Here begynneth the iij book, whyche conteyneth two partyes, by the chapytres folowyng declared'.
The fyrst partye of the thyrd book conteyneth xiiij chapytres, and speketh of the warres made in Spayne, and' of two meruayllous geauntes.
How Saynt Iames appyered' to Charles, and how, by the moyen and' the conduyte of the sterres, he went in to Galyce, & what cytees he subdued: ca. j

   Charles, the noble Emperour, after he had taken moche payne for to mayntene the name of God for tenhaunce the crysten fayth, and to brynge al the world in one trewe fayth and byleue, & that he had goten many contrees, he purposed neuer more to fyght ne to make bataylle, but to reste & lede forth a contemplatyf lyf, in thankyng his maker of þ^e grace that he had gyuen to hym in surmountyng hys enemyes. Neuertheles on a nyght it happed hym that he byhelde the heuen, & sawe a quantyte of sterres in ordre tendyng alle the nyght one waye and one path. And they began at the see of Fryselond in passyng bytwene Alemayn and Ytalye, bytwene Fraunce and Guyanne, And passed ryght the sayd sterres by Gascoyne, Bascle, Nauarre, and Espayne, whyche contrees he had by hys puyssaunce and contynuel payne conquerd and maad crysten. And after, the ende of the sayd sterres thus goyng in ordre, cam vnto Galyce, where-as the body of the holy appostle was, he nat knowyng the propre place. Euery nyght Charles byhelde the waye of the sayd sterres, and thought moche contynuelly what thys mygt be, & that it was not wythoute cause.
   In one nyght emonge the other that Charles thought on thys waye, a man appyered to hym in vysyon, whyche was so fayr, so playsaunte, and so synyng, that it was meruaylle; whyche sayd to hym: "what doost thou, my fayre sone?" Charles, beyng al rauysshed,¹ answerd: "who arte thou, fayr syr?" That other answerd: "I am Iames, the appostle of Ihesu Cryst, the sone of Zebedee, and propre broder of saynt Iohan the euangelyst, & am he whom God chaas to preche the crysten fayth and hys doctryne in the londe of Galyce and of Galylee, by hys holy grace, and he whom herode dyd put to deth by swerde; and my body abydeth emonge the Sarasyns, whyche haue entreated it vylaynsly, & lyeth in a place whyche is not knowen. But I merueylle that thou hast not conquerd my londe, Seen and consyderyd that thou hast conquerd so many regyones, townes, & cytees in the world. wherfore I do the to wete, that lyke as God hath chosen the, and made the superyor in worldly puyssaunce aboue al other kynges & worldly prynces, in lyke wyse emong al them that lyuen thou art chosen of God, after the conduyte of the sterres, to delyuer my londe fro the hande of the mescreaunt Sarasyns and enemyes of crystendom.
   And to thende that thou sholdest knowe in to what place thou sholdest goo, thou hast seen on the heuen the sterres by dyuyne magnyfycence. And for to obteyne the more Ioye & gretter glorye in heuen, by haultayn and grete puyssaunce, thou shalt  surmounte thyn enemyes, & in that same place thou shalt make and doo edefye a chyrche in my name, to the whiche shal come the crysten peple of al regyons, for to gete helthe & pardon of their synnes. After that thou shalt  haue vysited my sepulture, and haue made the waye sure, and ordeyned crysten men for to kepe and conserue the place, it shal be a memoyre perpetuell." Thus in thys maner appyered thre tymes saynt Iames to the emperour Charles. After these vysyons and certyfycacyons of God, he called and assembled hys subgettes, whome he dyd do put a grete multytude in good poynte, & after took hys waye & drewe toward the contre where the sterres had shewed the waye aforesayd, and came fyrst in to Spayne: and the fyrst cyte that was rebelle to hym was Panpylonne, whyche was ryght stronge of murayl and towres, & garnysshed wyth Sarasyns. and he abode tofore it thre monethes, or he coude fynde maner to confounde it. Thenne Charles knewe not what to do, but to praye God and saynt Iames, for whom he went, that in the vertu of hys name he myght take that cyte, and sayd in thys manere: "Fayr lord God, my maker, helpe me that am comen in to thys contree for to enhaunce the crysten fayth, for to establysshe and mayntene thyn holy name. And also thou holy saynt Iames, by the reuelacyon of whome I am in thys Iourneye, I requyre the that I may subdewe thys cytee, & entre therin, for to shewe the mysbyleuyng peple the cause of theyr errour, to thende that this begynnyng may the better determyne the ende of myn entencyon."
   Assone as Charles had fynysshed his oryson, the walles of the cyte, whyche were of marble merueillously strong, ouerthrew to the erthe,² & fyl alle in pyeces; and after, Charles and his hoost entred in to the cyte; & he that wold be baptysed & byleue in God wythoute fyctyon, was saued and put a-parte, and who sayd the contrarye, was forthwyth put to deth. Al the people of that contre, whan they knewe of these tydynges & meruayllous operacyons of this cyte, torned in to Ruyne at the symple postulacyon of Charles, without contradyctyon came and yelded them to the mercy of kyng Charles. And thus many were baptysed, and chyrches were ordeyned, and al the contreye reduced to certeyn trybute vnder the fydelyte of the emperour Charles, and brought theyr trybutes fro the cytees wyth-oute ony other gaynsayeng in sygne of seygnourye.

Of the cytees goten in Espayne by Charles, & how somme were by hym destroyed'. capitulo ij.

