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 Fyerabras was founden by Charles, and after was baptysed' and' heled' of his wonde: ca. primo

After that charles knew that he myght not haue ageyn Olyuer ne the other prysoners it was force to hym to retorne wyth hys people for the nyght was thenne to them greuous; & also in retornyng̛ they fonde fyerabras vnder a tre languysshyng, to whom þ^ekyng said: O vnhappy paynym, I ouȝt wel to hate the for by the been my men prysonners and̛ loste. thou hast take fro me oliuer one of the best byloued̛ that I had̛ emonge al thumayn creatures: ℏym þat hath be synguler to mayntene my good̛ name. & by the in the ende in stede of Ioye thou yeldest me sorowe." whan fyerabras vnderstode hym he sore syghed̛ & sayd: "O ryche emperour & noble, the moost myghty of human lygnage, In thonour of [col. 2] god̛ I crye the mercy & pardone me. It is trouthe that Olyuer hath conquerd̛ me, I shal not hyde it, and̛ I haue promysed̛ hym that I shal be crystned̛. I haue left & forsaken al my goddes and̛ yelde me to Ihesus the creatour of the world̛. And I requyre the yet that I may be baptysed̛, and̛ yf I were heled̛ of my woundes I shal enhaunce to my power the crysten fayth & many sarasyns shal be maad̛ crysten; and̛ by my moyan the holy sepulcre & the holy reliques shal be delyuerd̛, for whome ye take grete payne and trauaylle. And also I make an oth to you by god in whom I now byleue that I am more heuy & sory for Olyuer that noble knyȝt whiche is taken prysonner than I am for my body whyche is mortally wounded̛, & by the grace of god we shal haue hym ones; ["ones:" at some time or other.] wherfore conclude we that I be crystened̛, For yf I deye sarasyn it shal be to you reproche." ¶ And vpon thys Charles, whyche had̛ grete compassyon on hym, made hym to be borne in to hys lodgyng by his barons. and whan they

saw hym so hugely membred̛ they al were abasshed of his gretenes and̛ largenes, for whan he was vnarmed̛ he was one of the semelyest men that euer was. ¶ And̛ al the Frensshe men gaf grete loes and̛ honour [sign. E j, back] to Olyuer that had̛ foughten & ouercomen suche a man; and as he was vnclothed̛ partye of hys woundes opened̛ and̛ began to blede wherof hys hert faylled & fyl doun a-swoune, & rolland̛ anone lyfte hym vp. And in al haste they made redy a fonte, & sente for tharche-bysshop Turpyn ["Turpyn." For an account of this celebrated Knight-Bishop, see Dr. Hausknecht's note to the Sowdone, l. 1711.] and Naymes, which were moche Ioyous of this that the paynym sℏold̛ be crystend̛. & after that the baptesme was redy the godfaders gaf hym another name & was named floren, (but as longe as he lyued̛ he was called̛ Fyerabras,) and thenne he was layed in a bedde honourable. And̛ at the laste ende of hys dayes he was a saynt and̛ god̛ sℏewed̛ for hym myracles, and is now called̛ Saynt Floren of Roye. And thenne anone charles made hym to be vysyted̛ by his medycynes & surgyens wel expert, & sercheden ["sercheden:" compare Sir Ferumbras, l. 1093-4.

"is wounde to enserche and saye.At is heste þey wente þer-to & softe gunne taste is wounde."

] al his woundes, and as god wolde they fonde none of his bowellys entamed ne hurt, wherfore the leches were sure for to delyuer hym al hole wythin ij monethes next after comyng̛. In makyng thys vysytacion the Emperour charles was present & sayd̛ to fyerabras: "yf now olyuer & the other barons were here present tofore the we sℏold̛ wel be contente." And charles was thenne al pencyf and heuy moche thynkyng̛ vpon hys barons [col. 2] prysoners, but he maad̛ no more semblaunte.