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 by the moyen of florypes al the frensshe men were saued', and' lodged' togydre,

and' the relyques shewed', and other thynges: capitulo ix

Floripes the curtoys, after that sℏe had̛ wel secretly herde al the debate toforesayd̛, sℏe came out of hyr chambre, and̛ salewed̛ hir fader, & demaunded of hym: "What been these knyghtes sette there aparte?" [sign. f iij, back, col. 2] Thadmyral ansuerd̛: "my doughter, they be borne in fraunce: the whyche haue sayd̛ to me wordes of grete Importaunce ful of reproches, and̛ haue blamed me and̛ offended gretely, more than I can telle you or say. What counceyl gyue ye to me that I ought to do wyth them?" The doughter sayd̛: "I shal say to you, my fader, that ye wythoute longe taryeng do smyte of theyr heedes, for they haue wel deserued̛ it. And̛ do smyte of theyr hondes, & brenne them in a fyre without your cyte." "my doughter," sayd̛ the admyral, "ye haue ryght wel sayd̛: ryght soo shal it be doon. Goo ye in to the pryson, and̛ brynge to me the other." "good̛ fader," ansuerd̛ the doughter, "it is tyme to dyne, and̛ yf ye wyl begynne to do Iustyce, ye may not ete tyl mydday be passed̛." This doughter sought none other thyng but occasyon by fayr wordes, accordyng̛ to the wylle of hyr fader thadmyral, for to brynge al the frensshe men to-gyder wyth them that were prysonners. ¶ And after sayd̛ to hyr fader: "gyue to me these Frensshe men! I shal make theym wel to be kepte; and̛ after your dyner ye shall do Iustyce wyth lasse tedyacyon, and̛ thenne your people sℏal be assembled̛." ¶ To the whyche the Admyral consented̛, And̛ was contente thyt hys doughter [sign. f iiij] sℏold̛ haue them in kepyng̛. Alwaye sortybrant, which knewe the mutabylyte of wymmen & thynconstaunce, sayd to Ballant: "Syr Admyral, it is noo thynge couenable that vpon thys fayte ye ought to truste in a woman, by cause of theyr

mutabylyte, & ye haue oft herd say ensaumples. and̛ also ye knowe the trouthe how many haue ben deceyued by wymmen." Moche angry & euyl content was floripes of the wordes of Sortybrant And̛ sayd̛: "horson Traytour, desloyal, pariured̛, yf I thought not it shold̛ torne me to ouermoche blame, I shold̛ gyue to the suche a buffet on thy vysage, that the blode shold auale doun habundauntly." And̛ after these wordes thadmyral was euyl contente of thys debate. And̛ therupon she took the frensshe men & ladde them in to hyr chambre wythoute ony lenger taryeng. And̛ goyng̛ by the waye Syr naymes the duc sayd̛: "A god̛ of heuen, kyng of eternal glorye, who is he that euer sawe a more fayrer lady in hys lyf? Moche wel shold̛ he be Inspyred̛ with the grace of god that shal haue hyr in ℏys courage in loue." Rolland was euyl contente and̛ sayd̛ to Naymes: "What hondred̛ thousand̛ of deuyls hath maad̛ you to speke now of loue? It is not now tyme to speke of suche thynge." [sign. f iiij, col. 2] Duc Naymes sayd̛ thus: "Syr Rolland̛, dysplese you not, For I was ones amerous." the douȝter sayd̛ to them that they were not assembled̛ to plede that one ageynst that other. and also sone as they were wythin the chambre, the doughter made to shette faste the yates, & anone rollandimette wyth Olyuer, and̛ enterbraced̛ eche other & kyssed ["enterbraced̛ eche other & kyssed:" Fr. se font baisser et accoller.] wyth franke and̛ tender herte in wepyng̛ moche tenderly, and̛ alle the other semblably; & Rolland sayd̛: "Alas, Olyuer, my faythful felowe, how is it with you sythe I last sawe you?" "Ryght wel," answerd̛ Olyuer. and eche demaunded of other of theyr feates, of the contreyes, and̛ of theyr lordes & tydynges. Now ye may thynke that they were gladde eche of other that they were al togyder in good̛ poynte by the moyen of Florypes the fayr lady, whyche dyd̛ grete socours to crystendom, whan by hyr, hyr wysedom and̛ dyscrescyon the

captayns of the crysten fayth, as moche as toucheth the excersyte of bataylle to destroye the myscreauntes and paynyms, ben founden alle togyder in surete, whyche fyrst were comen in to the hondes of theyr enemyes mortall.

