Heroines of the French Epic
Page 22
He seized a mighty mace that hung against its saddle.
Then Achart and Hondré, a pair of daring clansmen,
The sons of Lord Macaire, or so the record has it,
Came rushing to his aid with thirty of their landsmen.
Without the least delay they would have stopped the battle
By slaying Garnier – if God had let it happen.
640 But Charlemagne’s guard, a hundred men he’d gathered
To oversee the duel, were swift in their reaction,
And, rushing up as one, they faced the fierce assassins.
The clamour grew, and soon the rival groups were clashing –
But not for long – the few were overrun and vanquished:
Some twenty-two were lost the moment that it happened,
The other eight were tossed inside a cell and shackled.
King Charlemagne swore upon his white moustaches
That he’d not drink a drop of spicy wine or claret
Till justice had been done and punishment exacted.
650 Upon the field of fight, the rival knights still battled.
SIR AUBOIN stood firm, the brother of Milōn,
The cousin of Macaire and kin to Ganelon
Whose wicked treason, wrought at Roncevaux, had cost
The lives of Charles’s Peers and fearless Roland’s loss.
The villain held a mace of copper, brass and bronze,
Which he had brought and hung along his saddle’s cloth.
He swung it up and struck the son of Lord Doon
So fierce a blow upon his shiny helmet’s top
That Garnier was stunned, so much so that he rocked
660 To ground upon one knee, the pounding was so strong.
Had Auboin struck next, our hero would have lost.
But gallantly he rose, as swiftly as he’d dropped,
And with a lurch he swung his rival’s blade aloft
And struck him with the strength of all his temper’s wrath:
My lords, it was the will of our Almighty God
That with this very blow Sir Garnier smote off
The hand that held the mace – and proved Auboin wrong.
The villain fell to ground and fainted on the spot.
This blow, as you might know, gave Aye of Avignon
670 More joy than all the gold of royal Aragon!
Sir Auboin was down, his hand and weapon gone,
And when his swoon had passed his mood was sad and soft:
“No need for any more, fine son of Lord Doon,”
He said. “I will confess the treason and the plot
I planned for you to feel the wrath of Charles’s rod.
Bring Charlemagne here, our mighty King of Laon.”
The marshals there replied: “And so we will, by God!”
Thus Charlemagne came, and with him Duke Naimon,
And many barons too and knights of noble stock.
680 With ringing voice the King addressed Sir Auboin:
”Confess the treason, wretch, and reason that could prompt
Your wish to make me hate the son of Lord Doon!”
“My lord,” the wretch replied, “without a lie, by God,
I’ll tell you why I laid the charge of treason on
Sir Garnier and claimed it was his plan ere long
To murder you by sword or poison’s deadly shock.
I thought that if we fought to prove the right and wrong,
I’d win the fight and right to Aye of Avignon,
Whose husband should have been my brother Miles the strong:
690 His claim to her is true – as true as it is long:
You promised him her hand, my lord, in days bygone,
And promises, once made, remain a bidden bond.
My brother has been true and loyal all along,
And never put his mind to any kind of wrong.
Whatever I have done, he’s had no knowledge of.
The ones who urged me on, Achart and Hendrion,
Are in your dungeon now, held under key and lock.
I’ve lost my ear and hand because they urged me on.
And you will also bear some blame in this anon
700 If you don’t punish them, as France’s law allots.
No word of this is said to pardon me one jot,
Or barter for my soul before Almighty God:
If I should go to Hell, then there will be a mob
Of my beloved clan to greet me on the spot!
For I am sure to see my uncle Ganelon,
With Pinabel and Gui, my kinsmen of Sorence.
The cells of hell will swell with all of us in stock!
But I do free of guilt Sir Miles, my brother fond.
My brother had no part, I pledge, in any plot.
710 This pledge at least, I hope, may favour me somewhat.
The men you hold in jail have brought this evil on –
Although I played my part and won’t say I did not.”
“Arrest the rogue!” said Charles, “And bring out from the stocks
Inside our palace jail the other eight we’ve got
Who blemished Garnier with wicked treason’s blot
And wanted him to die! I think it right they swap
That fate with him and die the way of traitorous dogs!
Take every one of them to hang at Montfaucon!
Upon my father’s soul, whose life with valour shone,
720 I swear I shall not eat of meat or fish hereon
Until each one of them has tasted treason’s crop!”
The marshals there replied: “We’ll serve them right, by God!”
THE KING of France continued: “It’s only right, my lords,
For treachery to suffer the punishment it ought.
Sir Auboin’s admitted before you, one and all,
That what he did was plotted and planted in his thoughts
By those we hold in prison: by God Who made our laws,
I want you all to witness: these men shall be destroyed,
With Auboin, for surely he shares the evil wrought.