   After that Charles had the domynacyon quasi in al espayne, he came to the sepulture of Saynt Iames, where he dyd hys deuocyon, and made deuoutely hys prayers; & after came to a place in þ^e lond whych was so ferre, that he myght goo no ferther, and there fyxed & pyght hys spere, and that place was called Petronium; & thanked God and saynt Iames, that by theyr suffraunce he was comen so ferre wythoute ony contradyctyon surely vnto suche place that he myght passe no ferther. And in that londe who that wold byleue in God, tharchebysshop Turpyn baptysed them; & who that wold not, he was slayn, or put in pryson. And after Charles wente from one see to that other, and thenne he gate in Galyce xiij cytees, emonge whome compostelle was thenne the leste. In Espayne he had xvj grete townes & stronge, emonge whome was onsea, in which were wont to be x stronge toures, & a toun named Petrosse, in whyche was made the fynest syluer that had thenne cours. Also another cyte named Attentyua, where as the body of saynt Torquete rested, whyche was dyscyple of saynt Iames, and there vpon the sepulture was an olyue tree, whyche dyd florysshe & bere rype fruyt a certayn day of may euery yere withoute fayllyng.
   Alle the contreye of Spayne that tyme was subgette to Charles, That is to wete, the londe of Alandaluf, the londe of Perdoures, the londe of Castellans, the londe of Maures, The londe of Portyngale, the londe of Sarasyns, the londe of Nauarre, the londe of Alemans, The londe of Byscoys, the londe of Bascles, the londe of Palargyens, and somme of theyr cytees taken by warre, subtyl and mortal, And somme wythoute warre. he coude not wynne the grete towne of Lucerne, tyl at the laste he layed syege tofore it by the space of foure monethes. and it stode in a grene valeye. And after, whan he saw that they wold not yelde them, & that he coude not wynne them, he made hys prayer vnto God, and to saynt Iames, that he myght be vyctorious, seen that he had nomore to termyne in that contreye, but that cyte onely. hys oryson was herde, soo that the walles fyl doun to the erthe, and was put to destructyon in suche wyse, þat neuer man dwelled therin after, and after it sanke, and therin was an abysme or swolowe of water, In whyche were founden after, fysshes alle blacke. Emonge the other cytees that he took, there were iiij that dyd hym moche payne, or he myght gete them, & therfore he gaf them the maladyctyon of God, and they were cursed, in suche wyse that vnto thys day there is in them none habytacion; & the sayd cytees been named Lucerne, Ventose, Caperce, & Adame.

Of the grete ydole that was in a cyte, whyche coude not be smyton doun, and of the condycyons and' sygnes therof: ca. iij

   Whan Charles had doon in Spayne & other places, wyth the Inhabytauntes of it at hys wylle, Alle thydolles and other symylacres that he fonde, he dyd do destroye and put to confusyon. But in the londe of Alandaluf, in a cyte called Salancadys, in Arabyque, was the place of a grete god, as the Sarasyns sayd. That ydolle was made of the honde of Machommete in the tyme that he lyued, & was named Mahommet in thonour of hym: and by arte magyke and dyabolyke he closed therin a legyon of deuylles, for to kepe it and make sygnes for to abuse the peple. and thys ydolle was kepte so by deuylles, that noo persone lyuyng coude by strengthe destroye it, ne put it doun. In suche wyse that yf ony crysten man came nyghe for to see it, or to coniure it, or to destroye, Assone as he began to coniure and preche, anon he was perysshed & destroyed. And the Sarasyns that came for to preche, adoure, make sacrefyse, or doo obeyssaunce therto, were wythout peryl; and yf by aduenture, a byrde fleyng came & rested vpon it, Incontynent it was deed. The stone vpon whyche thydolle was sette was meruayllously made. It was a stone of the see, wrought of Sarasyns, and grauen subtylly of grete and ryche facyon, the whyche was enhaunced vpryght, not without grete crafte & connyng. toward the erth it was meruayllously grete, & alway vpward it was lasse; and that stone was so hye as a crowe myght flee: vpon whyche stone was thydolle sette, whyche was of fyn yuorye, after thassemblaunce of a man stondyng vpryght on his feet, & had hys face torned to the south, & helde in his ryght honde a grete keye, & the Sarasyns were certefyed for trouthe that whan a kyng of Fraunce shold be borne, & in strengthe to subdue the contreye of spayne, and brynge it in to crysten fayth, the ymage shold lete falle the keye, whych shold be a sygne þat the kyng of Fraunce shold conquere them. So thenne in the tyme that the noble kyng Charles regned in Spayne, for to brynge it to the crysten faith, the ydolle lete the keye falle doun to the grounde. And whan the Sarasyns sawe that, They hydde theyr tresours, as golde, syluer, and precyous stoones, in therth, by cause the crysten men shold no thynge fynde therof, & they al wente in to another regyon, and durst not abyde the comyng of the kyng.

Of the chyrche of saynt Iames in Galyce, and' of dyuers other whyche Kyng' Charles founded: capitulo iiij

   Charles beyng in Galyce had Innumerable quantyte of gold, of syluer, and of precyous stones, of many kynges, prynces, and other lordes, and of trybutes of cytees that was gyuen to hym as lord.
   Also he had moche of the tresour that he conquerd of the townes and contreyes of Spayne aforesayd. Thenne he, seyng the grete habundaunce of good, dyd do compose and make a chirche of Saynt Iames, in the place where-as he had founde the body of hym. and he abode there the space of thre yere wythout departyng, and in that same place he ordeyned a bysshop, and founded there chanonnes reguler, vnder the rule of saynt Ysodore the confessour; & bought & ordeyned for them rentes & trybutes suffycyent, and gaf to them synguler seygnourye. He furnysshed the chyrche wyth belles, vessellys of golde and syluer, adournements of precyous clothes, & al thynges necessarye & apperteynyng in a chyrche pontyfycal. also of bokes, vestymentes, chalyces, & other holy escryptures. And of the resydue of gold and syluer, that he brought oute of Spayne, he dyd doo edefye these chyrches folowyng.
   Fyrst, at Acon, in Almayne, where as he is buryed, he dyd doo make a chirche of our lady; and though it be lytel, yet is it moche rychely made. The chyrche of Saynt Iames in the toun of Vyterbe; also the chyrche of saynt Iames in the cytee of Tholouse: The chyrche of Saynt Iames in Gascoyne; also the chirche of saynt Iames in Parys, bytwene the Sayne & the mounte of Martres. & aboue the chyrches aforesayd, he founded, rented, & releued many & dyuers chyrches, monasteryes, & other abbeyes in the world, in many and dyuers places.³

How, after that Aygolant the geaunt had taken Spayne & put to deth the crysten people, Charles recouerd' it, and' other maters: capitulo v

