde the [folio C.viii.b] kyng for to serue hym where he wolde put hym vnto. Now shall ye here how the kynge, beynge in Parys / came towarde hym the erle Guenes his neuewe, Aoryfoulquet of moryllon, Hardres and Berenger, whiche tolde hym how the duk Benes came for to serue hym wyth well two hundred knyghtes / saynge by this maner / 'Syr, how maye ye loue nor well be serued of hym that soo cruelly hath slayne your sone, oure cosin / yf your playsure were we sholde well avenge you of hym / For in goode soothe we sholde slee hym.' 'Guenes,' sayd ye kyng, 'it were traison, for we haue gyuen to hym tryewes. Always doo wyth it your wyll, so that the synne tourne not

vpon me, and kepe you. For in certeyn the duke of Aygremounte is ryght myghty, and of grete kynred / and well ye myghte happe to haue a doo, yf ye fulfylle in this your owne entente.' 'Syre,' answered Guenes, 'care ye not therfore / for there nys soo ryche a man in all the worlde that durste vndertake ony thynge ayenste me and my linage.' 'Syre,' sayd Guenelon, 'tomorowe erly we shall departe wyth foure thousande fyghtynge men / and take noo care for it / For we shall delyuer this worlde of hym.' 'Certes,' sayd the kyng, 'it were trayson' / 'Care not therfor,' sayd Guenes, 'he slewe well your sone Lohier by trayson, whiche was my kynnesman, And therfore I wyll be auenged and [if.] I can. 'Now doo you therin,' sayd the kynge, 'protestyng alwayes that I am not therto consentynge.'

Whan the mornyng came, departed well erly from Parys the sayd Guenelon and his felawes, and wyth theym well foure thousande fyghtynge men / And neuer they taryed tyll that they came in the Valey of Soyssons / And there they recounted the duke Benes wyth his puyssaunce; and whan the duk Benes sawe theym [vit venir si noble copaignie, F. orig. c. vi.] come, he sayd to his [folio D.i.a] folke, 'Lordes, I trowe that yonder be som folke of the kingis, that retourne ayen from the court' / 'It is noo force [matter.] ,' sayd one of his knyghtes. 'I wote not what it maye be,' sayd the duke / 'For the kynge Charlemayne is sore vengable for to auenge hymselfe / And also he hath wyth hym a lynage of folke, the whiche be felle and cruell / Is it Guenes, foulques of Moryllon, and certeyn other of his court / And in trouthe, to nyghte in my slepe I dremed that a gryffon came oute of the heuens, that perced my shelde and all myn armes, soo that his nayles stacke in to my lyuer and my mylte / and all my men were therof in grete tourmente / and they all were eten wyth

bores and of lions, and noone of theym scaped but one alone / And also me semed that oute of my mouth yssued a white douve' / Thenne sayd one of hys knyghtes that it was all but well / and that for cause of this dreme he oughte not to dysmaye hymselfe / 'I wote not,' sayd the duke, 'what god shall sende me, but of this my herte dredeth' / Soo commaunded the duk Benes that euery man shold arme hymselfe. And his knyghtes answered, that right gladly they wolde soo doo. Soo beganne eueriche of theym to seke his armes and habylymentes / Here shalle you here of the harde hewyng, and of a thynge heuy to be recounted, of the grete slaughter that made the traytour Guenellon of the goode duke Benes of Aygremounte.

T[h]e erle Guenes rode wyth grete force, that was wonderfull strong & fyers, and well accompanyed. Thenne wente and mette wyth the duk Benes first, Foulquet of Moryllon, the whiche sayd to hym that he hadde doon ylle for to slee Lohyer the sone eldest of the kyng Charlemayne / but or euer the euyn came he sholde haue a sory rewarde for it. Whan the duke vnderstode hym, he merueylled hym [folio D.i.b] selfe moche, and sayd / 'Ha god, how myght one kepe hym frome traytours / Alas, I helde the kyng Charlemayne for a true prynce / and I see now the contrary; but afore that I deye, I shall selle my deth ful dere' / Thenne wente they and fought, the one partye ayenst the other, moche angrely. In so moche that Guenes smotte byfore the duke, hys cosyn Reyner, soo that he ouerthrewe hym doun deed to the erth afore his feete; and after, he cryed wyth an hie voys / 'smyte on, knyghtes, for he slewe my good cosin Lohier / The duk Benes of Aygremount dayned not accorde wyth me / but now I shalle selle it hym full dere.' So ranne Guenes & his folke vpon the duke Benes of Aygremounte / and the duke

