University of Virginia Library

He beheld ladys with laughinge cher.
then lightid gwynylon and com In in fer,
And brought in the madins bright in wedis;
he told many tailis, and all was lies:
For he that is fals no wordis ned seche,
so fairithe he withe flatring speche.
And the lord that king charls plaid with.
and on the toþer sid he kest his sight.
who so beleuythe hym shall hym fals find,
right as A broken sper at the litill end.
then knelid the knyght vnto his lord,
And said to the kinge, & shewid this word:
“criste kep the from care and all þi knightis!
I haue gone for þi sak wonderfull wais,
I haue bene In Saragos þer sairsins won,
And spoken with the soudan þat myghty gom.
I haue taught hym hou he lyf shall,
And he hathe tak good hed to my wordis all.
ye ned no Further fightinge to seche,
hast you hom agayn to your lond riche.
with-in xvj days thedur he wille hym hye,
and all the hethyn statis in his company,
a thoussond of his lond of the best;
all will be cristenyd & leue on Ihesu crist.
ther law will they lef sone anon,
And at thy comandment þey will done.
of Saragos the cete he sent the þe key
And all thes faire lady[s] with the to pley:
echon of them is a lordis doughtur.
And her ys good wyn; drink þer-of after.
and thou wisly wirche, thou failid nought,
ther is no prow to pryk þer men pece sought!
If that mercy and myght mellithe to-gedur
he shall haue the mor grace euer aftur.”
Then said the kinge to his knyght sone,
and said to gwynylon the good gome:
“thou art welcom, so þat thou bryngyst.
thou hast wisly done & þat me glad thinkis.”
And then sothly he said full right:
“mahoun And margot he will for-sak twight
for to be cristyned and for-sak þer syne.
no[w] will I go in-to Fraunce & his frend bene,
and mad redy yeftis againste his comyng
to Fest hym and his men xv dais suyng,
and whils he wille with me dwelle.
who gothe in woo wintirs full fell,
yet is frendchipe and faithe fairiste at end.
tak vp tentis and truse hem hom hend.
knyghtis ther hernes homward they kest.
the tentis And pauellions let hem rest,
For now I dred no day in All my lyf.”
When he had said they herd hym blif;
blowinge off bugles and bemes aloft,
trymlinge of tabers And tymbring soft,
bridlinge of stedes and baners vp to fold.
the kinge lep to horse, stint he ne wold,
And all his knyghtis followid sone,
And gone towald gascon with þat gom.
they be not gone ferr on ther way,
but x myle, in A medew, as I you say,
when they se vnder the son aloft
It was tym to pight tentis ofte.
then mad them redy the knyghtis right,
to feche food for foilis with all þer myght.
the king set hym to his soper þat tid,
seruyd hym semly and his men by his sid
with euery thinge þat myght glad his hert:
wyn went be-twen þem, non did astert,
þat gwynylon to toun brought, euyll hym be-tid!
It swymyd in ther hedis and mad hem to nap;
they wist not what þey did, so þer wit failid.
when they wer in bed and thought to a restid,
they went to the women þat wer so hend,
that wer sent fro saragos of sairsins kind:
they synnyd so sore in þat ylk while
that many men wept and cursid þat vile.
Charls our kinge in his bed slepithe,
gladly brought to bed, and no harm thinkithe;
litill rest had the king in his riche clothes,
For drechinge and dremyng & trobling his wittis,
A sweuyn he met that derid hym sor;
that he was hie on his [hors] in wed hore,
And saragos the cete seigid about,
with all his meyne that he led out.
then com gwynylon & gript hym herd,
went to his wepon and a sond braid,
that the splintis of the sper sprong into heuyn,
he went his way with weping steuyn,
he left vntak the toun, and to his tent ridis;
thoughe he wer wrothe, no man hym wytis.
but sone aftur he fell in a noþer:
hym thought ferre in fraunce with-outon Frend ther,
In A willd Forest Among willd bestis
A Bore com from A bank wondirly boistous,
And Fought sore with hym, and fendithe hym swithe.
he tok hym by the right arm and hent it of
clene from the braun, the flesche, & the lier;
the fell and the Flesche at his fete fallithe.
he lokid ouer a lawnd, the sothe for to sayn,
he se a libard lep from low spayn;
ther he tok the bore And laid hym to erthe,
redely the right ere he pullid from the hed,
he lep lightly away, he wold no lenger dwell.
then awok the king, & his dreme did tell.
when It was day, and the dew fell,
then rose the kinge; he wold no mor dwell:
he callid the wissest men þen aright,
and askid of his dreme hou it be myght.
all they said, þat þer did stond,
that tray and tene is toward at hond,
battell on the feld, byd who þat myght:
but none of hem knew þe trouthe aright,
whan It will fall the feld for to wyn,
and the lebard had tak the bore & slayn hym.
and for fair the flesche & þe fight endid,
then shuld kinge charls the better aspendid.
sithe the bore was beten & basched no mor,
but the hurt that he had, hele shuld thor,
throughe right resson, they said hym till:
“now let god alone, and do all his will.”
“lordis,” said the king, “listyn a stound.
now we must to Fraunce, god send vs sound!
her be wais wild that we wend most,
full hore hillis and also he on bost;
Full of cragy roches they bene sertayn,
And they be callid the gatis of spayn:
ther may not iij men go in at onys,
luk whiche baron can led vs eft sonnys,
whiche knyght our rerward shall gid.
for I am not secur of the sairsins þis tid,
they be so full of the fend, I drede þer werkis;
they must be Frowardis þat delithe with euyll frekis,
or he shall haue euyll sped at the last end.”
then gwynylon spek—the deuyll hym shend!—
“lordis, listyn to me A litill stound.
do, lord, as I red, if þou wilt pase sound.