   After that Charles was retorned in to Fraunce, a kyng Sarasyn of Affryque, named Aygolant, wyth grete puyssaunce came in to Spayne, and remysed it in hys subgectyon. And the crysten which Charles had left there, as many as he myght gete, he put to deth, and the other fledde. And in shorte tyme the tydynges came vnto kyng Charles, wherof he was moche abasshed & angry, bycause it was shewed to hym so pyetously. wherfore Incontynent he assembled a grete hoost, & wyth a grete multytude of fyghtyng men he went thyder wythout taryeng. And he made the conduytour of them al Myllon of Angleres, the fader of Rolland.⁴ & they cessed not tyl that they had tydynges where Aygolant the geaunt was, whyche had doon thys feat. whan Charles knewe where Aygolant was lodged, and semblably Aygolant knewe where Charles was, Anone the geaunt sente to Charles that he wold delyuer bataylle suche as he wold. That is to wete that Charles shold sende to hym xx of hys men to fyght ageynst xx of hys Sarasyns, or xl ayenst xl, or an C ayenst C, or a thousand ayenst a thousand, or two men ayenst two, or one man ayenst one man onely. kyng Charles, seyng thentencyon of Aygolant, for thonour of noblesse he wold not refuse hys demaunde, but sent to hym an C knyghtes in grete poynte, and the geaunte sente another hondred ayenst the crysten men, but anone the Sarasyns were vanquysshed & put to deth, and after were sente by Aygolant two hondred Sarasyns ayenst two hondred crysten men, whyche Sarasyns were anone wythoute grete resystence put to deth and slayn. Aygolant was not contente, ne wold not leue herby,⁵ but sente two thousand Sarasyns ayenst ij M crysten men, and whan they were in batayll, many of þ^e Sarasyns were slayn, and the other put to flyght for to saue them self. The thyrd day after, Aygolant maad certeyn experyences,⁶ and knewe that yf Charles made warre to hym he shold haue grete losse, and sent to Charles to wete yf he wold make playne warre. Charles was contente, and there vpon they made redy theyr peple, and specyally Charles, for hys subgettes had grete affectyon to goo to bataylle without ony fere of deth. And also somme of the crysten men, the day tofore the bataylle, dyd do amende and araye theyr harnoys, and sette theyr tentes nygh a ryuer named ceye, and pyght there theyr speres, euen in the place where as the bodyes of saynt Faconde and saynt Premytyf rested, where after was made a chyrche deuoutely founded, and also a stronge cyte by the moyen of the sayd Charles, and in the place where the speres were pyght, our lord shewed grete myracle. For of them that shold deye there and be gloryfyed marters of God & crowned in heuen, theyr speres on þ^e morn were founden al grene, floresshed and leued, whyche was a precedent sygne that they whyche shold deye shold haue the Ioye in heuen.
   Eche man took his owne, and cutte of the bowes & leues, wyth whyche the leues were planted and vnderroted, wherof in a lytel whyle after grewe a grete wode, whyche stondeth there yet. It was grete meruayle of the Ioye that the horses made, whyche dyd theyr deuoyrs as wel as the men after theyr qualyte, whyche was a grete token. Thenne L valyaunt crysten men were slayne, And emonge the other was slayne duc Myllon, fader to Rolland. Also that same day the hors of Charles was slayn vnder hym, & whan he was a fote he maad grete murdre wyth hys swerde Ioyouse, and dyd so moche that the Sarasyns, dredyng the euenyng, fledde & wythdrewe them in to place of surete. And as it was the wylle of our lord, the next day after came to Charles in to his helpe iiij marquyse of Ytalye, accompanyed wyth iiij M stronge fyghtyng men & chosen. wherfore Aygolant, assone as he knewe of theyr comyng, he fled and wythdrewe hym ouer the see toward hys contree. but they myght not for hast bere with them al theyr tresours, wherfor Fraunce was enryched meruayllously aboue alle other contrees.
   And whan Charles sawe his departyng he came wyth al hys rychesse in to Fraunce, and thenne, duryng seuen yere, he dyd do ordeyne the seruyce and offyce of the chyrche by preestes & clerkes, and the festes of sayntes of all the yere; and grete vertu & meruayllous effect was comprysed in thys man. For whan it was not warre for to mynysshe thynfydellys and encreace the crysten fayth, For tenhaunce the name of God he made the offyces and legendes of holy sayntes, & dyd reduce in to mynde and remembraunce the passyons of holy marters in establysshyng theyr feestes, to thende that we shold ensyewe them, and to eschewe al euyl. And the magnytude of thys kyng was wel preued by sygnes seen on the heuen. For in the same yere the mone derked thre tymes, and the sonne ones, and companyes of people were seen meruayllous, whyche shewed that thys Charles was of grete magnytude, that is to wete bytwene heuen and erthe.

How Aygolant sent to Charles that he shold' come to hym trustely for to make Iust warre, and' how Charles in habyte dyssymyled' spake to hym, and' of other maters: capitulo vj