ryght worthili deffended hym selfe, & smote a knyghte named sire Fawcon, so that he shoued his swerde in to the body of hym, and he felle deed afore hym. And after this the duke Benes of Aygremount toke hym selfe for to wepe strongly / and wysshed moche after his two bretherne, and also after his neuewes. 'Alas,' sayd he, 'dere sone Mawgys! where be you now, that ye be not here for to socoure me / for wel I wote, yf ye wyst this enterprise, ye sholde well socoure me / Ha, my dere broder, the duke of Dordonne & of Nantuell, ¹& Gerarde of Roussyllon,¹ [^1—1 omitted, F. orig. c. vii.] well I know that ye shall neuer see me alyue / Alas, that ye knowe not the false enterpryse of Charlemayne and of the erle Guenellon / that soo cruelly and by grete trayson shalle this daye make me Inhumaynly for to deye. Well I wote that ryght worthily ye sholde come helpe me. Ha, my dere neuewes, Reynawde, Alarde, Rycharde, and Guycharde, soo moche nede I haue this daye of you. Ha, my dere neuew Reynawde, worthy knyghte / as thou arte / yf hit playse to god of hys benygne grace / that thou myghte know the greuous tourmente and the sorowfull matyere to the whiche [folio D.ii.a] by trayson I am this day lyuered / well I wote that by the [thee.] I sholde haue socours / for in all the worlde ys not thy peere of beaulte, of goodnesse, of prowesse, and of worthynese / Now maye not this daye socoure me all my noble and worthy lynage / but that cruelly, and vnder the saufconduyt of Charlemayne, I shall deye pyeteously.'

Fyers was the batayll, and ryght harde to endure, but well ye maye wyte that the duke of Aygremounte myghte not resiste ayenste soo many folke; for he hadde not wyth hym but two hundred knyghtes / and the [traictres, F. orig. c. vii.] other were moo than four thousande: thus were they euyll matched / Thenne sholde ye haue seen

that daye soo moche braynes in the feelde / soo many feete and hedes smytten of / that it was a pyteouse thyng to beholde / After came yet ayen Guenes, that smote Toyusselyne of Bloye soo that he casted hym ded to the erth / and he made sone to go backe the duk Benes folke of Aygremounte / Thenne was sore abasshed the duke of Aygremounte / the whiche knewe well that wythoute dethe he myghte not escape. Soo wente he, and smote one of Guenes folke soo grete a stroke, that he ouerthrewe hym deed / for noon otherwyse he coude doo / but deffende hymselfe as well as he coude for to lengthe his lyffe / Ha, god, what a grete dommage it was to haue thus shamfully betrayed hym / for after, many chirches, many townes and castelles were therfore sette in a fyre [et en flambe, F. orig. c. viii. back.] / and soo many grete nobles full pyetously broughte to deth / Soo moche sped the traytour Guenes ayenst the goode duke of Aygremounte, that the folke of the duke were weke and almoste gon / For, of the two hundred that he hadde broughte, he hadde noo moo wyth hym but [cinquante, F. orig. c. viii. back.] fourthi / 'Barons,' sayd the duke Benes of Aygremounte, 'ye see that we ben almoste [folio D.ii.b] all deed, yf we deffende vs not wyth grete herte and worthynes / and for goddis loue lete euery of vs be worthe thre as longe as we shall now be alyue. For ye see, that here pyetously we muste departe and breke felowshyp.' Thenne wente the duke agayn, and smote a knyghte named syre Helye, soo that he mad hym to falle deed to the erthe. And thenne cryed wyth an hyghe voyce / 'Smyte well, barons.' The valey was fayre, and sounded of the noyse [des coups quilz donnoient sur les heaulmes, F. orig. c. viii. back.] that was made there / And atte that oure, one named Gryffoon of Hautefelle / wente and smote the dukes horse in to the breste wyth his spere, soo that he ouerthrewe hym

vnder the horse / And the duke anoone arose [moult vaillammēt, F. orig. c. viii.] vppon his feete, and toke his swerde, wenynge to smyte the sayd Gryffon; but the stroke felle vppon the horse, soo that he cutted hym asonder, as yt hadde ben noo thyng.