I will go be-for, and þi folk led,
thou shalt folow me fair & þi men in ded:
And Rouland the rerward with men enow,
Olyuer and Roger, and oþer for þi prow,
that be proud in pres, & well preuyd knyghtis,
with xxx M men of þi lond rightis,
that be stif in stour, And stiffest in hert:
then ned ye to dred noþer harm ne smert:
the sairsins be set the poyntment to hold,
And to god they be geuyn þe bodys bold.”
“A! ffals man,” quod the kinge, “Fekill is thy thought,
Full of the foule gost thou fenyst þe nought.
Euer is thy counsell, Roulond to quell;
but thou shalt not hurt hym, I the telle:
the man is litill to loue that hym sleys.
who so takithe from the tre the rind and the levis,
It wer better that he in his bed lay long.
this I mene by the & þi werkis stronge,
For thou louys to slee þat I loue best;
And hym thou hatist, and me next.”
Roulond com to the kinge & knelid full euyn,
And said to the king with myld steuyn:
“now, good lord, let vs be in rest,
when euery man hathe said, do ye the best.
I will hold me by-hind, and þi men led;
rid with the rerward, and be ther gid.
but be that lord god þat me hathe bought,
ther is noþer kinge ne knyght in my thought
that me defithe, I shall his dethe wirche,
And clef hym with my brond doun to his tethe.
ther-for It is best I busk me blif,
when your luen is furthe, I will beleue.”
the kinge praid his princis euerychon,
If eny man a litill behind gone
with a bold battell, the best þat he had,
till the folk wer gone þat wer sad.
and they said “nay, none oþer wold.”
then wer they a-dred lest þey dye shold:
Gwynylon was fals long or þat tym,
for men dred tresson wher they it finden,
and thought on tresson þer trist was neuer.
the kinge then was wrothe with þat answer;
he lokid about on his bold barons:
“Sostir son,” he said, “forsak thou þis sondis:
I must bid on my horse, behouythe me non oþer.
mak me a batelle for barons & oþer
that wille abid in the feld for wers or better.
let your harnes go be-for, & hie you aftur,
and we will cum aftir when we list.
sistir son,” said the king, “sore I mystrist;
let we now leue till we eft met;
ther is no game ne gle in my hert yet.
halfondell of my men I the be-teche,
For to help the, þat no harm the reche.”
“nay,” said Roulond, “so will I nought;
why shuld so many be with me sought?
but of my peres, both princis & dukis,
let them bid with me in euery shouris.
whilles me lastithe lyf, ne shall ye lese man,
knyȝt in my keping, ne knawe þat we han;
horse ne harnes, the hethyn shall not wyn
whillis I may endur, by eny maner gyn,
and dintis to dele with good durmidalle.”
And, whils this tale was told in the sale,
vnto Roulond then went the princis xij;
Olyuer, and Roger, And Aubry hym-selue,
Richard, and Rayner, that redy was euer,
tirry, And turpyn, all redy wer,
And the good giliuer, that good was at ned,
Nemes and oþer iiij, þat god be þer sped!
all they said atonys they will to-gedur hold,
with Sir Roulond to rid they wer bold:
“For he in word and werk greuyd vs neuer,
nor sparid schewing of sheldis for non þat lyuyd euer:
For dred of dethe, he hid neuer his hed,
with hym is worship euer-mor in ded,
ther men may wyn worship for euer.”
Ingeler And Oger stod vp ther,
Archbold and arnold þat gret wer holdene,
Gauter and Gaisser & godfray the bolleyn,
barenger, and berard, & bedwar the strang,
the riche man Richard þat russelen fonge,
sampson of seymer said to charls, [OMITTED]
For to weld all the welth þat men myght,
they wold no furþer go then full right,
and leue lordis behind þat they louyd euer: [OMITTED]
they will hold with them “till our hertis bled,
ther hedis throughe helmes hewen in-ded,
Our well and worship to win sound.
yet will tutlers in toun talk bound,
that we wer the men þat Roulond wold quell. [OMITTED]
good Sir, haue good day, to god we þe be-teche!
For we will rid in the rout, Roulond to seche.”
“I be-tak you to crist,” said the kinge then,
“þat died on the rood, he sped you euyn!”
now is roulond redy with his rout faire,
For to abid at a bank with barons thar.
the kinge ridithe on,—crist be his sped!—
and all his lordis riding by his sid,
and warnyd them hou they do shold;
he bad no bern be so bold vpon mold,
bugle to blow, ne beme to soun,
but he the sairsins se all redy boune,
“And he the hethyn se, and help wold haue,
lowd cast vp a cry, and hie vs hym to saue:”
and they grauntid so for to do. [OMITTED]
the kinge lep on his sted, stint wold he nought,
And euery man on horsbak homward sought;
Gwynylon rod be-for, and tho men bad
redely to rid, and all the rout sad
with soft songis and nothing glad.
our men þat behind wer, oder play had:
he must tak hed þat with euyll delithe,
they wer dampnyd to dethe, as the bok seithe.
A mor sorowfull day had they neuer:
Itt is wretyn in storis to remembre euer.