   As I haue sayd the kynge, Aygolant the geaunte, fledde in to hys contreye, whan socours cam to Charles of foure marques. he slepte not vpon his purpoos, but maad grete dylygence for to assemble hys people, whyche were Sarasyns Innumerable, for he assembled mores, Moabytes, Ethiopiens, Affrycans, and Percyens; he brought wyth hym also the kyng of Arabye, the kyng of Barbarye, the kyng of Malroste, the kyng of Maioryke, the kyng of Meques, the kyng of Cybylle, & the kyng of Cordube, the whych cam with peple wythout nombre, certain, in to Gascoyne, in to a stronge cyte named Agenne, and took it. And after sent to Charles that he shold come to hym peasybly & trustyly, with a fewe peple, promysyng to hym for to gyue to hym ix hors laden with gold, syluer, and precyous stones, yf he wold thus come at hys desyre. this paynym shewed to hym this by cause he wold knowe his persone, for hys strengthe & puyssaunce knewe he wel by experyence, and also to thende whan he knewe hym that he myght in the warre flee hym. whan kyng Charles knewe this mandement he gadred not grete peple, but he came onely wyth ij M knyghtes of honour and of grete strength. And whan he was foure myle nygh the cyte, where Aygolant and al the kynges tofore named were, he left his people secretly, & came vnto a mountayne nygh the cyte, accompanyed wyth xl knyghtes onely. And fro thys place they saw the cyte, by cause to wete yf the multytude of peple were departed, soo that he shold not be deceyued. Neuertheles vpon thys montayne he lefte hys people secretly, and took of hys clothes, and cladde hym in the  guyse of a messager, and took one knyght onely with hym, whyche bare his spere & swerde and bocler vnder hys mantel, and soo came in to the cyte, and anone he was brought tofore Aygolaunt the geaunt. And whan he was tofore hym he sayd in thys manere: "Charles the kyng hath sente vs vnto the, and leteth the wete by vs that he is comen lyke as thou hast comanded, accompanyed wyth fourty knyghtes onely, for to do that he ought to doo. Now thenne come to hym wyth xl knyghtes, withoute moo, yf thou wylt accomplysshe and holde that thou hast promysed." Aygolant sayd to hem that they shold retorne to Charles, and that they shold say to hym that he departe not, but abyde hym there, and he wold come and vysyte hym. After this that Charles had knowen the geaunt, and after vysyted the towne, for to knowe the feblest parte for to take and conquer it whan he shold come ageyn, & sawe al the kynges forsayd & their puyssaunces, he after retorned to his peple whiche he had left vpon the montayne, & after came to hys ij M knyghtes. & anone after Aygolant, accompanyed wyth vij M knyghtes, came after them withoute taryeng. But Charles took hede⁷ whan he cam that there were many moo paynyms than crysten men, and wythout lenger taryeng Charles & his peple departed, and retourned in to Fraunce wythout hauyng other delyberacyon.

How Charles, accompanyed with moche peple, retorned' in to the place aforesayd & toke the cyte of Agenne, & other maters: capitulo vij

   After that Charles was retorned in to Fraunce he assembled moche peple, & after came to the cyte of Agenne, & assyeged it there by grete facyon, the space of vij monethes. Aygolant was therin & many Sarasyns, & the crysten men had made fortressis & castelles of tree tofore this cyte for to greue it. Whan Aygolant & the grete lordes of his companye sawe þat they myght not endure, they maad hooles & caues vnder therth for tescape oute secretly: in that maner they came out of the cyte, & passed ouer a ryuer, which ranne by the cyte, named Goronna, and so they saued them self. The next day after, whan there was noo grete resystence made to the crysten men, Charles wyth grete tryumphe & puyssaunce entred in to the cyte, & put to deth x M Sarasyns that he there fonde. The other, seyng that, put them to flyght by the ryuer. Aygolant was in another stronge toun, & whan Charles knewe it he came thyder & assaylled it, & sente to hym to delyuer ouer the cyte. Aygolant ansuerd that he wold not so doo, but by a moyen that was, that they shold make a batayll, & he that shold wynne the bataylle shold be lord of þe toun, & so they assygned the day of the bataylle. and nygh to that place, bytwene the castel Thalabourt & a ryuer called Carantha, somme of the crysten men planted theyr speres in the grounde, especially they that on the morn shold deye, & obteyne the crowne of glorye as marters of God. and on the morne they fonde their speres al grene & myraculously leued, & ful of bowes, wherof the crysten men were moche Ioyous of this myracle, and raught not for to deye for þe crysten fayth in mayntenyng the name of God. After that they cutte of theyr speres and wente to bataylle, and put many Sarasyns to deth. But in thende were slayn and martred, of crysten men moo than iiij M whyche were saued in heuen; & that tyme the hors that Charles rode on was slayn vnder hym, and at that bataylle were slayn by the sayd Charles the kynge of Agabye & the kyng of Bugye, merueyllous myghty Sarasyns.

Of the vertuous operacions that Charles made whan he was retorned' in to Fraunce, & what barons he had' in hys companye, & of theyr puyssaunce: ca. viij

   The bataylle toforesayd made, Aygolant fledde and came in to Panpylone, and sent to kyng Charles that he shold abyde hym for to gyue hym bataylle more ample & large. Whan Charles knewe hys desyre he retourned in to Fraunce for to haue helpe of hys peple, and made an open maundement thorugh out al Fraunce that al maner peple that were of euyl condycyon and in bondage, that they that were present, and theyr successours, shold be free, & there vpon tabellyons shold be delyuerd accordyng to the lawe,⁸ that wold goo with hym ayenst the myscreauntes. Also alle prysonners that were in Fraunce, he delyuerd them al out of pryson, & to al them that shold haue ben delyuerd to deth for felonnye, murdre, or treason, he pardonned them & gaf to them theyr lyf; and to al poure peple that had not wherby to lyue, he gaf to them good largely, & them that were euyll clad, he clothed them after theyr degree. alle them that were at debate he peased them & accorded; Alle them þat were dysheryted & put oute from theyr lyuelode he restored al to them; Alle þe peple that myght bere armes he armed them. The valyaunt squyers of theyr persones he made knyghtes, & al them that were in hys Indygnacyon & pryued fro hys loue, & bannysshed for the loue of God, he was constraynede to pardonne them, & made pees with euery man. and thenne he was fournysshed of moo than an C thousand men wel fyghtyng, wythoute them that were a-fote, whyche were Innumerable. And for to gyue courage to the prynces of Charles, Turpyn sayd in this maner: "I, Turpyn, archebysshop of Raynes by the grace of God, shal gyue good courage to crysten people, and shal slee the Infydels, Sarasyns, with myn owne handes."
   Wyth Charles was Rolland of Cenonye, neuewe of Charles, sone of hys syster, dame Bethe, & of Duke Myllon, wyth foure thousand fyghtyng men; Olyuer, due of Genes, sone of duc Reyner, with iij M fyghtyng men: Aristagius, kyng of Brytayne, wyth vij thousand fyghtyng men; Not wythstondyng that in Brytayne was another kyng, Eugelius, whyche was duke of Guyan, whome Augustus Cezar had ordeyned, wyth the Byturyciens, the Monyques, Pictauyns, Scauctonens, and Elogysmes, cytees with their prouynces vnder  Guyan: & he cam with iij M horsmen good fyghtars; Garferus, kyng of Bordeloys, with iiij M men; Salamon, felow of Estok;⁹ Bawdewyn, brother of Rolland; Naymes, duc of Bauyere, wyth x M fyghtyng men; Hoel of Nauntes, & Lambert, prynce of Bourgoyn, wyth ij M fyghtars; Sanson, duc of Bourgoyn, with x M; Garyn, duc of Lorayne, & many other; and Charles had of his owne contre moo than fyfty M men. The excercyte of Charles, the noble emperour, and ryght puyssaunt kyng of Fraunce, was so grete and so ample that it helde two iourneyes longe, & in brede half o iourneye & more; In suche wyse that of the bruyt that was made for the grete multytude of the Frensshe men, it was herde two myle ferre and more.