Whan the duke Benes of Aygremounte sawe hym selfe thus on foote he knewe well that it was doon [doon = all up with.] of hym / but well he sware that his dethe he sholde selle righte dere. But sodaynly came there vpon hym the erle Guenes, that satte vppon a goode courser, the whiche smote the duke Benes of Aygremounte wyth his spere suche a stroke, that he shoued hym thorughe and thorughe his body, and thus fell doun deed the duke Benes of Aygremounte / And thenne the duke Gryffon, the fader of the sayd Guenes, cam to the duke Benes of Aygremounte that laye deed vppon the sande / and shoued his swerde in to his foundemente. [si luy est lame du corps despartie, F. orig. c. viii. back.] Thenne sayd the duke Gryffon, 'Now haste you thi rewarde, for my lorde Lohyers [que tu as na gueres occis villainement, F. orig. c. viii. back.] deeth that thou late slew shamefully wythin thy palays. Now is the goode and worthy duke Benes of Aygremount deceassed, god of his soule haue mercy' / And the traytour Guenellon and the [folio D.iii.a] lorde of Haultefelle, ⁶that lyghted vpon a goode horse,⁶ [^6—6 omitted, F. orig. c. viii. back.] wente after the duke of Ayyremountes [Benes.] folke ⁸that fledde,⁸ [^8—8 omitted, F. orig.] whiche were but x. a lyue of two hundred, and yet these x. were soone ouertaken. And thenne the traytoures made theym to swere and promytte that the body of the late duke, their mayster, they sholde bere to Aygremounte / lyke that he hadde doo brynge the body of Lohier to Parys in a byere. And the sayd knyghtes promysed them for to doo so. So toke they the corps from the other bodies deed, wherof was there grete nomber, and put hym in a byere / and thenne

wente on their waye wyth all / And whan they were goon a lityll ferder / god knoweth what sorowe and lamentacyon [et piteulx pleurs firent les ditz chevaliers, F. orig. c. viii.] that they made for the dethe of theyr mayster, sayeng, 'Ha, god, goode duke that soo worthy was, how now we are sory for the / Certaynly full euyll hath doon kyng Charlemayne, that vnder hys saufconduytte hath made the to be slayn in traison' / These soroufull knyghtes went thus makynge theyr mone, berynge the body of the duke Benes, their mayster, vpon a byere that two horses [pallefroys, F. orig. c. viii.] bare, whiche corps neuer staunched of bledynge by the space of viii myles. And how many dayes Iourney that thyse knyghtes were wyth the body of theyr mayster by the waye, I can not telle you / but they wente soo longe that they cam nygh Aigremounte / and approched soo moche that the tydynges cam to the towne, and to the duchesse, that her lorde hadde ben thus traytoursly slayne. Soo oughte not be asked of the grete sorow that the duchesse and her sone Mawgys made / They yssued after oute of the towne wyth theym of the chirche, and wente ayenste the corps / Nor also oughte not to be asked yf there were made that daye grete wepynges and lamentacyons. For whan the duchesse saw her lorde / and the [folio D.iii.b] woundes that he hadde in hys body, more than thre tymes she felle doun in a swoune vppon hym / and in thys wyse they bare the corps to the chieff chyrche / and the bysshop of the towne dyde the seruyse, and thenne he was putte in his graue, and was ryght reuerently buryed. Thenne sayd hys sone Mawgys, 'Good lorde, what a dommage is this, of suche a worthy lorde, to haue be thus slayne cruelly by trayson; but and yf I lyue longe, Charlemayne & the traytoures that this haue doon, shall abye for it full derely' / His lady moder he recomforted, and sayd to

her / 'My dere moder, haue a lytyll pacyence; for myn vncles, Gerarde of Roussyllon, Dron of Nantuell / and my cosins, Reynaude, Alarde, Rycharde, and Guycharde shall helpe me wel for to auenge the dethe of my lorde my fader.' Now shall we leue here to speke of theym of Aygremounte, that ben in grete lamentacyon and wepynges for the dethe of theyr lorde / and shall retourne to telle of the traytours Gryffon and of Guenes his sone, that wyth theyr folke were goon ayen to Parys.