Lyf of the noble and Crysten prynce, Charles the Grete / translated from the French by William Caxton and printed by him 1485 ; edited from the unique copy in the British Museum by Sidney J.H. Herrtage

¶ How at thys bataylle Fyerabras was vanquysshed' by Olyuer after that he had' recouerd' one of the swerdes of fyerabras: capitulo xiiij

Whan Fyerabras herde that oliuer was so fyers of fayt and of courage he had̛ grete meruaylle. For he wold̛ not haue hys swerde but yf he myght by Iuste warre conquere it, wherfore the paynym dysmesurably came ageynst hym and̛ [sign. D v, back] helde in hys hande plorance hys swerde. Thenne it was no meruayle though olyuer was aferde to abyde hys enemye he beyng̛ dyspourueyed̛ of swerde & of sℏelde, For that was broken in two partyes. but as it playsed to god̛ he loked̛ besyde hym & sawe the hors of fyerabras and̛ on the arson of the sadel were ij other swerdes of whych I haue spoken afore. And̛ anone Olyuer ranne ryght quyckely and̛ took one of the swerdes whych was named̛ baptesme, whyche had̛ the blade moche large and̛ shone meruayllously, & after came ageynst the paynym & put tofore parte of hys sℏelde suche as was lefte and whan he was nyghe hym he began to say: "O kyng̛ of

Alexandrye, now is tyme to compte. For I am pourueyed̛ of your swerde of whych I sℏal make you wroth & kepe you wel from me for I haue deffyed̛ you." Thenne whan Fyerabras sawe it and̛ had̛ herde hym so speke anone began to chaunge colour and sayd: "O baptym, good̛ swerde, I haue kepte the many a day for one of the beste that euer henge by my syde or by ony mans that is lyuyng̛." And̛ after behelde olyuer sayeng̛: "By my god̛ Mahoun, I knowe the a man of grete fyerste. I wold that thou woldest take thyn owne swerde and̛ late me [col. 2] haue myn and̛ thenne late vs fyght as we haue begonne." "by my hede," sayd̛ Olyuer, "that sℏal neuer be by my wylle, for tofore I make ony pacte with the I sℏal assaye and̛ approue thys swerde vpon thy persone. kepe the wel fro me For ouer long haue we sermoned̛." Tℏys sayeng̛ & other thynges Olyuer came as a lyon hungry ayenst fyerabras & smote hym fyrst, but he myȝt not attayne hym on the hede but that he recountred first the sℏelde of the paynym, whyche he brake and̛ al to-frusshed̛ euyl ["whyche he brake and al to-frusshed euyl:" Fr. cassa et rompi mallement.] that the half flewe in the felde. Thenne fyerabras was sore aferde of that stroke For aboue alle thys the swerde wyth that stroke entred̛ nygh half a foot within therthe. Thenne olyuer blessyd hym that had̛ forged̛ that swerde and̛ so wel tempred̛, and̛ after many menaces rygorous they were in partye descouuerd̛ of theyr helmes. And̛ whan Olyuer sawe the Paynym Fyerabras in the vysage fyers and̛ courageous he sayd̛: "O lord̛ god̛ of heuen, maker of heuen & of erthe, that thys paynym is noble and̛ ful of cruelte. Now wold̛ god̛ that Charles had̛ ℏym in his power and̛ yf he wold̛ be baptysed̛ Rolland̛ and̛ I sℏold̛ be hys pryue felowes. O glorious vyrgyn marie moder of god̛, praye our lord̛ Ihesu Cryste thy sone [sign. D vj] that he gyue grace to thys sarasyn that he may byleue in the cristen fayth, for by hym it may be moche

enhaunced̛." Fyerabras ansuerd̛ in thys manere: "Olyuer, leue suche wordes: telle me yf thou wylt fyght like as thou hast enterprysed̛." "ye," sayd olyuer, "kepe the wel fro me for I deffye the," and̛ ranne vpon hym: [ "and ranne vpon hym:" Fr. et se coururent. The succeeding passage is awkwardly expressed in the translation. The original reads: et fut premierement frappe Oliuer sur son escu par telle fierte, qu'au prez le poinz de Oliuer a mis en pieces son escu, which is not much better. The he, of course, is Ferumbras.] and̛ Olyuer was smyton fyrst vpon his sℏelde by suche fiersnes that he smote his sℏelde in pyeces nyghe to hys fyste, and it was meruaylle that he cut it not of: wherfore Fyerabras sayd̛ that he had̛ put hym in suche caas that he sℏold not longe lyue in thys world̛. Olyuer sayd̛ noo worde but came with his swerde ayenst the paynym Fyerabras moche furyously. ¶ Thenne the paynym that sawe þ^e stroke come threwe hys shelde ayenst olyuer wherfore anone it was quartred̛, and̛ was so astoned̛ that the eyen in hys heed were al troubled̛ of the payne and̛ the fyre was seen sprynge oute of the swerdes and̛ sℏeldes moche habundantlye. and̛ thus in smytyng̛ fyerabras sayd in this manere: "now is the houre come that thou shalt neuer haue ayde of thy god̛ Ihesus in whome thou byleuest, but that anone thou shalt be deed̛ sythe thou felest thy self ouercomen. And Olyuer anone ansuerd̛: "Ihesus is wel myghty [col. 2] for to sℏewe hys puyssaunce. But anone thou sℏalt knowe that Mahoun ne Termagaunte sℏal not mowe ayde the ne be so myghty but that thou sℏalte be deed̛, I shal wel gyue the knowleche." And̛ herupon came that one vpon that other. And̛ olyuer was smyton on the helme al vnto the flesshe in suche wyse that al that the swerde araught it sℏare and̛ passed̛ thorugh, & thenne he sayd to olyuer: "I swere to the by my god̛ that I haue wel araught the and̛ smyton. Neuer shal charles ne Rolland̛ see the be thou wel sure." Olyuer ansuerd̛: "O Fyerabras of alexandrye, be not thou so proude for or I departe fro the I shal rendre the dede or vaynquysshed̛, & god̛ graunte to me that whyche I haue alwaye desyred̛!" And̛ therupon eche smote

other so merueyllously that the bodyes of them bothe swette for anguysshe and payne. Fyerabras smote olyuer vpon the helme soo harde that the stroke came to the flessh, and̛ yf god̛ had̛ not wrought he had̛ be slayn at that tyme. wherfore Olyuer as a man enraged̛ came ayenst the paynym & the sarasyn lyfte on hyghe hys sℏelde so that he was al dyscouerd̛ vnder the arme and̛ hys flanke was there vnarmed̛. Olyuer was wyse & took good hede and came lyghtly & smote [sign. D vj, back] fyerabras in hys flanke so myghtyly & contynued in suche wyse that he thrested̛ his swerde in one of hys flankes wel depe, & hys swerde hym self & the place was alle bybled̛ of the blood̛. Thus was Fyerabras hurte in suche manere that almoost hys bowellys yssued̛ oute of his bely, For thenne at that stroke olyuer employed al his strengthe for to make an ende of the bataylle so longe foughten.