Here ridithe Roulond, god be his gid!
of our cristyn let vs ouer slid,
And spek of the hethyn, as the story sais,
that hathe spied the werkis of king charls,
hou he ridithe furthe, & his men leuys,
that he wold fanest haue þer he leseis.
then spek the soudan & bad his men hye,
“busk you to horse right hastely;
tak ye no trewes, thoughe ye myght,
for gift ne garison as gwynylon hight.
blisssid be mahoun! myche he vs helpithe,
to-day we shall haue our will right as vs likithe.”
then com þer a kinge with knyghtis many,—
he was of the soudan kyn with-outon nay;
Amaris he hight, þat many a toun ought;
prince was of portingall, proud eft in thought;—
Vnto the soudan he said his wille:
“lord,” he said, “to you will I tell,
that I may go be-for with my noun men,
I will say one thinge þat ye shall kene.
may I met with Roulond in eny stond,
I shall bet hys men and hew hym to ground.”
then said the soudon, “mahoun the blis,
And help the ther-to, þat thou not myse!”
he lep vpon his sted & furthe did he ryd,
with xl. thoussond sairsins by his sid;
ouer hillis and holtis he hastid full sone,
vnto the tym to the cristyn þey com.
still then he stod, and set his knyghtis,
and thought he had had to few to hold fightis.
Roulond was war of þer euyll dedis;
he comandid barons by his sidis;
he armyd hym surly in Irne wed,
And thought hym sure for eny ned.
his baners beten with gold for the nonys,
set with diamondis & oþer stonys;
his kneys coueryd with platis many,
his thies thryngid with silk, as I say
his Acton And oþer ger þat he werid, [OMITTED]
the swerd was full good þat he þer had,
the hilt then he takithe surly And sad,
when that his helme on his hed wer,
And his glovis gletering with gold wir;
durimdall his swerd gird hym about,
with a schynyng sheld on his shulder stout:
he tok with hym his sper, and went to his horse,
but lep on lightly with-out any fors.
then euery cristyn knyght vnto oþer said:
“It is fair, Roulond to folow in a braid;
he may boldly abid, þat hathe siche a lord.”
“now wise vs crist!” quod Roulond, “one word;
we be fellos and frendis, god be our gid;
we be stad in a place a stound to abid,
Amonge medos, and moris, & euyll bankis,
And roches roughe, and wodis full of bestis,
beter for birdis to bred, þen men in to won,
or wild wollves for to walk in sone.
It is good to be wise in ded and in thought.
If Gwynylon tressour haue tak, & treson wrought,
And to the soudan sold vs, as It semyd best,
he may the haue vs euyn as they lest,
And we vn-warnyd þer-of in this tid.
but go furthe, sir gauter, god be your gid,
and x M tak of our men;
go down by yonder clif and luk þen,
If eny hethyn be þer to wirche vs wo;
and we will cum to you asson as we may,
for to go þat way: and euery man kep oþer,
And we may son help yf we þink myster.”
now is gauter dight as Roulond hym bad;
And his sheld and his brond he had:
he shakis down by a schaw and his men right,
And lukid on euery sid and se no wight:
he rod furthe in an holt, by an hore bank,
he se in the vale wher an ost stant,
With bright sheldis and schaftis in hond.
then wer they wild in þer werkis to found,
to Fight or to fall they wist non oþer.
Amaris bad hys men sped hem thedir:
“go ye forthe proudly, & ber you bold.”
A wondur sore mettinge men myght be-hold,
what man It had sene mervell to tell;
hou wondirly on they set with dintis felle;
speris to-brast and in pecis flowen,
swerdis swedyrd out & laid hem doun;
the blod out at brestis, the brayn at the hedys,
lymmys went A-sundir and lost ther stedis.
the cristyn wer be-set and coueryd nought.
many sairsins that tid to the erthe sought
or our folk wer feld, and the feld endid.
that day sir gauter many on woundid,
till his hed was hurt, & hir brest brok
that he se on no sid socour ne help:
but the hethyn euer hew hym vpon.
then he smot his sted on the hill son,
many on folowed, yet it vailid nought;
he ridithe weping away And his feles sought.
but cristis willis ne wer in þat ilkey stond,
that euer he shuld suffur so many a wound.
And It wer not to warn his felos all,
he had leuer to dy then so shuld be-fall;
he rod vp by a bank bleding full sore,
And se Roulond rid, a Rout hym be-for,
and old Roger behynd þat yet fled neuer:
then he kest vp a cry, and callithe hem euer:
“crist the red, roulond, & þi rout son,
for I haue lost þat I had, but my-selue a-lone.
as I went with-out folkis valis to seche,
we wer be-set about: þe deuyll hem feche!
they haue slayn my fellos full bold;
that I wer on them vengid, god it wold!
but now I know hou þat It wendis,
I wold foulis had ete me, so I wer at my end.
gwynylon hathe vs gilid, I may say now;
that euer he was born, a tratur to prove!”
ther was weping and wailling of knyghtis,
mornynge and menyng of all oþer wightis.
thoughe Roulond rew þat rese, he red rem all:
“lordis, leue this sorow; help it ne shall.
thoughe we dye for sorow, It valithe nought;
And in heuyn be þer soulis with-outon thought!
let vs spek, and sped our tyme,
let our hertis be hie, and to-gedir rynn,
that no hethyn hound of our men wyn,
but he by it with blod, his brest with-in.
For men will tell charls this full sone,
when we haue slayn the fals, & the feld won.”
now of thes lordis rest we a whill,
And spek we of king charlis þens many A mylle.
“hou may this chaunce be,” said charls the strong,
“that my good knyghtis abiden so long?
now may I dred þat I dremyd this nyght,
hou A bore bet me and my brond bright,
And my spere spild, and my sped failid.
