I’d not have crossed the threshold of this door,
Nor slipped or slept inside this bed at all
If I had not been summoned here and sought
To do the things the Queen had asked me for,
Not just tonight, but many nights before!”
The dwarf replied the way that he’d been taught
By vile Macaire, that evil-scheming lord –
God damn his soul, Who judges each and all!
360 The Emperor, before his liegemen, swore
To burn the Queen upon a pyre of thorns.
In her defence the Queen could utter naught –
She hung her head in shame and self-remorse:
“Alas,” she wailed, “that I was ever born!”
9. How Blancheflor was arrested
WHEN BLANCHEFLOR saw everyone inside,
And Charles himself so woebegone and wild,
With Lord Macaire beside him, hard as iron
In his resolve to make the King decide
That nothing else but death would suit the crime,
370 She let herself be carried by a tide
Of cruel hands, and privately confined
Inside a cell, as was the dwarf alike.
The news of Blancheflor spread like a fire
Through Paris streets among the low and high,
And everyone deplored her sorry plight,
For she was fair and sensible and kind:
She’d helped the poor and needy many times,
She’d soothed the woes of many landless knights,
And given clothes to clad their needy wives.
380 Each one of those prayed fervently to Christ
That He would spare so good a one the vile
And awful death of being burnt alive.
The King himself was sorry for the wife
He’d truly loved with all his heart and mind.
But the reproach and taunts he feared would fly
From everywhere if she were spared her life,
Convinced the King that she would have to die.
And Lord Macaire, with all his kith and kind,
Was always there to fan the flames of strife,
390 And stoke the fire of Blancheflor’s demise.
He urged the King to bring the Queen to trial
And punish her the way the law required:
“Be sure,” he swore, “if you are slow to strike,
Your countrymen will think your honour slight.
Both strong and weak will hold you in despite.”
10. How Macaire accused Blancheflor
WHEN CHARLEMAGNE heard every baron railing
Against the Queen – above the rest the hateful
And wretched geste of Ganelon the traitor,
Who sought her death with no alleviation –
400 He wept for her, and so did worthy Naimon.
But when he saw no compromise was able
To please one man and not offend his neighbour,
He told them all the Queen would face arraignment.
The Emperor did as he should, by naming
As judges men of rank and reputation:
And most were fair, like Richier and Naimon,
But some were there, like Lord Macaire, through favours.
May God above, Who suffered so to save us,
Confound the man and all the clan of Mayence,
410 Whose days on earth were spent in wreaking chaos!
They all arrived to judge the Queen’s behaviour.
The vile Macaire spoke naught but defamation
Against the Queen, so fair of deed and gracious.
He said to Charles: “My logic tells me plainly
That everyone who loves you now will blame you
If you delay the punishment dictated!
If you should heed the pleading of Duke Naimon,
There’s nobody in France who won’t disdain you!
In every street each vagabond and vagrant
420 Will twitter songs that ridicule and shame you!”
On hearing this, old Naimon almost fainted:
His body lurched as sorrow overcame him.
But then he spoke, to vent his indignation:
“My noble lord, attend to me!” he quavered.
“May God above, Who suffered so to save us,
Send me to Hell if what I say’s mistaken!
You seek advice – but there are those whose hatred
Towards the Queen will doggedly persuade you
To pay no heed to anything I’m saying.
430 They want her death – their grudge is such a great one–
And give no thought to her noblesse and station.
If they could think more thoroughly how gravely
Their grudge might end, perhaps they’d be less hasty
To urge this trial until they know the nature
Of the response her royal father favours.
If we can prove that truly she’s betrayed you,
Then she should die; but what if proof should fail us
Or prove us wrong? We must reprieve my Lady.”
11. How Naimon spoke
“FINE EMPEROR,” said Naimon, “do not heed
440 The words of one who speaks in anger’s heat
And cannot know the storm he may release!
For Blancheflor, your lovely wife and Queen
Is daughter of a mighty king indeed –
Constantinople’s lord he is, and liege
Of many lands around the Eastern seas,
And many men to muster in his need!
When news of this is carried and he hears
The shameful fate his daughter has received,
His love for you will turn to hate; and he
450 Can harm you, Sire, and cause our kingdom grief!
I say again, the Queen should be reprieved
Till word from you can reach her father’s ears,
And he’s aware of what has happened here.
He cannot then reproach the judgement reached.”