730 But, as you’ve heard him tell us, Sir Miles was not at fault.
His brother has absolved him of any blame, therefore
His name should not be slighted or blighted at our courts.”
“My lords,” his barons answered, “the choice is surely yours.”
When this was said the traitors inside the jail were brought
To watch as their co-plotter was slaughtered with his sword.
Then, one by one, the others received their fair reward:
To Montfaucon they led them, where each was hung and drawn.
Sir Miles, their evil kinsman, filled up with Mansel coins
A cart, and sent it swiftly to Charlemagne’s door.
740 The King received the present – and yet, my friends, before
The month was out, I tell you, that gift was dearly bought
By him and by the bridegroom, Sir Garnier of Nanteuil.
This story is a good one – you must agree, my lords!
You’ll never hear a better, of that you can be sure!
2. How Lady Aye was harried
KING CHARLEMAGNE welcomed the tribute that arrived
From Miles– who was a villain, the same as all his tribe!
The tribute that he sent him was Mansel coin, in piles –
But dearly was it purchased, by Charles and Aye alike:
Attend me, I implore you, and hear the reason why!
750 The King of France decided to welcome back Sir Miles
By sending forth an envoy, who voiced the King’s desire
> To see him in his palace and speak with him a while.
Sir Miles obeyed the summons, not daring to defy,
And Charlemagne met him the moment he arrived.
He said, so all could hear him inside the palace high:
“Sir Miles, I do acknowledge and know without a lie
That in your clan and household are many wealthy knights.
You also are the ruler of lands that can supply
Some fifteen thousand fighters if ever they’re required.
760 Your loyalty’s unquestioned, says every knight of mine,
And I myself am certain that in this recent trial
Of treachery and treason that’s cost so many lives
You played no part whatever, and never shared the crime.
I’ll not reveal who told me – for you it must suffice
That know I do, and ask you to not be angered by
The fact that he who told me has answered with his life.
There’s not a man around us or in the land whom I
Shall pardon, should he blame you or speak of you with spite.
But, as your King, I bid you, from this day on in time,
770 To be a friend forever of Garnier, the knight
Who holds Nanteuil as nephew and favourite of mine.
You’ll both be my advisers, with old Naimon the wise.
Before the whole assembly I promise this besides:
I’ll give you the first woman, no matter where she bides,
That you would like to marry and make your wedded wife –
Provided she’s a spinster – this royal pledge I plight.
I’ll give her to you gladly, on this you can rely.
Make Garnier your brother, and take another bride!”
“My lord, I’ll gladly do so,” the knavish knight replied,
780 And kissed Garnier in friendship before their monarch’s eyes.
But, as you’ll hear, good people, his friendship was a lie,
For later on this traitor took both his wife and life.
As soon as this was over, a messenger arrived
Before the royal palace and made his way inside.
He asked for Charlemagne who, when he was apprised,
Received the kneeling envoy and beckoned him to rise.
His message, worthy people, was such as would in time
Bring further tribulation to Garnier the knight
And Avignon’s first lady, the lovely Aye his wife:
790 Attend a little longer, and hear the reason why!
INSIDE HIS marble hall sat royal Charles the Great,
Who’d punished with his life Sir Auboin that day –
A deed that had enraged the clansmen of the knave.
Although they’d made their peace with gallant Garnier,
Their act was just a sham, inspired by cunning hate.
The envoy placed a scroll with every show of haste
In Charlemagne’s hand, who opened it and gave
The parchment to his clerk to read what it contained.
He said to Charlemagne: “My lord, this message states:
800 “Anseis of Cologne, the king of that domain,
Informs you that the Moors have ravaged his estates.
He asks you for support, in God our Saviour’s name,
Recalling to your mind the promise that you made:
You swore that if the Moors should trespass on his claim,
That you and France’s host would hurry to his aid.”
“That’s true enough,” said Charles, “upon my beard of grey!
Good envoy, listen well to what I have to say!
Return and tell your lord: before two weeks have waned
I’ll join him with a host whose valour is acclaimed,
810 Some sixty thousand men in battle’s full array.
Sir Garnier himself shall bear my Oriflamme,
And you, Sir Miles, I know, will swell our ranks again.”
The knave replied: “My lord, your will I will obey.”
The envoy went, and Charles sent others straightaway
To summon men, and soon some sixty thousand came.
At Charlemagne’s word they started on their way,
The Oriflamme consigned to good Sir Garnier.
