 | Otuel and Roland |  |
Afftyr Garcy nouȝt longe hyt nas,
to kyng Charlys told hyt was,
that Ebrayn, the stronge kyng,
wyth strenthe was come to Cordys,
with hym many a sarisin, y-wys,
And many a grete lordyng,
the Almayns saumfayle,
tha aschapeden fro the batayle,
off Angulaittes werryng.
tho Charlys thys herde,
Off that kyng how hyt ferde,
he com thydyr anon hying,
to kyng Charlys told hyt was,
that Ebrayn, the stronge kyng,
wyth strenthe was come to Cordys,
with hym many a sarisin, y-wys,
And many a grete lordyng,
the Almayns saumfayle,
tha aschapeden fro the batayle,
off Angulaittes werryng.
tho Charlys thys herde,
Off that kyng how hyt ferde,
he com thydyr anon hying,
with hys knyȝtys of pris.
and tho he come to cordys,
And neȝhede the Cyte,
the sarisins com aȝeyns hym,
syxty thousand stout & grym,—
for-sothe in parties thre.
Charlys syker nadde no mo
but syxti Thousand tho,
a-ȝeynes hem all to be.
tho Charlys made thre batayl:
the furst, of knytys saumfayl,
that ryȝt symly hyt was to se;
that other, of fotemen tho;
the trydde, knyȝtys also,
as the fyrst were.
the kyng with grete Rawndoun
Come aȝen syr Charlemoun,
As ȝe mowe here,
with batayles stern ten.
the furst weren fot-men,
that gryslyche were of chere.
with her thay war be-hong,
and berdys swythe long,—
and hornys on hond bere.
and tho he come to cordys,
And neȝhede the Cyte,
the sarisins com aȝeyns hym,
syxty thousand stout & grym,—
for-sothe in parties thre.
Charlys syker nadde no mo
but syxti Thousand tho,
a-ȝeynes hem all to be.
tho Charlys made thre batayl:
the furst, of knytys saumfayl,
that ryȝt symly hyt was to se;
113
the trydde, knyȝtys also,
as the fyrst were.
the kyng with grete Rawndoun
Come aȝen syr Charlemoun,
As ȝe mowe here,
with batayles stern ten.
the furst weren fot-men,
that gryslyche were of chere.
with her thay war be-hong,
and berdys swythe long,—
and hornys on hond bere.
and also, that on batayle
schulde that othyr assayle,
the bow-men weren by-forn,
And come a-ȝeyne the knyȝtys,
And tho ther anonryȝtys,
Eueryche blewe hys horn.
tho the stedys gonne here & se,
fast away thay gonne to fle,—
they ne spared thyk ne thorn.
for-sothe, the knyȝtys bolde
Myȝten nouȝt hem with-holde,
thouȝ thay hadde y-sworn.
schulde that othyr assayle,
the bow-men weren by-forn,
And come a-ȝeyne the knyȝtys,
And tho ther anonryȝtys,
Eueryche blewe hys horn.
tho the stedys gonne here & se,
fast away thay gonne to fle,—
they ne spared thyk ne thorn.
for-sothe, the knyȝtys bolde
Myȝten nouȝt hem with-holde,
thouȝ thay hadde y-sworn.
Whenne thay that weren on fote
Ne say no bettyr bote,
A-way thay flowyn also.
for her knyȝtes gode
Aȝeyn hem nouȝt ne stode,
thay seye wel thay myȝt nouȝt don.
tho Charlys that gan se,
that hys fote-men gonne fle,
In hert hym was ful wo,
hys stede he turnyd a-gayn a-none,
ffor he ne seye no bettyr wone,
but faste went aftyr tho.
Ne say no bettyr bote,
A-way thay flowyn also.
for her knyȝtes gode
Aȝeyn hem nouȝt ne stode,
thay seye wel thay myȝt nouȝt don.
tho Charlys that gan se,
that hys fote-men gonne fle,
114
hys stede he turnyd a-gayn a-none,
ffor he ne seye no bettyr wone,
but faste went aftyr tho.
tho the sarisins seyen that cas,
they swed aftyr wel gret pas,
Tylle they Comyn to an hylle,
Two myle vppon that playn.
the cristened turnyd manlyche agayn,
as hyt was goddys wylle.
the sarisins seyen hem come,
And flewen a-way, all and somme,
hom to her Cyte wel stylle.
Charlys with hys knyȝtys,
setten her pauylons vpryȝtys,
and all nyȝt ther gonne dwelle.
they swed aftyr wel gret pas,
Tylle they Comyn to an hylle,
Two myle vppon that playn.
the cristened turnyd manlyche agayn,
as hyt was goddys wylle.
the sarisins seyen hem come,
And flewen a-way, all and somme,
hom to her Cyte wel stylle.
Charlys with hys knyȝtys,
setten her pauylons vpryȝtys,
and all nyȝt ther gonne dwelle.
tho on morwe whan hyt was day-lyȝt,
Charlys bad a-non-ryȝt,
that all here horsys of the Ost
with wex to stoppe here Ere,
that they myȝt nouȝt y-here
her noyse ne her bost.
for-sothe hys hest was sone y-done,
an her eyȝen y-hudde anone,
bothe lest & mest.
And Charlys prayed to god Almyȝt,
to helpe hym that day in fyȝt.
so wysser hem the holy gost!