With this the King was ready to agree
Most happily, when Lord Macaire the fiend
Sprang up at once to challenge Naimon’s speech:
“Fine Emperor, my lord,” he intervened,
“How can you heed such counsel? It appears
460 To come from one who holds your honour cheap!
Why else would he advise you to reprieve
A criminal of crime that is so clear
To everyone except himself, it seems?
If any man denies what we have seen,
I challenge him to arm and fight with me!”
When this was heard by all the men convened
To counsel Charles, there wasn’t one of these
Who dared defy Macaire in word or deed:
And so, when none replied or tried to speak,
470 The King could see no other way to deal
With this except to prosecute the Queen.
When Naimon saw Macaire’s resolve succeed,
He spurned the group and turned his back, aggrieved.
He held his tongue, but as he made to leave
The voice of Charles forbade him to proceed.
12. How Charlemagne spoke
WHEN NAIMON HEARD King Charlemagne’s decision,
He felt at once the madness that was in it,
Yet knew as well the folly of resisting.
He turned to leave, but Charlemagne insisted
480 That he should stay, then tenderly petitioned
Him not to spurn or scorn Macaire’s position,
But to
remain and see how things would finish.
Macaire, of course, whose fiery rage was kindled
Against the Queen – who never once was wicked,
But had refused to do as he had bidden –
As soon as Charles had shown that he had given
The rogue his wish to have the Queen committed,
He hustled forth her sad and silk-clad figure.
On seeing her, the King was filled with pity
490 And wept aloud, as all his barons witnessed.
13. How Blancheflor spoke
BEFORE THE KING the Queen was hustled forth,
Arrayed in silk with rowels richly wrought.
Her face, as fair as summer’s rose, was fraught
And frail with woe, its pallid features drawn.
As she appeared, her husband’s tears were sore,
And, seeing this, she raised her lovely voice:
“You do me wrong! How could you think me false?
Whoever’s lies have led you on, my lord,
And set your eyes upon this wicked course,
500 Cares not at all what havoc may be caused!
Lord God above, Who sees and judges all,
Knows very well I’ve never played you false
In word or deed, in feeling or in thought.”
The King replied: “And I know what I saw!
In mortal sin tonight you have been caught
So clearly that your protests count for naught.
My lady, think to save your soul henceforth:
Your mortal days are done, your end assured:
The fire awaits all traitors to their lord.”
510 “You do me wrong,” cried Blancheflor once more.
Macaire spoke up: “My lord, your honour stalls
Each moment that you hinder it with talk!”
Old Naimon’s head shook slowly with remorse:
“How dearly paid,” he said with lowered voice,
“This judgement made will prove for us henceforth!
Alas the day, I say, that ever brought
This wicked clan of Ganelon’s to court!”
14. How Charles lamented
THE EMPEROR who governed France the sweet
Was sad at heart for Blancheflor the Queen,
520 Whom he had loved with all his heart indeed.
But by the law he couldn’t but proceed
To implement the punishment decreed,
However he or anyone might feel.
And so he asked his chamberlain to lead
The Lady forth, for everyone to see
Her dressed in black and bound as one who meets
The bitter fate of traitors to their liege.
Upon the square before the hall they heaped
A pyre of wood with brambles in between
530 That, lit, became a spitting spire of heat.
Throughout the town of Paris, west to east,
Like fire itself the news of this increased
Until there was no lady worth the least,
No mounted knight or merchant on the street,
No man at all, who didn’t come to see.
And everyone began to shed a tear
When Blancheflor was hustled forth to reach
The palace-square and face the fiery heat.
At sight of it, she fell upon her knees,
540 Exhorting God, Who governs all and each,
To not forget the wrong committed here
On her – who’d done no wrong, not in the least –
And to avenge her death with every speed,
So high and low should know the truth, and weep!
My lords, and you, good people, lend an ear
To what Macaire did next, the evil fiend:
He came right up towards the pyre and seized
The cunning dwarf, uplifting him with ease,
While roaring forth this question in his ears:
550 “Now, little squeak, speak out to far and near:
At any time, have you lain with the Queen?”
“Indeed,” he cried, “a hundred times I’ve been
With Blancheflor, in bed or where she pleased.”
At once Macaire hurled forth the little sneak
Upon the fire before them all and screamed:
“You dare to boast of shaming Charles, you beast?!”
