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 kyng' charles sente to Ballant thadmyral, seuen peres of Fraunce whyche wold' not haue goon: capitulo v

The Duc of genes, fader of Olyuer, whicℏ myȝt not slepe ne ete ne drinke for the sorowe that he had̛ for [sign. e vj, col. 2] his sone, whan he myght no lenger endure, he came to kyng charles, and̛ sayd̛ to hym: "Syr Emperour, for the loue of god̛ haue pyte on me! ye knowe my sorowe: ought I to lose olyuer my sone, for whome I am in contynuell anguysshe? yf I haue none other tydynges, I sℏal deye or ij dayes of melancolye, or of force I must put my self on the waye to goo thyder." whan charles vnderstode hym, he was moeued̛ and̛ full of compassyon for the melancolye of Reyner, & sente for Rolland̛ ["Rolland." In the Sowdone, l. 1668, it is Guy whom Charles orders first to go on the message to Balan. See Introduction, and Dr. Hausknecht's note to l. 1665.] and̛ sayd̛ to hym: "Fayre neuewe rolland̛, vnderstonde me. To-morne in the mornyng̛ thou must goo to Aygremore, & shalt say to ballant thadmyral wythoute ony hydyng̛, that he delyuer to the

the crowne of Ihesu cryst & the other relyques for which I haue taken grete payne: And̛ after aske of hym my barons whom he holdeth in pryson. And̛ yf he wythsaye the, say to hym that I shal hym do be drawen vylaynously, & after hange hym by the necke, his eyen bounden as a theef." whan he had said, Rolland̛ answerd̛: "Syr kyng̛ and̛ fayre vncle, haue mercy on me! I am wel sure that yf I goo, verayly I sℏal neuer see you." ¶ The duke naymes was there, whyche sayd̛: "syr emperour, take hede what ye doo. Rolland̛ is your neuewe; ye knowe of what [sign. e vj, back] valewe he is of. yf he goo thyder, he shal neuer come ageyn." "And̛ I assure you," sayd̛ Charles, "that ye shal goo wyth hym, and̛ bere my letters that I sende to thadmyral." Thys sayd̛, Basyn the genewey came forth, and̛ sayd̛ to hym: "& how, syr, wyl ye thus lese your knyghtes? I am certayn that yf they goo as ye haue sayd̛, that there sℏal not one retorne." ¶ Charles sware by his eyen in his heed, that basyn shold goo wyth the other tweyne, and so ther sℏal be thre. Thyerry, duc of ardayne, sayd̛ lyke to thother; therfore he was ordeyned̛ to goo also. Ogyer the danoys semblably sayd̛ they ought not goo; and̛ therfore he was ordeyned to bere them felywsℏyp. Rychard̛ of Normandye came to the emperour and̛ sayd̛: "Syr kyng̛, I am al abasshed how ye haue noo pyte of your knyghtes, whyche wyllyngly ye wyl make them to deye. I wote wel yf they goo thyder, ye haue loste them." "by the god̛ on whome I byleue," sayd̛ charles, "ye sℏal goo wyth the other; and̛ thenne shal ye be vj for to bere my letters to ballant thadmyral whome I soo moche hate." And̛ after, he behelde guy of bourgoyne, and̛ sayd to hym: "come to me: ye are my cosyn, ["cosyn." Guy was Charles's nephew: see Sir Ferumbras, 1922, 2091, &c., and see Dr. Hausknecht's note to the Sowdone, l. 1888.] and of my next parentage; ye shall be the seuenth for to doo my message to thadmyral of spayne. [sign. e vj, back, col. 2] And̛ ye shal say to hym that I purpose to baptyse hym,&

that he holde of me his Royame, hys townes and̛ hys cytees, & that he delyuer to me the relyques for whome I take on me soo grete payne and trauaylle. And yf he gaynsaye it, say ye to hym that I shal doo hange hym, and̛ make to dye vylaynously." "alas!" sayd̛ Guy of bourgoyne, "ryght dere syr and emperour, I knowe now wel that ye wyl lese ["lese:" destroy. Fr. perdre.] me. yf I goo, I am sure I shal neuer retorne." & thenne at euen they went al to souper. And̛ on the morne, assone as the sonne aroos, the seuen barons aforesayd̛ came tofore Charles, And̛ syr Naymes said for them al: "Emperour of noblesse, redoubted̛ in al places, we been here for tobeye thy commaundement. We praye the that thou gyue vs lycence and̛ congie for to departe; & yf there be ony persone here present, or in al thexcersyte, that hath trespaced̛ to vs, we pardonne hym, & semblably yf we haue offended̛ to ony, In thonour of god that it be pardonned to vs." with these wordes all the frensshe men that were present began to wepe for pyte. And̛ charles sayd̛ to the barons: "Ryght dere and̛ wel byloued̛, vnto god̛ of heuen I commaunde you; and̛ the meryte of his holy passyon and of the holy crosse be in your ayde & comfort."

And̛ so they departed̛ on theyr waye hastely, transportyng them vnto the straunge contreye.