Of the tryews of Charles & of Aygolant, and of the deth of hys peple, & wherfore Aygolant was not baptysed': capitulo ix

   The whyl that Charles was a yonge chylde he lerned at Toulete the langage of Sarasyns, and spake it whan he wold. Aygolant, thys geaunt and grete Lord, coude not absteyne hym, and cam nygh vnto crystyente, and sente to Charles to come to hym vnto Pampylone, and tryews was maad bytwene them. For Aygolant consyderyd the multytude of hys people and the puyssaunces of their persones. For by cours of nature hym semed he shold surmounte the crysten peple, but he thought that the god of crysten people was more certayn and trewe than the god of the paynyms; but er he wold declyne fro the worshyppyng of hys goddes, he had desyre to assaye yet ones the nombre of paynyms ayenst the nombre of crysten men. And he was contente to make a pacte and couenaunt wyth Charles, that he that shold obteyne the vyctorye vpon others peple, that his god were holden and worshypped, And that the god of hym that shold lose the bataylle shold be of noo valure, renyed, and reputed for nought. And vpon thys couenaunte were sente twenty crysten knyghtes ayenst xx knyghtes paynyms. And anone as they were assembled and medled to-gyder, the twenty Sarasyns were slayn. And after were sente fourty ayenst fourty, And anone the Sarasyns were slayn and vaynquysshed. And after he sent an C. ayenst an C., but they were not slayne, but fledde. Aygolant thought he wold do better, and sent ij hondred ayenst ij C., and anone the Sarasyns were ouercomen & slayn.
   Thys geaunt was euyl contente of the destructyon of hys peple, and for to make a grete descomfyte, he sente a thousand Sarasyns ayenst a M crysten men, and wythoute makyng grete rebellyon,¹⁰ the Sarasyns were anone slayn and put to deth. Thenne the kyng Aygolant, by experyence for-made, afermed the fayth & the lawe of crysten peple to be better, more sure, & more certeyn than the lawe of the paynyms and Sarasyns, and thus he was enclyned to the crysten fayth, & dysposed hym to receyue baptym on the morne without fayntyse; and here vpon he demanded tryews and surete for to goo & come to Charles, & he graunted it to hym wyth good hert. and thus atte houre of tyerce, whan Charles was at dyner, Aygolant had entencyon to see Charles and hys maner at mete, for to knowe hys astate, yf it were vayllerous and soo grete as it was in armes and in bataylles. And also he came pryncypally for to be baptysed, and he sawe Charles at hys table with grete magnyfycence, and after behelde the ordre of hys peple and sawe that somme were in habyte of knyghtes and grete prynces, Other in habyte of channons & monkes; & asked so that he was certefyed of euery ordre, and the cause of theyr estate, and after that he sawe in a parte of y^e halle syttyng on the grounde, xiij poure persones, which dyned & ete as other dyd. for Charles of custom wold not take his repaste tyl he had xiij poure men in the worshypp of our lord and of his xij appostles, & he toke hede how these poure men satte on the grounde without towayl in ryght poure habyte, & dyned al soroufully, & he demaunded what people they were. Charles ansuerd & sayd: "they be goddes peple and messagers of our lord Ihesu Cryst, whome I susteyne in thonour of hym & his xij appostles that he had with hym, & gyue to them refectyon corporel." Aygolant said: "certeynlye he serueth euyl hys lord y^t receyueth his messagers in thys manere. I see wel that they that ben aboute the been in good poynt & wel arayed, & wel serued of mete & drynke, & the seruauntes of thy god lyue pourely & euyl clothed ayenst y^e colde, & ben withdrawen ferre fro the. he dooth grete shame to his lord that receyueth his messagers in this manere. & more ouer, I see now wel that the lawe whyche thou hast sayd to me to be good & holy, by thy werkes thou shewest them to be fals & of no valewe." & herof Aygolant was all moeued & troubled in his entendement, & he beyng put out alle fro hys purpose, toke leue of the kyng & retourned to hys peple, & renounced to be baptysed, and sente word to Charles for to begynne warre ageyn on y^e morne more stronge than euer he had doon tofore.

Of the deth of Aygolant and of his peple, & how moche crysten peple were slayn by concupyscence of syluer, & of crysten men founden dede by myracle: ca. x