I tok it to Roulond & he hem sailid,
then is my lyf lorn for euer,
& or it dawen the day, his shuld for euer,
I wold þat I wer doluyn in clay.”
and all the barons to hym gan say:
“lord, we will wit what shall be-tid.
If gwynylon haue done tresson wild
he hathe vs all sold, who so tell durst;
but ye ar betraid, we nedis say must,
ye trist no trew men þat tellis you right;
whoo tellis you sothe, gothe out of sight.
he hathe found way to fell vs to ground,
and hathe brewid bale in this ilkay stound;
and that may sore rew many of your knyghtis.”
then was gwynylon wrothe anon rightis,
he kest vp his browes & blenchid his eye;
he com be-for the kyng & his kyn many,
markis and melon and milo þe proud,
herdref the hardy in his wed good,
And xv mo of that fals kind. [OMITTED]
gwynylon kest his gloue be-for hem all:
“saueng you, my lord, non spar I shall;
he that saithe I am tretour, And tok of þe hethyn
horse, or harnes, or eny other thing,
broche, or bessant, eny harm to done;
I will fight with hym, & preue hym fals sone.
shall neuer hors bere me of þis place,
till I be on hym vengid þat þus said has.”
thus said he to the king stonding hym be sid:
“he that wold work well, wrothe hym be-tid.
vpon almyghty god I put this full right,
that I to the soudan nothing be-hight,
but for to say the sothe in this ilk stound,
your knyghtis be-hind haue som bores fond,
or Among the holtis I-herd ryll som hertis;
then will Roulond rid among the cleves;
he will fell of the Fattest, & you flesche bring;
ye know þat he louythe well hunting.
he will do his will thouhe it to harm turn.
For this thinge ye ned no thing to morn,
For harme of hethen ne dred you neuer.”
the kinge did stint his strif þen for euer,
and gothe with his men throughe the toun,
and made accordment betwen hem boun.
many a sore sighe went to his hert.
the kinge is to Cardoile with care & smert;
of hym no mor I tell, but turn to his knyȝtis,
hou they rod to-gedur in counsall righte.
som bad Roulond to blow aftur socour,
And som bad hym bid of his blast lengour,
and be redy to fight, for fle they nylle.
off the hethen houndis herkyn me till,
hou they wickidly wrought then be-dene;
many a wilfull word went hem betwene.
the soudan hathe semblid his men all,
And they be redy, what so euer be-fall,
men myght se ther ostis in the feldis þer:
xx batelles araid all in bright gere,
with sheld and sper schynyng bright;
and xx crounyd kingis among hem right,
eueryche of them rechar then other,
the soudan folowed one after anoþer.
the sory mad mahoun that they most louyd,
to hym all lowtyd, and he on hight hovid,
and praid hym that he hem wische wold.
they splayd baners, for men se it shold.
the feld shone bright, that men myght behold,
It was wonder of the soudan so bold.
It was in euery manys ere, & not to seche.
thus rid they furthe: to the deuyll I hem teche!
myche harm was done by the dais end.
with that, Amarys met with the soudan hend,
with his gret rout riding out of toun;
then he stintid his sted & stod still sone,
and gret hym merely with good will.
“lord mahoun saue the, and kep the from euyll,
that thou lese no man ne lond þer thou wendis!
Mahoun the saue and the deffendis,
but I haue feller then I be-for had.
som I met of ther men, they be not mad,
x Ml; by taile ther lyues did sell:
of them escapid but on, as I you tell,
and wondid he was, I tell you sothe.
þer-for he ys bold, and to batele gothe.
I tell the flour of fraunce feld to ground,
ye ned nothinge dred in this stound
that euer cristyn kinge thy croun shall were,
but I am thy sistir son, and next the ther.
For all my labur, yef me no mor
but xj gret kingis to go be-for,
with the best men they brought of toun:
that we may go be-for, sauf & soune,
or they with ther host cum vs about.
And yf eny man lese, let me lout
but I haue a C of them for one of myn.”
the soudan tok hym his glove, & rod by hym,
biddithe chese of his men the best þat he wold.
And he tok of the best that bene bold:
Causaryne, that was fals, formest of all,
Corsabran, the curssid, kenyst in halle,
the bold barbaryn is set on his sted,
lionys and lauris, gret kingis inded,
keston of calern, and cokard his broder,
Tauberd and tampryn, sonyst off oþer:
they say to the sovdan in the sam stevyn:
“now we be redy to rid furthe euyn,
to go in-to the forward to rest vs awhile:
For duk Roulond he is fell,
but euery pece of his harnes be Asonder rent,
And he feld on the feld, and also schent;
as longe as thou leuyst, trist vs neuer
If we in this mater do not our deuour.”
It botes not to abid: full sone
the soudan tok his leue anon.
An C thoussand of good men
wer dressid in ther harnes then,
with proud synes of silk lifte on loft.
Amaris be-for hem myghtily sought,
cryethe vpon mauhoun with mody steuyn:—
curse hym, crist, that sittis in heuyn!—
bemes and bugles blew full many,
that all the daile and doun dynnyd truly.
And help Roulondes ost, he þat heuyn weldis!
a dredfull tym haue they vnder ther sheldis.