¶ But it is grete scyence for to eschewe the wylle of a woman, whan by effecte she putteth hyr entente [sign. f iiij, back] to a thynge, that her hert dyrectly draweth, and̛ taketh no regarde to the ende of her entente but onely that she may achyeue hyr enterpryse and̛ determynacyon. Florypes retched̛ of noo thynge but that sℏe myȝt haue tydynges certeyn of guy of bourgoyne, to whome sℏe had gyuen hyr hert, and̛ was contente to be crystened for the loue of hym. Thys fayr Florypes, whan sℏe sawe these barons to-gydre, she sayd̛ to them: "lordes, I wyl that ye alle of one accorde promyse to me the fayth of loyalte that ye sℏal ayde and̛ helpe me of that I sℏal demaunde you, & toward̛ me ye shal truly bere and endeuoyre you." "Ryght gladly;" ansuerd̛ duc Naymes, "and̛ also ye sℏal assure vs that we sℏal be here in surete withoute ony doubte of ony man lyuyng̛." sℏe was contente, & they were contente, and̛ promysed̛ fydelyte that one to the other. whan this was doon, the doughter came to duc naymes for to knowe what he was, and demaunded̛ of hym hys name. the duc sayd̛ to hyr: "Madame, I am called̛ Naymes of bauyere, Man and counceyllour to Charles the Emperour redoubted̛." "Alas!" sayd the douȝter, "your kyng̛ is sory for you." After sℏe came to Rychard and demaunded̛ of hym how he was named. he ansuerd to hyr: "dame, [sign. f iiij, back, col. 2] I am Rychard̛ of Normandye." the doughter sayd̛ to hym: "Mahomet curse the l thou puttest to deth on a tyme corsuble myn vncle. But for the loue of these other thou sℏalt be in no daunger." Florypes came after to rolland̛, and̛ prayed̛ that he wold̛ telle hys

name. "I am named rolland," sayd̛ he, "sone to duc Myllon, & am neuewe to charles, sone of hys syster." Anone the doughter cryed̛ hym mercy & kneled doun to hys feet, and̛ Rolland̛ toke hyr swetely vp. ¶ After, the doughter sayd̛: "ye knowe what ye haue promysed̛ to me. I sℏal say to you myn entencyon. It is trouthe that I loue a knyght of fraunce aboue al them of the world̛, whyche is named guye of bourgoyne, of whom I wold̛ gladly haue tydynges." rolland sayd̛: "I swere to you by my hede that he is here in your syght, & that there is not bytwene you tweyne the space of foure foot of mesure." "Seynours," sayd̛ she, "I praye you that I may knowe hym, and̛ that he be gyuen to me, for of hym is alle my playsyr." Rolland̛ ansuerd̛ and sayd: "syr guy of Bourgoyne, come ye hyther to thys mayde and receyue hyr Ioyously." Guy of bourgoyn ansuerd̛: "god̛ forbede that euer I sℏold̛ take wyf, but yf sℏe were gyuen to me by Charles themperour." ¶ Whan Florypes [sign. f v] vnderstode hym, anone she chaunged̛ colour, and sware by mahommet hyr god̛ that yf he gaynsayed it sℏe sℏold̛ make them alle to be hanged̛ by the necke on a gybette. Rolland̛ enhorted̛ Guye that he sℏold̛ do hyr wylle, and vpon that he aduaunced̛ hym, & hath graunted̛. Thenne florypes sayd̛: "the sone of god̛ of crystyante be preysed̛ and̛ honoured̛, For I haue tofore myn eyen the moost grettest playsyr that euer myn hert desyred̛. For ℏis loue I shal byleue in Ihesu Cryst, & shal do me be baptysed̛:" & after, sℏe approched̛ to hym for to treate a lytel the desyre of hir hert, and sℏe durst not kysse hym on the mouthe, but on hys chekes & chynne, by cause sℏe was a paynym. Thenne florypes Ioyously and̛ by grete loue came vnto a cheste and̛ opened̛ it tofore the barons, and̛ spredde a fayr cloth of sylke. And̛ after sℏe dysclosed̛ and̛ sℏewed̛ the relyques of whyche I haue spoken tofore, emonge

whome was the gloryous crowne wyth whiche Ihesu cryste was crowned̛ with in the tyme of hys passyon, and̛ the holy naylles whyche perced̛ hys holy handes and feet: and after sayd̛ to Rolland̛: "Loo! here is the tresour that ye haue so moche desyred̛." Whan the frensshe men sawe thus tofore them the relyques, For Ioye they alle wepte [sign. f v, col. 2] moche tenderly, and̛ one after the other wente & kyssed̛ them, knelyng moche humbly; & after, they were layed̛ in to the cheste where as they had ben tofore.