   Whan Charles sawe Aygolant come for to baptyse hym he was moche Ioyous, but whan he retorned & forsoke it he was euyl contente, & took aduys vpon the pour men whyche he sayd were messagers of God. For after the pouerte of them, and after that they were named, fore to holde them so, was none honour to theyr mayster, & the emperour remembred wel that the peple of God ought to be receyued honestly, & honourably holden & serued. wherfor the poure men that he fonde in thexcercyte he dyd them to be wel clothed & honestly, and gaf to them mete largely, And took suche custome in hym self that he faylled not, but the pour peple were receyued with honour in his companye. vpon thys purpose on a day folowyng, the Sarasyns put them to bataylle, and to fyght ayenst the crysten men by grete fyerste, and there was soo grete destructyon that day of the Sarasyns, that the crysten men were empesshed and lette by the blood that ranne so habundantly, as it had rayned many dayes water and blood. wherefore Aygolant, seyng the destructyon of his people as he that doubted nothyng to deye, aduaunced so hym self that he was slayn and put to deth, and after the crysten men entred in to the cyte of Pampylone, and put to deth al the Sarasyns that they fonde therin.
   Thenne the kyng of Cybylle & the kyng of Cordube saued them self with somme of their subgettes. After thys the crysten men ful of couetyse for to haue gold and syluer of the Sarasyns that were deed retorned, And whan they were wel charged & laden wyth golde, syluer, and other hauoyr, the kyng of Cybylle and the kyng of Cordube took hede ther of, And wyth al their meyne came couertly vpon the crysten men, and put to deth moo than a thousand.
   Thus may be knowen that the ardeur of concupyscence was cause of the deth of the soule wythoute vyctorye, and to God dysplaysaunte.
   On the morne tydynges came how so many Sarasyns were slayn, and specyally of Aygolant, vnto the prynce of Nauarre named Furre, wherfore he sent to Charles to haue batayll ordynayre. Charles was so noble, so puyssaunt, & so trustyng in God, whan he faught for the crysten fayth that he refused hym not. and after, at the day of bataylle, whyche was assygned on bothe partyes, Charles put hym self to prayer, and prayed God deuoutely that it plesed hym, to shew what crysten men shold deye in that bataylle. and on the day folowyng whan euery man was armed for to fyght, by the wylle of our lord Charles sawe that same day the sygne of the crosse alle rede vpon the sholdres behynde vpon theyr harnoys. whan Charles sawe it he thanked our lord & had compassyon of theyr deth, by cause of the valyaunce of theyr persones. Thenne he sent for all them that bare thensigne & made them to goo in to hys oratorye, and after shette them fast therin, to the ende that they shold not take deth that day; and thenne wyth al his other hoost he went ayenst thoost of the prynce furre, but it was not longe but furre and hys people were destroyed and put to deth. and whan that was doon the emperour came in to hys oratorye vyctoryous vpon hys enemyes, and fonde al them that were shette wythin dede & expyred, & thenne knewe he wel that alle they that were marked with the crosse were assygned that day to be receyued in to heuen with glorye & crowne of marterdom, & that it apperteyned not to Charles to prolonge theyr helthe. wherfore he is wel symple that wyl put hym in payne to eschewe the passage of whyche he is not maystre.

Of Feragus the merueyllous geaunt, how he bare alwaye wyth hym the barons of Fraunce wyth out daunger, & how Rolland' faught wyth hym: capitulo xj.

   After that Aygolant was slayn, & Furre, & many kynges Sarasyns as tofore is wryton, the tydynges cam to the Admyral of Babyloune, the which had a geant moche terryble, that was of the generacion of Golias, & he made hym to be accompanyed with xx M Turkes moche strong, and sente hym for to fyght ayenst Charles themperour. For hys puyssaunce was redoubted thurgh the world, & the sayd Feragus cam vnto the cyte of Vagyere, nygh to saynt Iames, bytwene cristendom & hethenes, & sent to Charles that he shold come to fyght ayenst hym. This geant was moche meruayllous, For he doubted neyther spere ne swerde, ne arowe, ne other shotte. And he had the strengthe of xl myghty men and stronge. Anone as Charles knewe the tydynges of hys comyng, he went to hym and was vpon his watche nygh by vagyere. Whan thys was knowen this geaunte yssued oute of the towne, and demaunded synguler persone ayenst a persone.¹¹ Charles, whiche neuer had refused that to persone, sente to hym Ogyer the Danoys. but whan the geant sawe hym allone on the felde, without makyng of ony semblaunte of warre, he came allone to hym, & took hym wyth one hande & put hym vnder hys arme, wythoute doynge to hym ony harme, and bare hym vnto hys lodgys, and dyd do put hym in pryson, and made nomore a-doo to bere hym, than dooth a wulf to bere a lytel lambe. The heyght of thys geaunt was of twelue cubytes: he had the face a cubyte brode, the nose a palme longe, the armes & thyes four cubytes long. The backe of his hand was thre palmes longe. After that Ogyer was borne thus awaye, Charles sente Raynold Daulbepyn. whan Feragus sawe hym, he bare hym a-waye as lyghtly as the other. Charles was abasshed and sent tweyne other, that is to wete, Constayn of Rome, & therle Hoel. This geaunt took that one wyth the ryght honde and that other in the lyft honde, and bare them bothe tweyne in-to pryson in to hys lodgyng, that euery man myght see. yet after Charles sent other tweyne, and semblably they were bothe borne away wythoute ony wythstandyng or contradyctyon. whan Charles saw the feet of this man, he was al abasshed, & durst nomore sende ony persone. For no man myght resyste hym. Rolland, whyche was prynce of al thexcersyte of Charles, was euyl contente of thys that the geaunt was vyctoryous, & came to Charles and presented hym self for to goo fyght wyth hym, but Charles wold not graunte hym. At the last, by force, he was constrayned to gyue to hym lycence, & Rolland made hym redy, and cam tofore Feragus; but anone he was taken and reteyned wyth hys ryght hande lyke the other, and the geaunt layed hym tofore hym on hys hors. whan Rolland sawe that he was taken & borne awaye soo vylaynsly¹² he took a grete courage in hym self, and called the name of Ihesus to help, & to be in hys ayde, and torned hym ayenst Feragus, and took hym by the chynne, and made to ouerthrowe fro hys hors, & fyl to the grounde, and Rolland also. And after anone they arose, and eueryche took hys owne hors. Rolland, whyche was moche habyle and courageous, drewe hys swerde Durandal and came ayenst the geaunt, and gaf soo grete a stroke on the Paynyms hors that he carf hym a-sondre in the myddes, and the paynym fyl to the erthe. Feragus, beyng euyl contente for hys hors that was dede, took hys swerde for to smyte Rolland, & had slayne hym wyth the stroke yf he had attayned hym; but assone as he lyfte vp hys arme for to haue smyton Rolland, Rolland auaunced hym self and smote the geant vpon the arme, with whiche he helde hys swerde, suche a stroke, that hys swerde fyl to the grounde; wherof Feragus had grete despyte and supposed to haue smyten hym wyth hys fyste, but he attayned Rollandes hors in suche wyse that he slewe hym. Thus were they bothe two on fote, whyche wythoute swerd begynnen to fyght wyth theyr fystes and wyth stones contynuelly, tyl the houre of none: wherfore they bothe were wery, and took tryews to-gyder by one acorde vnto the morne, and that they shold fyght wythout spere and wythoute hors: and here vpon eche of them went vn-to hys lodgys.