Olyuer of that host out from his frendis
Is redyn to a roche A litill ther hendis:
he saw to Saragos the sairsins all,—
A curssed forward, and fight they shall:—
he turnyd his sted, and taried no lenger,
for to tell his felos to be the strenger;
to Roulond and Richard, & Rayner his broder,
Ingler and Aubry, and ek all þe oþer:
“lordingis, mak you redy, And well on set;
the hole hethyn host hastithe you to met;
not fully iiij furlong is you betwen;
þer-for luk lightly what is best to done,
to Abid boldly, or els for to turn;
the gile of gwynylon will mak vs to morn
but crist vs send socour betym.
but wer It thy will, Roulond, then,
thy bugle to blow on this bent sid
that king charls myght her it this tid;
that we be sore be-set, son will he know;
we may fight with yonder host, as I trow,
till he be couerd and com to this bank;
And our men wer here, god wold I thank
thoughe ther wer siche ten, I tell you be-dene.”
“abid,” quod Roulond, “and siche wordis blyn!
Olyuer art thou aferd of this sight?”
[OMITTED]
“I se my scheld shyn hole, no pecis out:
Thy helme and thy hauberk with-outon dout.
but our aray be brok, tym it wer
aftur help to blow, now I the swer.
many A hundred shall fall þat now hie bene,
or we flee from this feld, I wene.
but now rid we furthe, and no rest mak,
And let the king of heuyn hed to vs tak.”
then all princis praid þat ther houyd,
his bugle to blow, they hym wowid:
“for know ye right well it is vs on hond,
the hole hethyn ost is ny, I vndirstond.
when we be laid low, to lat It wer
eny help to haue but of heuyn feyr.
but for dred of dethe, do thou it neuer,
but for our lordis loue, þat is god euer.
If we dye here, his baile is the mor:
I tell my lyf-tym then is for-lore.
he may walk homward with hert rew,
loue his bed well ouer course,
shall he neuer frenchmen out of frauns led.”
then was this man wrothe in-ded,
And to them said he ther:
“ye knyghtis, for shame shon ye neuer.
haue ye broken eny bone, or eny harm tid?
may ye schew in your sheld eny strokis wid?
Is not your compony hole as they come?
Flee fast þat is afferd, þat he wer at home;
I will fight with them that vs hathe sought.
And or I se my brest blod throughe my harnes ryn
blow neuer horn for no help then.”
when they vndirstod hou he ne wold
for to blow his horn for no socour bold,
they tok hem comfort, And said full hye:
“now curssid be he that hens will flye,
or eny fot this day fley of the feld:
but der sell our dethe, as I dem sheld.
let it be sene hou the king vs louyd,
fast hew on them þat vs hathe harmyd;
the dais dawithe on hie; we bid to long.
In cristis name let vs furthe fonge.”
while the knyghtis Roun, risithe the soun;
the day was faire, the clowdis be roun,
dew diskid adoun and dymmyd the floures,
And foulis rose and song full Amorous.
ther did no wind blow, but wedir full still.
turpyn armyd hym-selue at his own wille,
dothe wisly mese be-for them on mold:
offred them euerychon a quantite of gold.
when messe was done, he blissid hem sound:
criste them kep in thys ilk a stound!
and ther was a sore metyng hem betwene.
“lordingis,” said Roulond, “rusche you be-dene,
till I haue ben at the soudan and cum agayn.
I will the se my-selue and that anon.”
he se the soudans men with myrthes enow,
Four myle on mold markid, I trowe,
And v. myle also they wer in lenght.
the soudan se them in his own strenght;
he knew by his geton and his sheld also,
a riche dragon of gold do ther into.
that rewes the erle and grevis his hert,
sore wepithe for wo and ek for smert:
not for his own sak he soghed often,
but for his fellichip þat he most louyden.
but yet wist he well eche wried oþer.
then sprong the day eche myght se other;
then the knyght on his kneys fallis,
he kest a carfull cry, and this said:
“now, almyghty lord, wise vs the best,
that mad heuyn and erthe & man for to rest,
our soulis to-day to send to thy blise riche.
we will not escap, and som will we seche
or I of this ground go, & the gost yeld.
ther shall no hethyn hound þat I met with sheld
Aftur this at hom on hie on his benche
but he fight right fell, but som I will teche.
thoughe euery fre wer aferid, fle will we neuer.”
with that he tok his sted and tarried no lenger,
And rod toward the rout, and ruthe in his hert.
with that anon he furthe stert,
then se the host that he comon wer,
all the barons be bown to met hem þer:
“here the kinge left vs, þat brought vs fro home,
for gilis of gwynylon þat giftis hathe fong,
and to the soudan vs sold—the deuyll hym hong!—
but euery knyght be kene, & comfort other,
ffor this day shall we dy, and go no further,
but we shall supe ther seintis be many,
And crist soulis fedithe, this is no nay.

Think he suffrid for vs paynes sore,
we shall wrek hem with wepins þer for,
or that I dye, he that durmidall wynnythe,
or he ber it from me his eyne not seithe
he shall tell in the town, who the tale heris,
that it is correct, for tean of his eyres.”
olyuer, and Roger, and other fulle many,
Ingler, and arnold, of the peres, I say,
pressen to the prince in þer palle wedis.
when they hem sene, said thes wordis:
“why rewes thou, roulond, is this rew tid?
wit it thy nown werk, þi dedis did gid!
thou myght help vs with an horn blast.
let on, prik out, and not to rid fast,
ther was no mo wordis wer.”
ther was no mo wordis with hem ther,
they tok ther speres—sped them our lord!
when the hethyn se the cristyn at a word,
with an euyll skill shon they nought,
curssid catifis com them about.
