Melusine. Part I

Cap. XXVI. How the kyng of Anssay was lede byfore the pucelle Crystyne.

[folio 116b]

Thenne called Anthony to hym the two barons, ambaxadours that were come to Lusynen, with the said gentylman fro Lucembourgh and xx^ti. other knyghtes of poytou, and to them said in this manere: 'Now lede me this kinge tofore þe damoyselle Crystyne, and recommande vs moche vnto her / and that we send̛ her / her enemy prysonner, for to do with hym her wyƚƚ.' And thenne they departed, & lede the king̘ as they were youen in commandement / and came to the toune, where they were wel festyed & honourably receyued. And thenne the Citezeyns conduyted them toward̛ the pucelle, theire lady Crystyne, with grete joye. 'Noble lady,' said the messagers, 'the two yong damoyseaulx of Lusynen recommande them hertyly vnto you, [folio 117] and send you this kyng̘ your enemy prysonner, to doo with hym after your dyscrecyon & wylle.' 'Fayre lordis,' ansuerd̛ the damoyselle / 'herto behoueth gret guerdon / but I am not puyssaunt ynough for to reward̛ them as they haue deseruyd. I pray to god deuoutely that of hys grace he wyl rewarde them to whom I am mocℏ bonden / and I pray you, fayre lordes, that on my behalf ye wyl pray my two yong lordes that they vouchesauf to come and lodge them self here within, & as many of theyre barons with them as it shal lyke them good. & in þe meane while men shal burye the deed bodyes, & the deed horses shal be brent / and also they of my Counseyl shal take theire best aduys to see how I shal reward them of theire grete peyne & traueyl, that they haue suffred for me vnworthy þerof, and to recompense them of theire grete expenses & dommages in the best wyse that we can or shal mowe. And ye, kynge of Anssay, ye swere vnto vs by your ryalte that ye shal

not departe from hens without the wyƚƚ & gree of the two noble damoyseaulx, that here haue sent you toward me. For yet so mocℏ I knowe / thankyng to god / that I shuld mysdoo to cast you in pryson / not for your sake / but for loue of them that hither haue sent you.' Whan thenne the kynge vnderstode the wordes of the pucelle, he ansuerd̛ al ashamed, 'Noble damoyselle, I swere you on my feyth that neuer hens I shal departe without your leue & theirs also; For so mocℏ of wele / of honour & of valyauntnes I haue sene in them, that moche I desyre to be acoynted with them / how be it that grete dommage they haue borne vnto me & my men.' And thenne the noble mayde made hym to be putte into a fayre chambre & riche, & with hym ladyes & damoyselles, [folio 117b] also knyghtis & squyers, for to make hym to forgete his losse, & forto reioye & haue hym out of melencolye. And thus don, the messagers retourned toward the tentes, & reported the mandement & prayer of the pucelle Cristyne vnto the two bretheren, whiche were counseilled to goo thither; and ordeyned the mareshal of the oost for to gouerne theire peple vnto tyme that they came agayn / and also he commanded hym to make the deed bodyes to be buryed, & to make the place clene where as the batayƚƚ had be. Thenne they departed, acompanyed with theire baronnye / and ayenst them came, in theire best wyse, an houndred gentylmen / and also the barons of the land̛ mete with them, & made theire obeyssaunce fuƚƚ honourably vnto the two brethern, prayeng them yet agayn, on theire ladys behalf, that they vouchesauf to come & lodge them in the toune / And they ansuerd̛ that gladly they wold doo soo. Anthony was mounted vpon a grete Courser / and he had on hym a jacke of Cramesyn velvet, aƚƚ brouded & sette with perlis, and held a grete vyreton in his hand. And in lyke & semblable manere went hys brother

Regnauld. And whan the barons of Lucembourgh sawe the two brethern, they wondred mocℏ of theire fyersnes, gretnes & myght, and wel said that there was no man that might withstand ne abyde theire puyssaunce / and moche they merueylled of the Lyons claw that appiered in Anthonys cheke, & said that yf ne had be that he were the fayrest man in the world / and moche they playned Regnald of that he had but one eye, For in al his other membres he passed of beaulte al oþer men.

[folio 118]

In this partye sayth thistorye, that in noble estate & fayre aray entred the two brethern in to the toune of Lucembourgh; & before them sowned trompettes in grete nombre, with heraults & menestrels; And Cyteseyns had hanged theire houses withoutforth toward the stretes, with theire best & rychest hangyng clothes / and the stretes where the said lordes passed were couered on high with lynen clothes, that no rayne or other fowƚƚ wedryng myght lette þeire entree within the toune / and many noble & worshipful ladyes, bourgeys wyues / damoyselles and fayre maydens, were in theire best rayments, eche one after the state & degree that she was of / lokyng out at wyndowes for to behold & see the noble brethern & theire felawship.