How on the morne Rolland' and' Feragus foughten & dysputeden the fayth, and by what moyen Feragus was slayn by Rolland': capitulo xij

   The next day folowyng erly, Rolland and Feragus came to the felde of the bataylle. The geaunt brought hys swerde moche grete, but it was nothynge worth, for Rolland made prouysyon of a grete staffe or clubbe, ryght longe wyth whyche he smote the geaunt; but he myght nowher hurte hym. & also he smote hym with grete stones and rounde, & coude in noo wyse hurte ne entre in-to hys flesshe. And in this maner they cessyd not to fyght tyl the houre of mydday. The geaunt was wery, and demaunded tryews of Rolland for to slepe and reste hym a lytel. Rolland was contente, and was so noble and so valyaunt, that whan the geaunt was layed he went and fette a grete stone and layed it vnder hys heed, to the ende that he myght the better slepe and reste at hys ease. And after that he had a lytel slepte, & that he was awaked, he satte vp. And the noble Rolland came and sat by hym and sayd to hym: "I meruaylle moche of thy feat, How thou art so stronge and so terryble that thou mayst not be hurt ne wounded in thy body by swerd, ne by staffe, ne by stones, ne in noo wyse." The geaunt, which spake Spaynyssh, sayd to hym: "I may not be slayn, but by the nauell." whan Rolland herde that he made semblaunte that he vnderstood hym not. After Feragus demaunded hym what was hys name, and of what lygnage he was. Rolland sayd to hym: "I am named Rolland, and am neuew of Charles, the ryght myghty Emperour." & Feragus asked of hym what lawe he helde. Rolland ansuered: "I holde the crysten fayth by the grace of God." Feragus sayd: "what fayth is that, and who hath gyuen it?" to whyche Rolland ansuerd: "It is trouthe y^t after God almyghty had made heuen and erthe, and our fyrst fader Adam, which was dysobeyssaunt to hys commaundements; the world was Juged here in erthe wythoute hauyng of beatytude, ne of felycyte: and long tyme after the sone of God, the second persone of the Trynyte, remembred hym of the valure of the soule, the whiche is gyuen to euery persone, and descended fro heuen and took our humanyte and suffred greuous passyon of paynes. And he beyng in thys world hath gyuen enseygnements and stablyssed constytucyons for to saue vs, & pryncypally who byleueth in hym & in hys werkes parfyghtly, and that he be baptysed, After thys mortel lyf he shal be saued in heuen: and, loo! thys is the fayth that I holde, in the which I wyl deye." And after that Feragus had made to hym many questyons in the fayth, and that Rolland had ansuerd to hym honourably in euery poynte, Feragus said in this manere: "thou art crysten, and wylt mayntene the fayth of whyche thou hast spoken, and I am a paynym, & holde for my god Mahoun. who of vs tweyne that shal be vanquysshed & ouercome, late hys lawe be holde for nought and of noo valewe, and the fayth of hym that is vyctoryous late it be holden for good & trewe, and that it be entyerly kepte and obserued." The valyaunt Rolland was contente ryght wel, & accepted hys langage. thenne eche of them was redy to fyght. Anone Rolland came to hym, and Feragus lyft vp hys arme for to smyte Rolland moche malycyously, and Rolland sawe the stroke come vpon hym, and for to voyde it he launced hys staffe ayenst the swerde, and wyth the stroke the staffe was cutte asondre; and there-wythal the geaunt ranne to Rolland and had hym doun vnder hym. Rolland, consyderyng that he mygt not flee ne escape, he called in hys hert deuoutely the name of Ihesus, and yelded hym to God & to the vyrgyn Marye: & he anon reprysed suche strengthe & myght that he aroos a lytel, & myghtyly repugned the geaunte, in suche manere that he brought the geaunte vnder hym, and thenne moche quyckly and subtylly he sete hande on hys swerde, and pryched hym in the nauyll therwyth, & anone after aroos, and fledde al that he myght to thoost of Charles. Anone as Feragus felte hym self hurt in that place, he cryed so hye & lowde, that alle they that were in that place were aferd & abasshed of hys crye, & he sayd: "O Mahommet, my god, to whom I haue gyuen my fayth, come & socour me, for thou seest wel that I dye, and tarye noo lenger." with that hydous voys the Sarasyns camen to hym and bare hym awaye in theyr armes the best wyse they coude vnto hys lodgys; and by that tyme Rolland was comen alle hool and sauf vnto Charles. And forthwyth the crysten men went Impetuously vpon the Sarasyns that bare Feragus, and entred in to the cyte, and so moche dyd that the geaunt was dede, and after came in to the pryson valyauntly, and took out Ogyer, Regnault, Constantyn, Hoel, and the other prysonners.

How Charles went to Cordube, 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 Charles that he shold come to Cordube for to fyght. Anone as Charles knewe it, he came thyder wyth all hys puyssaunce. And whan they were nygh for tassemble in bataylle, the Sarasyns maad a moche subtyl and wylde thynge. For tofore the Sarasyns that were on hersback they had ordeyned men on fote, whyche had vysieres counterfeyted all black & rede, horned, and berded lyke deuylles, for to deceyue the crysten men; and eueryche of these foot men bare in hys honde a lytel belle. And at thentre of the bataylle they began to sowne and make suche a bruyt, that assone as the horses of the crysten men sawe them so counterfayted and sowne their bellys, so Impetuously they began to flee, disrenge & to be aferde, in suche maner that no man might holde theyr horses, but by force they must flee and wythdrawe them. Charles deuysed a remedye, and on the morne he blynfelde the horses and 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 resyste and make grete empesshement to theyr enemyes. And this engyne was drawen wyth viij oxen in the warre, & ther-vpon stode on hye the standard 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. herof Charles was enformed, wherfore moche puyssauntly he rode thurgh the Sarasyns tyl he came to the standard, and with Joyouse hys swerde he smote it asondre: and anone as the Sarasyns sawe that they fledde, & mony of y^e paynyms were slayn and dede. & on the morne after the towne was delyuerd vnto Charles by the lord of the toun, whyche coude not resyste hym, & Charles was content to lete hym haue hys lyf yf he wold be baptysed, and also the toun for to holde it of hym and none otherwyse. And thenne Charles ordeyned 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 enemyes by the puyssaunce that he ledde, and also by dyscrecyon of hys persone, and pryncypally by the grace of God, whyche faylled not in him and in hys subgettes.