“let vs now our men melle to-gedur,
so help me, heuyn kinge, þat I com hedur
to do you as myche anger as ye may suffre.
shall none of you mak your rose or ye go furþre,
that euyr ye a cristyn knyght knew in his lyf.”
amaris be-for hem comythe blif,
smertly with a sper comythe out sone,
towardis the cristyn, cryinge Anon:
“wher art thou, Roulond, leder of charles?
thy lay is fals, and also thy lordes.
but I shall lern the a play shall lik þe full il[l]e.”
Roulond tok a sper, and wrought his will,
ran to that fals kinge with a Fell dynt,
throughe sheld and body the sper went,
at the bone of the bak, the baner schewid.
the kinge fell doun that he neuer sterrid.
“thy soule,” said Roulond, “to satanas I be-teche!
thou shalt neuer greve man þat to god will seche.”
Roulond turnythe agayn to his peris,
and ledithe the king horse to his feris,
be that is many one his dethe to quyt.
Fauceron be-for he rod full tit,
was the soudans brcder, but [stynt] he ne wold
but hent a good sper, & furthe he wold.
A brod sheld and a bright bround well set.
And olyuer right sone with hym met;
spronge toward hym and smot hym sore, [OMITTED]
throughe the body ran the launce.
the kinge bod no lenger, but fell with distans;
all his ded wer done; did he no mor.
our knyght caught hys sper vp thor,
with-out hurt or harm hathe his sted won.
sorsabran then comythe on sone,
he purposithe ther to abid
Richard red hym full euyn that tid,
And v ribbis he rof on his right sid:
son went the knyght to the ground.
he braid to the bridill & tok þe horse round,
with-outon wem or wound went to his sted.
with that com barbarins furthe-with in-ded,
galy dressid in gold and in stonys.
Nemys neghed hym ner for þe nonys,
he brek his sheld, and bar hym to the hert,
that the leuer out lep, he myght not astert,
bothe streght ded the horse and his selue [OMITTED]
It likid hym not ther dyed so many,
that none of them had grace agayn hem to wyn.
herd bukiles his helme, and gothe out sone,
spedis hym fast on his horse anon.
be that is berard redy in his bright wed,
spedithe hym smertly And sparithe no led:
throughe helme and hed smytithe hem bothe
that his brayn out brast ther in sothe.
the kinge was in swon þen full sone,
fell doun to the erthe at the last.
our knyght tok his sper, and on his shulder cast,
the horse and the baner he brought blyf,
And stondithe ther he stod with-out wem alif,
Kastor of callern for to preue his strenght,
on his sted is still with a sper in lenght;
on a comly coat coueryd full sought,
of blak dragons blod was the ble wrought:
thre garlondis of gold that gome beris,
bothe croun and crest on his hed ys,
As all the feld wer fyer, yt semyd by the son.
he wenythe that eche man wer ferd of hym,
bothe man and horse that he on bent found.
but Roger, the old Erle, sone out throng,
And met hym myghtely amydis the place,
that alto-scheuered the scheld that he hase,
throughe the hawberk and the hert bothe.
the horse bak brak, & fell doun in sothe,
then neuer stirrid horse ne man.
but ther was gret cry among hem than:
As they wold out of wit, they wept þat tid.
our knyght com agayn with Ioy & prid,
heuyn king they thankid and hovon to-geder.
siche care had colkard for castor his broder,
he will out of his wit but he awrek hym myght.
he went to the feld þen full right,
bad a knyght cum and kithe his strenght.
then glidis furthe geliuer with sper in lenght.
then euery of them brest vpon other,
that þer stedes stakered right euyn þer.
when they had so don, swerdis out they hent,
gaue many a wound and many a sore dent.
so greuyd is giliuer then in his hert,
his hand he heuyd on hight, and smot smert,
his shulder smot he quyt asundur,
rent out the rigbon, it was no wondur.
but or he went away, sothe to sayn,
ther com other folkis full myghty of mayn;
they wend to a-feld the frenche bedene.
Roulond rod furthe, he wold not rest, I wene;
he sawe wher a sairsyn seche hym wold,
kinge was of criklond, crounyd with gold.
In he ridithe full fast hym againste;
he smot throughe sheld and man almost,
that man and horse on the hethe fell.
then he nemythe “mon Ioy!” full still,
he drawithe out his swerd, and swappithe hym about.
helmes And hedes he hewithe of stout,
he hewithe doun hethyn men full many.
ther ys no man Alyf may [say] sothly
that euer eny man sley so many.
many one he fellid to his foot as he went.
the soudan son, margaris, he gaue A dent,
And olyuer he smot then verament;
he brek the scheld and the bord Ryves;
of the hethyn hound no harm he reches,
Olyuer in that hete hyethe hym fast,
And bar hym throughe the bak at the last:
bothe man and horse he fellid to the ground.
he ridis to Roulond, his broder, that stound.
he strikis fulle sternly strokis full many,
And he criethe to the cristyn, “be manly!”
they went to sadly, And set þer dyntis
In the worship of hym that fedithe seintis.
then they to-gedur with a sad will,
Schaftis scheuered, and scheldis did spille, [OMITTED]
riche thingis to-rof, rest they ne wold,
hewen helmes, and cleve scheldis, þat stound.
stedes in that stound strechid to ground.
so herd hurtlinge in ost men herd neuer:
so stronge was that stour they fought euer.
It lastid so longe that lothed þem sertayn,
men wer wery, wepons to-breston:
bonys y-brok and bernys I-sweld;
the hethin in that host happid euylle.
be that it was prym, the prese wex ille;
ther was of xij kingis, but ij alyf,
yet woundid they wer, vnnythe they lif:
they wer sory that euer cristyn shuld abid.