Charlys bad a-non-ryȝt,
that all here horsys of the Ost
with wex to stoppe here Ere,
that they myȝt nouȝt y-here
her noyse ne her bost.
for-sothe hys hest was sone y-done,
an her eyȝen y-hudde anone,
bothe lest & mest.
And Charlys prayed to god Almyȝt,
to helpe hym that day in fyȝt.
so wysser hem the holy gost!
Alle they come to-gederes on morwe,—
the sarisins to moche sorowe,—
In-to the felde to fyȝt.
And the kyng Ebrayn
Come ful Euyn aȝeynes hym
with hys Ost aplyȝt.
to-gedyr thay gonne smyte,
Eythyr spared other lyte,
ther was a symly syȝt.
Off the hethen lawe,
Many on-othyr was y-slawe
well longe or hyt were nyȝt.
the sarisins to moche sorowe,—
In-to the felde to fyȝt.
And the kyng Ebrayn
115
with hys Ost aplyȝt.
to-gedyr thay gonne smyte,
Eythyr spared other lyte,
ther was a symly syȝt.
Off the hethen lawe,
Many on-othyr was y-slawe
well longe or hyt were nyȝt.
the sarisins seyen alle,
howe her felawys down gonne falle;
ther Rose a Rufull crye.
To-gyder they gonne hem drawe,
that folk of hethen lawe,—
for-sothe they were sory!
Amyd hem was a Char,
that here banere that tyme bar
vppon a spere on hye.
with twelf Oxen yt was y-drawe.
that tyme hyt was the lawe,
that none schulde fle a-way,
howe her felawys down gonne falle;
ther Rose a Rufull crye.
To-gyder they gonne hem drawe,
that folk of hethen lawe,—
for-sothe they were sory!
Amyd hem was a Char,
that here banere that tyme bar
vppon a spere on hye.
with twelf Oxen yt was y-drawe.
that tyme hyt was the lawe,
that none schulde fle a-way,
the whyle her syne-stood.
Charlys [swore] by the Rode,
that the baner schulde a-down.
for-sothe, he semyt wood out-ryȝt,
so fast tho he gan to fyȝt,
As hyt were a wylde lyoun.
ther nas neythyr spere ne schyld
that dury myȝt in the feld
A strok of hys faucon.
tho Rouland, and Oliuer,
And eueryche of the dussyper,
to batayle were ful boun.
All tho that hey mette wyth,
for-sothe to grownd thay ȝede ryȝt,—
so fast they fauȝt thare!
kyng Charlys thon anone-Ryȝt,
thoruȝ the grace of god Almyȝt,
Euene come in-to the char:
And with hys gode fawchoun,
he smote the baner a-down,
that with hym-self were.
he smote the baner a-down ryȝt.
tho that hyt sawe, they were aflyȝt,
and in sorowe & care.
Charlys [swore] by the Rode,
that the baner schulde a-down.
for-sothe, he semyt wood out-ryȝt,
so fast tho he gan to fyȝt,
As hyt were a wylde lyoun.
ther nas neythyr spere ne schyld
that dury myȝt in the feld
A strok of hys faucon.
tho Rouland, and Oliuer,
And eueryche of the dussyper,
to batayle were ful boun.
116
for-sothe to grownd thay ȝede ryȝt,—
so fast they fauȝt thare!
kyng Charlys thon anone-Ryȝt,
thoruȝ the grace of god Almyȝt,
Euene come in-to the char:
And with hys gode fawchoun,
he smote the baner a-down,
that with hym-self were.
he smote the baner a-down ryȝt.
tho that hyt sawe, they were aflyȝt,
and in sorowe & care.
he smote tho suche a dynt,
that fyre flye out as sparke of flynt.
and tho the sarisins were in hart sare,
an gonne to fle in eche syde.
they ne durst no lengyr abyde,
of blysse they were alle bare.
that fyre flye out as sparke of flynt.
and tho the sarisins were in hart sare,
an gonne to fle in eche syde.
they ne durst no lengyr abyde,
of blysse they were alle bare.
tho Ebrayn, the strong kyng,
Come wyth spere keruyng
to the kynge Charlemayn,
And ȝaf hym suche a wownde,
that Charlys fylle to grownd,
of hys stede a-down.
Charlys, for-sothe, that hym ȝeld,
that helm & heued fly in the feld,
tho Ryȝt with hys fauchoun.
And many anothyr paynym,
for-sothe, ther was y-slawe with hym,
that were y-holde of grete renown. [OMITTED]
To Charlys they ȝeld the gode toun,
And cristened wolde he be.
Gret othes they swore thare.
“Of hym wyl we holde euer-more
Cordys, the good Cyte.”
therof Charlys was glad tho,
and all were cristened in a thro,
with grete Ioye & solempnite.
Come wyth spere keruyng
to the kynge Charlemayn,
And ȝaf hym suche a wownde,
that Charlys fylle to grownd,
of hys stede a-down.
Charlys, for-sothe, that hym ȝeld,
that helm & heued fly in the feld,
tho Ryȝt with hys fauchoun.
And many anothyr paynym,
for-sothe, ther was y-slawe with hym,
that were y-holde of grete renown. [OMITTED]
117
And cristened wolde he be.
Gret othes they swore thare.
“Of hym wyl we holde euer-more
Cordys, the good Cyte.”
therof Charlys was glad tho,
and all were cristened in a thro,
with grete Ioye & solempnite.
| Otuel and Roland | |