How the chyrche of Saynt Iames was halowed by tharchebysshop Turpyn, & the chyrches of Spayne subgettes therto, and' of other pryncypal chyrches: capitulo xiiij

   Charles the noble emperour, after that he had put and sette good estate and good warde in Spayne, he went to saynt Iames wyth fewe people. And whan he was there, suche crysten men as he there fond he rewarded them, & dyd to them moche good, and he punysshed suche as were apostates, & other maner of peple, suche as he fonde vntryewe and dysobeysaunte to holy chyrche, he lete slee and put to deth, or he sente theym in to Fraunce to do penaunce, and bannysshed them. And thenne thorugh al the cytees of Spayne he ordeyned bysshops, relygyous, and other peple of the chyrche, & made many constytucyons, synodals, and other ordynaunces vp-on the chyrche, and vpon other peple. And in thonour of saynt Iames he made constytucyons, and Instytuled that al the bysshops, prynces, and kynges dwellyng in Spayne, shold all be subget to the bysshop of saynt Iames, and al they shold owe to that chyrche fydelyte, wyth al the peple of the londe of Galyce. And accordyng to the same the archebisshop Turpyn wryteth in thys manere: "And I, Turpyn, archebysshop of Raynes, was in the same place, where the ordenaunces aforesayd were maad. And I, accompanyed wyth ix honourable bysshops & of good lyf, at the requeste and postulacyon of Charles in the moneth of Iuyl, haue halowed, dedycated, blessyd, and consecrated the chyrche of saynt Iames, & the aulter of the same. And after thenne the kynge Charles gaf al the londe of Spayne & of Galyce to that chyrche, And after ordeyned y^t euery hous of Spayn and Galyce shold gyue to the chyrche of saynt Iames iiij pens of the money corraunt for annuel trybute. And by the moyen therof they shold be franke and free of seruytude. And for the honour of saynt Iames he establysshed that the chyrche of the sayd place shold be sayd apostolyque for thexaltacion of the place. And more ouer, that the bysshopryches and specyal dygnyte of alle Spayne & of Galyce, and semblably the coronacions of kynges of al the contre, shold be crowned & sacred by the bysshop of saynt Iames, al in lyke wyse as it hath been tofore doon in Asye in the place of ephesym, for the honour of holy Saynt Iohan theuangelyst, brother of saynt Iames, and sone of Zebedee. & thus Saynt Iohan was lodged in the ryght syde, And Saynt Iames, hys brother, in the lyfte syde. Thenne was accomplisshed the peticyon of their moder and of hyr two sones, gloryouse frendes of our lord Ihesu Cryst, whan she desyred that hyr two sones shold sytte, one on the ryght syde, and that other on the lyfte, whyche was thenne accomplysshed and termyned. & therfore in the world ben thre syeges and chyrches pryncypal, whyche crysten men by ryght owen texalte, deffende and mayntene wyth all theyr myght.
   That is to wete, the chyrche of Rome, The chyrche of Ephesym of saynt Iohan the euangelyst, And the chyrche of Saynt Iames in galyce. And yf ony demaunded the cause of these thre places and syeges pryncipal of cristyente, the cause is ynough apparente. These thre places ben honoured pryncypally by cause the synners may haue theyr recours to them for tamende theyr lyues, and put awaye theyr synnes, & obteyne pardon and forgyuenes. Fyrst these iij appostles, that is to say, Saynt Peter, Saynt Johan, & saynt James, haue preceded all the other in the companye of Jhesu Cryst whan he was in thys world, & haue ben called to hys secretes, and that haue moost contynued wyth hym. Thus by good ryght, the places in whyche they haue conversed and contynued theyr lyues, and where theyr bodyes resten, oughten to be honoured and to be habundaunt in grace.
   Pryncypally, saynt Peter was the fyrst and moost hye, & preched at Rome, and there was martred & buryed; Therfor the chyrche of Rome is enhaunced & exalted aboue al other chyrches. & after saynt Johan, whyche sawe the secretes of God in his souper, & in ephesym he made the gospel 'In principio erat verbum & cetera,' And by his holy prechyng hath conuerted thynfydellys to the holy crysten fayth. And also saynt James, whyche had grete payne in Spayne and in Galyce, for the honour of God as wel for hys holy lyf, for hys myracles, as for hys marterdom and hys sepulture, by good ryght ought the memorye of them to be thorugh the vnyuersal world."

Notes:

1. "al rauysshed:" Fr. tout rauy
2. "ouerthrew to the erthe:" Fr. vont tomber par terre
3. "he founded, rented, and releued many and dyuers chyrches:" Fr. il fonda, renta, et releua plusieurs et diuerses eglises
4. See Dr. Hausknecht's note to the Sowdon, l. 1888
5. "he wold not leue herby:" would not stop at this. Fr. ne se voulst tenir a cecy
6. "maad certeyn experyences:" Fr. fist aulcunes experimentacions
7.   "took hede:" Fr. sen prist garde = took notice
8. Fr. eulx qui estoient presens et leurs successeurs fussent francs et liberez, les taillables fussent a leurs drois comme quilz fussent condicionez
9.   "felow:" Fr. compaignon de escoc
10. "wythoute makyng grete rebellyon:" without showing any great fight. Fr. sans faire grandes rebellions
11. "demaunded synguler persone ayenst a persone:" Fr. demanda a Charles bataille singuliere de personne a personne
12. "soo vylaynsly:" Fr. si villement