The midget begged, the traitor spurned his pleas
And burned the dwarf to prove he loved his liege –
Although, in truth he acted thus to seal
560 The midget’s lips from telling of his scheme.
When high and low observed the sudden deed
They praised the Lord for such a show of zeal.
The Queen looked on, her face a mask of grief.
She wrung her hands and with a wail beseeched
Almighty God, the Lord of all, to teach
Her soul His will and pardon it with peace.
15. How Charles addressed Blancheflor
THE QUEEN WAS LED to Charlemagne directly.
She stood in tears, her face a mask of terror,
And prayed to God, the Lord of Earth and Heaven,
570 To take her soul and teach it to be better
And fitting for the glory of His presence.
Then, facing Charles, she lovingly addressed him:
“My noble lord, for Jesu’s sake, I beg you:
Bring forth a priest – a good and wise confessor
To hear my sins and help my soul’s redemption.”
The King replied: “With willing heart and ready.”
So, weep or not, the Abbot was requested
At once from Saint-Denis – the best of prelates.
16. How the Abbot of Saint-Denis spoke
KING CHARLEMAGNE was just to all and each.
580 The Abbot came at once from Saint-Denis
At his command, and stood before the Queen.
“Do you desire to make confession here?”
He asked of her, and she replied: “Indeed.”
She fell at once before him on her knees,
And then confessed each sinful act and speech
She could recall committing through the years,
Omitting none, the largest to the least.
When this was done, she also told the priest
That in her womb there lay a child conceived
590 Of Charlemagne, her husband and her liege.
The Abbot, who was good and wise, beseeched
Her then to tell, as well, and not conceal,
The sinful act whose fact had been agreed.
The Queen replied: “You’ll hear the truth indeed:
May I be damned if I should use deceit!
Indeed, my lord, there is more to reveal!
When I had gone, one day, to take my ease
Within a grove, a devil did tempt me –
His name Macaire! That day the evil fiend
600 Began to speak a lover’s words and seek
Such things from me against all honour’s creed.
But I refused so firmly and made clear
With my rebuke and anger that if he
Should ever speak that way again to me,
I would report his name to Charles my liege.
But do you know the web he chose to weave?
He sent the dwarf to ply me with the speech
He would have tried himself, and had indeed.
But I repulsed his spider with such speed
610 It banged its head and bled in bed a week!
So then Macaire devised another scheme
That used the dwarf, whom one night he con
cealed
Inside the room where I was fast asleep.
When Matins rang and Charles made haste to leave
Our bed, the dwarf instead stole in unseen!
When Charles returned he found him next to me.
When I awoke I couldn’t speak for fear
At seeing Charles before me with his Peers!
Without a trial they’ve seized and dragged me here
620 To die by fire for what they thought to see –
Whereof, I swear, I’m charged most wrongfully.
I swear to God I’ve spoken truthfully.
For pity’s sake, lord Abbot, I beseech
Your mercy on the sins I’ve done indeed,
But not for this, of which my soul is free.”
The Abbot heard and paid her manner heed –
The way she spoke, her honest face and mien
Before the fate they’d judged her to receive –
And knew at once each word was true and real.
630 A learned man, of sense and judgment deep,
He told the Queen, at once, to dry her tears,
And blessed her, as she started to repeat
The list of sins whose pardon she did seek.
When this was done the Abbot took his leave
Of Blancheflor and headed for her liege,
With firm intent to speak up for the Queen.
17. How the Abbot addressed the King
A LEARNED MAN, of judgement and of sense,
The Abbot knew, from what the Queen confessed,
And from her mien, that she was innocent
640 Of any sin whose act could warrant death.
He took his leave and went at once instead
To see the King and meet his closest friends –
Duke Naimon, whom he held in great respect,
And Ogier, so praised for his prowess.
To counsel Charles he summoned other men
He knew were born of good and noble geste –
Not one of them was of the clan Mayence.
“You know it’s true, my lords,” the Abbot said,
“That when a man or woman nears their end
650 They do not hide the sinful lives they’ve led,
But cleanse their breast of every breath misspent.
Now I’ve just heard our noble Queen confess
Her sins in life most truly and at length.
From every word and way they were expressed
I’m sure we’ve laid a crime upon her head
She never did or ever would intend.
There’s something more that speaks in her defence:
Inside her womb the seed of Charles has bred!
And so, my lords, be very careful, lest
660 In killing her our guilt should be no less
Heroines of the French Epic Page 37
