[Thystorye and lyf of the noble and crysten prynce Charles the grete kynge of Frauuce [sic]]

¶How Charles went to Cor¦dube where the kyng of the same place and the kyng of Cybylle abode for their destructyon ca xiij

AFter thys aforesayd the kyng Corbude / and the kyng of Cybylle sent to Char∣les that he shold come to cordube for to fyght / Anone as charles knewe it he came thyder wyth al hys puyssaunte / And whan they were nygh for tassemble in bataylle / the sarasyns maad a moche subtyl and wylde thyn••e For tofore the Sarasyns that were on horsback they had ••••••••∣ned men on fote whyche had ••••∣sieres counterfeyted all black & rede / horned and berded lyke de¦uylles / for to deceyue the crysten men / and eueryche of these 〈◊〉〈◊〉 men bare in hys honde a lytel belle / And at thentre of the ba¦taylle they began to sowne and make suche a bauyt that assone as the horses of the crysten men sawe them so countrefayred and sowne their bellys so Im••••••uous¦ly / they began to flee / discenge & to be aferde in suche manner that no man myght holde theyr hor∣ses but by force they must flee and wythdrawe them / Charles deuysed a remedye / and on the morne he blynfelde the horses & couerd theyr eyen wyth clothes And stopped theyr eres to the ende that they shold not see ne

here the sarasyns dysguysed & countrefayted / And whan they came to bataylle in this manere they spared not but slewe doun ryght & put the sarasyns to deth tyl mydday / but yet they were not al vaynquysshed / For they had a carte myghty and grete for to resyte and make grete empesshement to theyr enemyes And this engyne was drawen wyth viij oxen in the warre / & thre vpon stode an hye the stan∣dard of theyr ensygne / & theyr custome was that on payne of deth noo persone shold retorne ne goo aback for no thyng as long as the standard stode vpryght / hereof Charles was enformed wherfore moche puyssauntly he rode thurgh the sarasyns tyl he came to the standard / and with Ioyouse hys swerde he smote it a sondre / and anone as the sa∣rasyns sawe that they fledde & many of y^• paynyms were slayn and dede / & on the morne after the towne was delyuerd vnto Charles by the lord of the tonn / whyche coude not resyste hym / & charles was content to lete hym haue hys lyf / yf he wold be bap¦tysed / and also the toun for to holde it of hym and none other∣wyse / And thenne charles ordey¦ned in spayne certayn of hys barons to kepe it in suche wyse / that none durst assaylle it / ne make to it warre / For he was alwaye vyctoryous of his ene∣myes / by the puyssaunce that he ledde / and also by dyscrescyon of hys persone / and pryncypal¦ly by the grace of god whyche faylled not in hym and in hys subgettes /