The ancient, honorable, famous, and delighfull historie of Huon of Bourdeaux, one of the peeres of Fraunce, and Duke of Guyenne Enterlaced with the loue of many ladies, as also the fortunes and aduentures of knights errant, their amorous seruants.

Chap. LI.

¶ How Huon found a Minstrell, who gaue him cloathing and meat, and tooke Huon with him as his Varlet, and went to Mombrance.

WHen Huon hadde gone a great way, hee beheld on his right hand, and saw néere him a little wood by a faire meadow-side, and therein was standing a great Dake full of leaues, and there be∣side was a cleare Fountaine, and there he saw an ancient man with white haires sitting vnder the Dake, and before him he had a little cloth spread abroad on the grasse, and thereon flesh and bread and wine in a Bot∣tell. When Huon saw the old man, he came vnto him, and the ancient man sayd. Ah thou wild man, I pray thée for the

loue of Mahound doe me no hurt, but take meat and drinke at thy pleasure. When Huon sawe him, he espied lying be∣side him a Harpe and a Vyoll, whereon he could well play, for in all Pagany there was no Minstrell like him. Fréend, (quoth Huon) thou hast named me right, for a more vnhappy man then I am, there is none lyuing. Fréend, (quoth the Minstrell) goe to yonder Male and open it, and take what thou likest best to couer thy naked skinne, then come to mée and eat at thy pleasure. Sir, (quoth Huon) good aduenture is come vnto mée thus to find you, Mahound reward you. Sir, (quoth the Minstrell) I pray you come and eate with me, and kéepe me companie, for you shall not find a more so∣rowfull man then I am. By my faith, (quoth Huon) a com∣panion of your owne sort haue you found, for there was ne∣uer man that suffered so much pouertie as I haue, praise be vnto him that fourmed me, but séeing I haue found meat to eat, blessed be the houre that I haue found you, for you séeme to bee a good man. Then Huon went to the Male and tooke cloathes, and then came vnto the Minstrell, and sat down, and did eat and drinke as much as pleased him. The Min∣strell beheld Huon, and sawe that he was a faire young man and a courteous, and then hee demaunded of him, where hée was borne, and by what aduenture hee was arriued there in that case that he was in.

When Huon heard how the Minstrell demaunded of his estate, he began to study in himselfe, whether he should shew the troth or else to lye, then he called to our Lord God, and sayd. Ah good Lord, if I shew to this man the troth of mine aduenture, I am but dead: and King Oberon, for a small offence thou hast left me in this case, now if I shewe the troth of my life to this man, I am but dead, I shall neuer trust thée more, but I will now put all my trust in God, for the loue that I haue to my Loue, thou hast mee in hate, but séeing it is so, as often as I haue néede I shall ly, nor I shall not leaue it for feare of thée, but rather do it in despite of thée: then Huon saide to the Minstrell. Sir, you haue demanded

of mine estate, and as yet I haue made you none answeare, the troth is, I find my selfe so well at mine ease, that I for∣gat to answeare you, but I shall nowe shewe you séeing you would know it. Sir, of certaine I was borne in the coun∣trey of Affricke, and fell in company with diuers Marchants by the Sea in a Shippe, thinking to haue sayled to Damie∣ta, but a great misfortune fell vppon vs, there arose such an horrible tempest, that our Shippe perished and all that were within it, none escaped but I, and I thanke Mahound that I am escaped aliue: therefore I desire you now to shew mée your aduenture, as I haue shewed you mine. Fréend (quoth the Minstrell) séeing you will knowe it, knowe for troth, I am named Mouflet, I am a Minstrell as thou séest héere by mine Instruments, and I say vnto thée, that from hence to the red Sea, there is none so cunning in all Instruments as I am, and I can doe many other things, and the dolour that thou séest mee make, is bycause of late I haue loste my good Lorde and Maister the Admirall Gaudise, who was slayne miserably by a Vacabond of Fraunce called Huon, that Ma∣hound shame him, and bring him to an ill death, for by him I am fallen into pouerty and miserie, I pray thée tell me thy name? Sir, (quoth Huon) my name is Solater. Well, (quoth the Minstrell) Solater, dismay thée not, for the great pouer∣ties that thou hast suffered, thou séest what aduenture Ma∣hound hath sent thée, thou art nowe better arayed then thou wert, if thou wilt follow my counsel thou shalt haue no néed, thou art faire and young, thou oughtest not to be dismayed, but I that am old and ancient haue cause to be discomforted, séeing in mine olde dayes I haue lost my Lord and Maister the Admirall Gaudise, who did me so much good and profit, I would it pleased Mahound, that he that slewe him were in my power.

When Huon heard that, he spake no word but cast down his head. Solater, (quoth the Minstrell) séeing my Lord is dead, I will goe to Mombrance to King Iuoryn, to shew him the death of his Brother the Admirall Gaudise, and if thou

wilt abide with me, so that thou wilt beare my Fardell and harpe a foote, ere it be halfe a yéere past, I warrant thée thou shalt haue a Horse, for whensoseuer thou shalt heare me play vpon my instruments, all the hearers shall take therein such pleasure, that they shall giue mee both Gownes and Man∣tles, so that thou shalt haue much adoe to trusse them in my Male. Well Sir, (quoth Huon) I am content to serue you, and to doe all your Commaundements. Then Huon tooke the Male on his necke and the Harpe in his hand, and Mou∣flet his Maister bare the Vyoll, and thus the maister and the seruant went on their way to goe to Mombrance. Ah good Lord, (quoth Huon) my heart ought to bée sorrowfull when I sée my selfe in this case, that nowe I must become a Min∣strels Varlet: Gods curse haue Oberon the Dwarfe, who hath done mee all this trouble. Alas if I had nowe my good Armour, my Horne, and my Cup, I would reckon al the sor∣row that I haue endured as nothing. But when I had xiij. Knights to serue me, how is this chaunce now turned, that I my selfe must serue a poore Minstrell?

When Mouflet heard Huon make such sorow within him selfe, hée said. Déere brother Solater take good comfort, for before to morow at night, thou shalt see the good cheere that shall bee made to mée, wherof thou shalt haue part, and of all the goodes that I can get. Maister quoth Huon, Mahound reward you for the goodnes that ye haue shewed mée, and shall do, thus the maister and the seruant went foorth toge∣ther deuising, at last Huon espied behind them coming certē men of armes, houlding the waye to Mombrance. Maister quoth Huon, héere behind vs are coming men in armour, I know not whether they will doe vs any hurt or not. Solater quoth Mouflet, bee not abashed, wee will abide héere, and know whether they will goe, and within a while the man of war came to them, who were in number Fiue .C. persons, the minstrell saluted them and said. Sirs, I pray you shewe mee whether ye will goe. Frend quoth one of them, bicause we sée that ye be a gentle minstrell, I shall shew you, we are

going to king Iuoryn of Mombrance, who will néeds goe and make warre vppon the Admirall Galaffer, bicause that now of late, the Damsell Escleremond daughter to the Admirall Gaudise, passed by Anfalerne, who should haue béen brought to her Vncle king Iuoryn of Mombrance, but the Admirall Galaffer tooke her by force, and slew all them that ledde her, and hath maryed the faire Escleremond, whereof King Iuoryn is as sorowfull as may be, and for that cause we be sent for by king Iuoryn, who is minded to assemble all his power, to go & destroy the Admirall Galaffer. Now I haue shewed you the cause of our going to the Citie of Mombrance.