Thystorye thanne sayth that the two bretheren departed out of theire tentes with noble companye, as barons, knightes, squyers, & other gentylmen / and as vyctoryous prynces rode fuƚƚ honourably vnto Lucembourgh, and thrugℏ the toune, where as they were behold with joyous herte of euery one, sayeng that one to other: See yonder be two the fyers men, bretheren that are to be redoubted / he is not wyse that taketh noyse or debat with them / and they had grete wonder of Anthonyes cheke / and also for certayn it was a straunge thing̘ to behold & see / but the grete beaulte that was in his body caused that inconuenyence

to be forgoten / And thus they rode toward the Castel. The ladyes & damoyselles beheld̛ them out of the wyndowes / and said that they neuer sawe two damoyseaulx of more noble affayre. And thenne they came to the Castel, wher they alighted, and entred fourthwith into the haƚƚ, where as the noble Crystyne mete them at the gate, wel acompanyed of ladyes & damoyselles in grete nombre, and of knightes & squyers / and with a joyous contenaunce & gracyous maynten honou- [folio 118b] rably receyued them & gretly festyed them. The halle was hanged nobly with ryche clothes after the vse of the land̛, and fro the halle they went in to another chambre, mocℏ noble & ryche, & þere the pucelle Cristyne bygan to say to them in this manyere: 'My right dere lordes, I thanke you mocℏ, as I may of the noble socours & help that ye haue don to me / I am not so mocℏ worth as ye ought to be rewarded of / not that withstanding I shaƚƚ endeuoyre me therto / al shuld I laye of my land̛ in pledge this tene yere day. And also, my lordes, of your noble grace ye haue sent to me the king̘ of anss̄ay, myn enemy, of the whicℏ plaise it you to knowe that I am not she to whom oughte þe punysshement of hym / but to you apparteyneth to doo therwith your playsire & volente, that haue had the parel & peyne for to ouercome & take hym your prysonner / wherfore after that right requyreth he is yours, & may doo with hym whatsoeuer it plaise you / and I remyse hym in your pocession. For as touching my persone I gyue hym ouer vnto you, & loke not to medle ony more with him tofore you.' 'Noble damoyselle,' said thanne anthony, 'sethen it is your playsire, we shal ordeyne wel þerof, in suche wyse that it shal be to your grete honour & prouffyte / and to hym grete shame & confusyon / no doubt of / And wete it that my broþer and I are not cōme hither for loue of your siluer, but for to susteyne rayson & right /

also considered that alle noble men oughte to helpe & ayde the wydowes, orphenynis, and the pucelles also. And forasmocℏ also that we were truly informed, that the kinge of Anssay made grete werre [folio 119] anenst you & your land wrongfully, wherfor no doubte of / of aƚƚ your goodes we wyl not take the value of one peny / but alonly to be receyued in your noble fauour & good grace, aƚƚ vylounye excepted.' Whan the pucelle Cristyne vnderstode these wordes, she was abasshed of the grete honour that the two bretheren dide vnto her / not that withstandyng she ansuerd̛ in this manere: 'For southe, my gracyous lordes, at lest it were no raison, but that I payed wel your peple that be come hither to take your wages as sawdoyers.' 'Damoyselle,' said þenne Anthony, 'vouchsaf to suffre that we haue said, For my lord our fader, & my lady our moder, haue payed them alredy for a hole yere day, or euer they departed out of our land / & yet it is not fullyssℏ a moneth complet syn that we departed thens; And ouermore wete it that syluer & gold we haue ynoughe. Wherfore, noble demoyselle, ye lese your wordes to speke therof, For certayn it shal none other be' / and she thenne thanked them in her best manere ryght humbly.