Before he left he spoke to Avignon’s fair Aye:
“Return to Avignon, well guarded and in haste,
820 Whence Guinemer and Fulk, whose hearts are true and brave,
With Girart of Riviers, both true and wise the same,
Will take you to Nanteuil, so please you, noble Maid,
With thirty other knights in whom I’ve fullest faith.”
“My lord,” said Lady Aye, “your will I will obey.”
Then, shedding many tears, she watched him ride away.
The army moved in ranks that Charles himself arranged.
Sir Miles was at his side. But, hear me lords, that knave
Had planned with Aumagon and Sanson both, that they
Would take five hundred knights, their clansmen, and would wait
830 In ambush in a wood the people called Valprez!
There Aye would be attacked, and haling her away,
They’d put to sword the lords and soldiers in her train!
The villains had agreed and told Sir Miles the same:
“When you are in the land that Charles has planned to save,
Choose where and how your hand may slay Sir Garnier!
We’ll do our part. We’ll seize and keep the lovely Aye.
My lord, when you return to France from this campaign,
We’ll woo the King so well that, by the Virgin Maid,
Fair Aye shall be your wife before the summer fades!”
840 THE TREASONABLE DEED was thus agreed among them,
As Charlemagne took the road with those he’d summoned,
To aid King Anseis by whom Cologne was governed.
Proud Aumagon, meanwhile, with Sanson, took another,
With liegemen of their clan, in total some five hundred.
They reached the wood I’ve named and took their stealthy cover
Beside the path they knew that Aye would soon be coming.
The escort at her side was thirty five in number,
With Fulk and Guinemer and wise Girart among them.
They rode on unaware until all of a sudden
850 Five hundred men in arms surrounded them and struck them.
As you can guess, I’m sure, it proved a useless struggle
For thirty five, whose lives in gallant prime were sundered,
Save those of Guinemer, Girart and Fulk his cousin.
Fell Aumagon the wild would certainly have hung them,
Had Sanson not prevailed upon his reckless brother.
The Lady Aye was seized – so trim of limb and lovely
That Aumagon was filled with foul desire and lusted
To have his way with her, and would indeed have done so,
Had Sanson not prevailed – an act that later won him
860 Some pity from the King, as soon you will discover.
There was an escapee from this attack, a youngster
Who, as he fled – and bled from where a lance had cut him –
Reached Lorion, a fort defended by two brothers,
Sir Fouquerant the one, Sir Renier the other,
Of whom Sir Garnier of Nanteuil was the uncle.
On learning this, the youth revealed the truth and trouble
Concerning Aumagon and Sanson, who’d abducted
Fair Aye and brave Girart, whose visage shone with courage,
With Guinemer and Fulk, whose coffers had
been plundered:
870 “A score and ten we were, and armed with almost nothing,
For none of us foresaw their treachery and cunning.
They gave a mighty roar, then pouring in their hundreds,
Well armed and dressed in mail they flayed us in a flurry.
I am the only one who has escaped their clutches.
For God’s sake, noble knights, take all that you can muster
And rescue Lady Aye, so courtly and so comely,
The newly wedded wife of Garnier your uncle,
Who’s ridden off with Charles to save the lives of others!”
When Fouquerant heard this, and Renier, they hurried
880 To summon forth their men, who, when they heard the trumpet,
Bestrode their steeds of war, four thousand in their number.
To Lorion’s own wood they rode and took up cover
Along a route they knew those villains must be coming.
It’s often said, you know, and this confirms how justly,
That friendship’s bidden coin outshines all hidden money!
WHEN GARNIER’S two nephews, whose names have lived in song
As Fouquerant the gallant and Renier the strong,
Were told of the abduction of Aye of Avignon
By Sanson and his nephew, the hot-head Aumagon,
890 They called to arms their liegemen without a moment’s loss.
Four thousand in their number, together they rode off
Along the path that led to the woods of Lorion –
Where Aumagon and Sanson were shortly due to cross,
And they were set to rescue fair Aye of Avignon.
They hid until they spotted the rogues I’ve told you of,
Who rode along unmindful of their impending lot!
Then, in a flash, it happened: Renier and Fouquerant,
With Nivier’s Sir Archart and Thibaut Arquenchon,
(Sir Garnier’s own kinsmen, the son of Lord Doon,)
900 Rushed forward and confronted those mongrels and their mob.
With fiercely ringing voices they ordered them to stop:
“You feckless sons of harlots, your reckless days are gone!
You’ll rue the hour you sighted fair Aye of Avignon.”
On saying this, they charged them with all their temper’s wrath.
They spared no lead or iron as heavy blows were swapped
For Charles’s niece, the duchess and dame of Avignon.
“Dear God above in Heaven,” she cried aloud in shock,
“What men are these who’ve ambushed the clan of Ganelon?