Roulond put vp his helm that tid,
he se wher a rout of knyghtis cum full bold,
x hundrethe hethen men hid hem wold.
then he tok his sted, and met them sone.
Aftur followid olyuer and other many one,
bad hem smertly turne, and tak siche dole,
what-euer by-tid, to lern play of scole.
they drewe out swerdis, and bete the hethyn,
riche helmes to-Rof, and basenetis brestyn.
the men that Roulond slowghe, who so right tellis,
It is wondir ther-of, sothe to mellis;
or els of sir olyuer, in eny manys tym
was neuer so many slayne by o manys syne.
when he had spend his spere, & sparythe nought,
but laid on whils the lyf last mought;
and aftur tok An hauchler, and hewid fast,
whom he raught in the rout, his lif last.
be that neghed ner none in the dais space,
ther was no man left in þat place;
sairsyn vnder the son, þat no man se myght
eny wepyn weld to strik aright,
nor stir of the place þer þat they layn.
Roulond criethe, “Mont Ioy,” sothe to sayn.
they sek hym on euery sid, & com hym agayn.
by all men wer sought, I tell you sertayn;
ther wantid no man nought that they wit myght.
“lordingis,” said Roulond, “listynythe aright:
we haue the formest feld to the ground,
And yet is our host bothe hole & sound,
and no man lost that we brought to place:
we ought to worshippe god myche of his grace.”

Then callithe Furthe turpyn, & tellithe son:
“this lord that we serue, louythe his own,
that so few of his fellid so many.”
euery man tok of his helme & lukyd on hie,
lift vp ther hondis and thankid crist,
that he sauf and sound defend hem hase.
still they stond in that sted, and hove:
Roulond laid hym doun ther to prove.
he se an A bank sprad and baners many,
thoughe Almayn, fraunce, and englond to say,
burgayn, bretaigne, wer þer atonys,
ther had bene folk to few to fight hem agaynes,
but crist had it said that they sped shuld.
thus them newid on eche sid bold.
All the cursed men to mahoun criene,
ledes them on the lond, hold to-gedur seyne,
set them in scheltron, chid they nold.
oure cristyn men the hethyne behold,
to the lord in trone they tok þer soulis,
and sithe they begyn with manly dyntis.
As element and erthe to-gedur shuld flintis
bothe wind, water, fyere, and wod[OMITTED]
so doilfulle dyn drof in the valis
myght no man þer her that grisly voce.
kene knyghtis cry and crossen helmes,
stif stedes in stour, out flow the stemes
that all the medow and more myrkid about
they preissid, and throng, And thrusten out,
that many A grymly died on the playn.
sithe god spek with mouthe on the montaigne,
And taught moyses his men to preche,
In so litill whille was neuer mo marrid, I you teche,
As wer drof to dethe as the dais end,
not in the battaille of troy, who so will trouthe find.
but while our folk fought to-gedur,
ther fell in Fraunce A straung wedur.
A gret derk myst in the myd-day-tym,
thik, and clowdy, and euyll wedur thene,
and thiknes of sterris and thonder light:
the erthe dynnyd doillfully to wet;
Foulis fled for fere, it was gret wonder:
bowes of trees þen brestyn asonder:
best ran to bankis And cried full sore,
they durst not abid in the mor:
ther was no man but he hid his hed,
And thought not but to dy in þat sted.
the wekid wedur lastid full long,
from the mornyng to the euynsong:
then Rose a clowd euyn in the west,
as red as blod, with-outon rest;
It shewid doun on the erthe & þer did shyn,
so many doughty men as died þat tym.
our men in bataile fought full sor,
they sparid no man yf þey wondid wor.
ther was many A bold man bet to dethe,
And many A noble sted ran in the hethe.
hethen men lay doun on hepes, I trow,
And cristyn men Amonge, mo þen enow.
All the feld was with blod ouer roun,
men lay þer-in as þey had swom.
It was wondir to se, the sothe to tell,
hou many folk wer ther fell.
many A bold man curssid the stound
þat euer the day dawid, so they wer wound.
the kinge magalyn, A man full stout,
se so many hethyn Feld hym about,
he went furthe anon in that tid,
rod vp to An hille a litill be-sid
ther the soudan and his men did be-hold:
And cried to hym, that he cum shold
with all his men, and help hem þer:
“And yf ye bid long, ye lese the mor,
for they be so fell, they sley our men;
the fals cristyn folk haue the beter then,
ther may no man stond hem agayn:
helme ne haw berk, sothe to sayn;
they smyt throughe our harnes & men,
they brese hem sore, and brest hem with-In:
I may shew you my sheld with-outon nay,
And I haue sore woundis, sothe for to say.
but thou help son, I the will tell,
shall thou neuer led sairsyn to saragos þe suele.”
the soudan was sory, And said thes wordis:
“we haue hold here to long our lordis;
And they of Fraunce thus our men quell,
then shall we dye, and our lond sell.
we must set our men in iiij partis,
set them on the frenche with casting of dartis.
when one hathe schot in that stound,
then shall anoþer cum euyn at his hond.
ther kingis this day shall wary the tyme
At euer his knyghtis agaynst vs bene.
but or Roulond be tak, euyll shall vs tid,
And many A man slayn with woundis wid,
but we manly set them vpon,
hew them manly, & brek euery bone:
and he þat berithe hym best, hathe my loue won.