Thenne came the styward, & enclyned hym tofore the pucelle, & said: 'My lady, ye may wesshe whan it playse you, For al thing is redy to dyner' / 'whan, my lordes,' she said, 'be redy þerto, I am playsed.' Whom Anthony ansuerd̛: 'noble damoyselle, we be al redy whan ye vouchesaf to go therat.' and thenne they toke eche other by þe handes & wesshe. And Anthony desired the king of Anssay to be sent for / and made hym sette first of aƚƚ at the table / and after the pucelle and syn Regnauld / and anthony satte last. And nygh to them satte foure of the noblest barons of the land. And along the halle were [folio 119b] other

tables dressed, wherat sette aƚƚ other gentylmen, barons & squyers, eche one after hys degree. Of the seruyse I nede not to hold you long compte, For they were so nobly & haboundauntly serued, that nothing accordyng to sucℏ a ryaƚƚ feste they wanted of. And whan they had dyned they wesshe handes, and graces were said̛, and all the tables voyded. thanne said the king̘ of Anssay in this manyere: 'Lordes damoyseaulx, vouchesauf to here my wordes. It is trouth that the wyƚƚ of god & myn vnfortune hath brought me to that caas, that by your valiauntnes & prowes I am & haue be bothe myself & al my peple dyscomfyte, & ouer that ye haue take me your prysonner / but I ensure you, consideryng your higℏ prowesse, your bounte, & your noble affayres, I am glad & joyous to fynde me now with you, For I shal be the bettre therfore al my lyf naturel; and syth, fayre lordes, þat my presence & long̘ abydyng̘ here with you may nought preuaylle to you / humbly I besecℏ you, as I best can, that it playse you to putte me to raisounable raunson & payement portable to me, so that I be not al dystroyed nor dysheryted / thaugℏ it lyeth now in your power / but haue pyte on me, & punysshe me not aftir the regarde of my follysshe enterpryse / how be it þat rygour of justice requyreth it.' 'By my hed,' said Anthony, 'who that shuld punysshe you after the regarde of the grete iniurye, vylonnye, & dommage that ye haue don, and yet had purposed to do to this noble damoyselle without eny lawful cause / ye were not puyssant to make amendes suffysaunt therof / but for as moche that ye knowleche your synne the lasse penytence shal ye haue / and I wyl wel that ye knowe that my brother & I be not come from our countre hither for hoop of getyng of siluer vpon you nor vpon other / but for desire & hope of getyng of honour & good fame or renommee, without to haue ony wyƚƚ or appetyt to

haue mortal rychesses. Wherfore, as touchyng our part, we [folio 120] now remyse & putte you free quytte & at your lyberte / sauf that we taxe you to pay to this noble pucelle aƚƚ such dommages that she hath had at your cause / and þerof ye shal gyue good pledges or euer ye departe hens, And yet morouer ye shal swere vnto her vpon the holy Euaungiles, that neuer ye shal bere, ner ye shal suffre to be borne ony manere of dommage ne dyshonour to the forsaid pucelle that is here present / but at your power ye shal gyue her ayde, help, & comfort at al tymes anenst aƚƚ them that iniurye or dommage wold̛ doo to her. And wel I wyl that ye knowe that yf ye wyl not swere & accorde to that I haue said with your good wylle, I shal send̛ you in to sucℏ a place, wherout the dayes of your lyf ye shal not escape. And whan the kynge vnderstode these wordes he ansuered̛ in this manyere. 'Sire, I am wyllyng & redy to swere that conuenaunt, yf the noble mayde be content of that ye haue ordeyned & said.' 'By my feyth,' said she, 'I consent me therto, syn it is my lordes plaisure' / and yet morouer said Anthony suche or semblable wordes as folowen /

'Yet, sire, I haue not al said that ye muste doo, For ye muste doo founde a Pryoure of twelue monkes & the pryour, in suche place there as my lady shal ordeyne / and ye shal endowe & empossesse them with rentes & reuenue conuenable for theire lyuyng & for their successours for euermore / the said monkes & pryour to pray there for the sowles of them that haue be slayne of your part & of myn in this batayƚƚ.' 'By my feyth,' said thenne the king̘, 'I promyse you þat so shal I doo, and good pledges & hostages I shall gyue you, & to my lady to be asured therof.' Thenne sware the kynge by hys feyth vpon the holy Euaungiles that he shuld hold & accomplysshe al that beforesaid is / & gaf & delyuered good hostages / & lettres patentes were

therof made vnder hys seal, & the seales of aƚƚ the [folio 120b] barons of his lande. And that don, Anthony said to the kynge / 'I now gyue you, and delyuere free aƚƚ the prysonners that we & our folke haue take, and your tentes & pauyllons also / but the hauoir that is departed amonges my felawes I may not it rendre or yeld̛ to you / And thenne he made to be delyuered to hym foure thousaund prysouners or therabout, al men of estate & faytte / And thenne the kynge enclyned hymself, & thanked hym mocℏ therof. What shuld I make long̘ compte / the feste bygane sumptuous & grete thrughe the toune of Lucembourgℏ, & specially in the Castel / and eueryone spake of the grete noblesse and curtoysye that Anthony & regnald his brother had shewed to the king̘ of Anssay /