And I haue my lif, and cum agayn to toun,
here is no knave but I will mak hym knyght,
And he geue good strokis And preue hym wight.
let euery man be manly at this tyme:
If we haue the mastry, myche shall ye wyn,
All the welthe of this world lithe on our hond.”
the soudan on mahoun then cried that stound,
bad blowe bemes, & go furthe rightis.
when bemes wer blowen, þen rod furthe knyghtis,
they bere furthe baners wondirly many,
And trumpetis and taberers, sothe to say.
he that had neuer siche thing seyne,
myght a had mervelle in sertayn.
then sadly and sore fought they all,
many was the man did to ground fall.
a thoussand for xxx sone ded wer,
And many a good swerd broken ther:
And many a bow that wold not brek
was shot that day, sothe as I spek;
till the thikkest thronge thyn wexen,
was ther neuer man so manly foughton!
euery man fought enought that stound.
A proud sairssyn son was found,
that had geue gwynylon giftis full riche,
hes helme sett with gold & stonys fiche,
And when he thought our men to quell—
bradmond he hight, a man right fell—
As egre as A lion, with Ingler he met,
with a scherp sper rann throughe his hert,
that the horse ne the man help myght nought.
Roulond be-held, and ruthe hym thought:
lowd then he cried, the knyghtis myght here:
“luk! yonder dyethe a duk þat doughty was euer,
and the best in fraunce in euery ned;
I shall hym sone awrek, yf god me sped,
Or els yn my hert be I neuer light!”
then said olyuer, the most hend knyght:
“broder, leue thy wille and bid awhile,
he shall be brought doun, sothly I the tell.”
hastely he lift his hand and gaue hym a dynt:
throughe helme and hede the strok went,
his sted þat tym went to Anoþer.
bothe croun and cors he smot asonder.
then met he mo, and “mon Ioy!” he cries;
thoughe he had no help, about he leys.
dalabern of valern then cum wold,
he was crounyd with riche gold:
Ierusalem he had won with a gyn,
he put the patriark to dethe then.
he gaue vnto sampson a sor dent,
that doun dredfully ded he went.
roulond rod to that king & smot hym sor,
with his good brond smot hym asonder,
And his horse hew then in pecis.
“criste kep vs cristyn that bene here,
to serue your soper with seintis dere!”
then com A sayrson to hym sone,
that Auffrik aftur his fadir nom.
that man and horse was so riche
that all shone hym vpon truliche
Amys of almayn then he met,
And strok hym to dethe with-out eny let.
turpyn turnyd hym, and met hym agayn,
sat sadly in his sadill, sothe for to sayn:
man and horse doun he laid,
from the croun to the brest: “lyþer!” he said.
hym he curssed, and rod furthe still,
And bad the fleyng fend feche hym to helle.
then went cadwen, & greuyd full sor,
the kingis son of capron, & met hym thor.
was neuer faucon fayn [OMITTED]
then this prince was fo [OMITTED]
he threst doun cristyn with [OMITTED]
And many men [OMITTED]
berenger and g[OMITTED] went[OMITTED]
And the erle amyse with [OMITTED]
and mo of our cristyn as [I tell] can.
but Roulond is manly & rod furthe þan,
was neuer lione mor light of hert.
his bright brond he hent, & furthe stert
till he com hym to, and then he strikis:
throughe the peyssant the prince prekis,
he rent hym vnredly euyn to the sadill:
on ether sid of his horse doun did he wadill.
then he prekis in the pres all þat þer wer,
he bet and slew that about hym did ster.
he smet to A sairssine then eft sonys,
throughe rigge and ribe, & rent þer honys:
ther they wer thikist, asunder they threst.
then was the soudan woo in his hert
that so many of his men wer slayn hym about.
the cristyn men wer strong & stout;
whos the feld was, none myght know;
was ther neuer beter men slayn, I trow.
horse ran in blod a-boue the hovf herd.
then the soudan cried schill for ferd,—
Four battelles bold about hym were—
bad hem sett on to aveng hym ther.
“the frenche,” quod the soudan, “dare vs quelle.
I shall abid here, the sothe for to tell;
If eny ned be, I will cum you to.
And ye haue the wers, on will I go.
luk well to my baner that ye it ken,
and then I shall my-selue [come] yf ned bene.
And or I fle a foot for ther dintis
[OMITTED] with swerd eggis.
[OMITTED] [t]hey gone
[OMITTED] they tok vpon
[OMITTED] ell [OMITTED]
[OMITTED] let [OMITTED] gedur wyn
[OMITTED] [m]any bryght
[OMITTED] died þer right
[OMITTED] y swerdis smot hedis atwyn
[many] lost ther hedis aboue þer chyn,
many ribbes rent, and many rigbone,
And many fadirles child ther was at hom.
but or this dredfull day was drif to nyght,
ther was slayn many a doughty knyght.
crist holp the cristyn then in all the hast! [OMITTED]
Roulond ridithe his men all about,
he bettes and sleeis sairsyns full stout,
drof hem into A daile—tarryed they not long,—
ther he houyd a whill with his host strong, [OMITTED]
vnfought and freche, hym ther about,
As freche to fight as foulis stout.
when Roulond se hem, he greuyd sor
he had but few men, allas þer-for!
the lest part of men þer had he,
And þey wer woundid, it is mor pete.
he praid hem rest, and hour þer stille:
“herkenyt now, rist here vnto they cum vs till.
yonder is a gret host and a compony
As euer cristyne man se with his eye;
and we ar but few, and hathe fought long,
our horse wery, And we not strong.
I red we send a man to feche our lord;
say we be sore hurt, and socour we wold.
but if he cum and help vs Anon,
our lyues be lost, and the lond gone.”
then answerd olyuer with a ruffull steuyn,
Angry in hert thus gan he nevyn:
“broder, let be all siche sawes!