Old French Romances, Done into English by William Morris (best free e reader .txt) 📗

Now so it fell out, that when the fair daughter of the Emperor had eaten, she went into the garden with three of her maidens; and they fell to chasing each other about, as whiles is the wont of maidens to play; until at the last the fair Emperor’s daughter came under the tree whereas Coustans lay a-sleeping, and he was all vermil as the rose.  And when the damsel saw him, she beheld him with a right good will, and she said to herself that never on a day had she seen so fair a fashion of man.  Then she called to her that one of her fellows in whom she had the most affiance, and the others she made to go forth from out of the garden.

Then the fair maiden, daughter of the Emperor, took her fellow by the hand, and led her to look on the lovely lad whereas he lay a-sleeping; and she spake thus: “Fair fellow, here is a rich treasure.  Lo thou! the most fairest fashion of a man that ever mine eyes have seen on any day of my life.  And he beareth a letter, and well I would see what it sayeth.”

So the two maidens drew nigh to the lad, and took from him the letter, and the daughter of the Emperor read the same; and when she had read it, she fell a-lamenting full sore, and said to her fellow: “Certes here is a great grief!”  “Ha, my Lady!” said the other one, “tell me what it is.”  “Of a surety,” said the Maiden, “might I but trow in thee I would do away that sorrow!”  “Ha, Lady,” said she, “hardily mayest thou trow in me, whereas for nought would I uncover that thing which thou wouldst have hid.”

Then the Maiden, the daughter of the Emperor, took oath of her according to the paynim law; and thereafter she told her what the letter said; and the damsel answered her: “Lady, and what wouldest thou do?”  “I will tell thee well,” said the daughter of the Emperor; “I will put in his pouch another letter, wherein the Emperor, my father, biddeth his Burgreve to give me to wife to this fair child here, and that he make great feast at the doing of the wedding unto all the folk of this land; whereas he is to wot well that the lad is a high man and a loyal.”

When the damsel had heard that, she said that would be good to do.  “But, Lady, how wilt thou have the seal of thy father?”  “Full well,” said the Maiden, “for my father delivered to me four pair of scrolls, sealed of his seal thereon; he hath written nought therein; and I will write all that I will.”  “Lady,” said she, “thou hast said full well; but do it speedily, and haste thee ere he awakeneth.”  “So will I,” said the Maiden.

Then the fair Maiden, the daughter of the Emperor, went to her coffers, and drew thereout one of the said scrolls sealed, which her father had left her, that she might borrow moneys thereby, if so she would.  For ever was the Emperor and his folk in war, whereas he had neighbours right felon, and exceeding mighty, whose land marched upon his.  So the Maiden wrote the letter in this wise:

“I King Musselin, Emperor of Greece and of Byzance the city, to my Burgreve of Byzance greeting.  I command thee that the bearer of this letter ye give to my fair daughter in marriage according to our law; whereas I have heard and wot soothly that he is a high person, and well worthy to have my daughter.  And thereto make ye great joy and great feast to all them of my city and of all my land.”

In such wise wrote and said the letter of the fair daughter of the Emperor; and when she had written the said letter, she went back to the garden, she and her fellow together, and found that one yet asleep, and they put the letter into his pouch.  And then they began to sing and make noise to awaken him.  So he awoke anon, and was all astonied at the fair Maiden, the daughter of the Emperor, and the other one her fellow, who came before him; and the fair Maiden, daughter of the Emperor, greeted him; and he greeted her again right debonairly.  Then she asked of him what he was, and whither he went; and he said that he bore a letter to the Burgreve, which the Emperor sent by him; and the Maiden said that she would bring him straightway whereas was the Burgreve.  Therewith she took him by the hand, and brought him to the palace, where there was much folk, who all rose against the Maiden, as to her who was their Lady.

Now the Maiden demanded the Burgreve, and they told her that he was in a chamber; so thither she led the lad, and the lad delivered the letter, and said that the Emperor greeted him.  But the Burgreve made great joy of the lad, and kissed the hand of him.  The Maiden opened the pouch, and fell a-kissing the letter and the seal of her father for joy’s sake, whereas she had not heard tidings of him a great while.

Thereafter she said to the Burgreve that she would hearken the letter in privy council, even as if she wotted nought thereof; and the Burgreve said that that were good to do.  Then went the Burgreve and the Maiden into a chamber, and the Maiden unfolded the letter and read it to the Burgreve, and made semblance of wondering exceedingly; and the Burgreve said to her, “Lady, it behoveth to do the will of my lord thy father, for otherwise we shall be blamed exceedingly.”  The Maiden answered him: “And how can this be, that I should be wedded without my lord my father?  A strange thing it would be, and I will do it in no manner.”

“Ha, Lady!” said the Burgreve, “what is that thou sayest?  Thy father has bidden thus by his letter, and it behoveth not to gainsay.”

“Sir,” said the Maiden, (unto whom it was late till the thing were done) “thou shalt speak unto the barons and mighty men of this realm, and take counsel thereof.  And if they be of accord thereto, I am she who will not go against it.”  Then the Burgreve said that she spake well and as one wise.

Then spake the Burgreve to the barons, I and showed them the letter, and they accorded all to that that the matter of the letter must be accomplished, and the will of the Emperor done.  Then they wedded the fair youth Coustans, according to the paynim law, unto the fair daughter of the Emperor; and the wedding endured for fifteen days: and such great joy was there at Byzance that it was exceeding, and folk did no work in the city, save eating and drinking and making merry.

Long while abode the Emperor in the land whereas he was: and when he had done his business, he went his ways back towards Byzance; and whenas he was but anigh two journeys thence, came to him a message of the messengers who came from Byzance.  The Emperor asked of him what they did in the city; and the varlet said that they were making exceeding good cheer of eating and drinking and taking their ease, and that no work had they done therein these fifteen days.

“And wherefore is that?” said the Emperor.  “Wherefore, Sir!  Wot ye not well thereof?”  “Nay, forsooth,” said the Emperor, “but tell me wherefore.”

“Sir,” said the varlet, “thou sentest a youngling, exceeding fair, to thy Burgreve, and badest him by thy letter to wed him to thy daughter the fair, and that he should be emperor after thee, whereas he was a man right high, and well worthy to have her.  But thy daughter would not take that before that the Burgreve should have spoken to the barons.  And he spake to all them, and showed them thy letter; and they said that it behoved to do thy commandment.  And when thy daughter saw that they were all of one accord thereon, she durst not go against them, but yea-said it.  Even in such wise hath thy daughter been wedded, and such joy has been in the city as none might wish it better.”

The Emperor, when he heard the messenger speak thus, was all astonied, and thought much of this matter; and he asked of the varlet how long it was since the lad had wedded his daughter, and whether or no he had lain by her?

“Sir,” said the varlet, “yea; and she may well be big by now; because it is more than three weeks since he hath wedded her.”  “Forsooth,” said the Emperor, “in a good hour be it! for since it is so, it behoveth me to abide it, since no other it may be.”

So far rode the Emperor till he came to Byzance, whereas they made him much fair feast; and his fair daughter came to meet him, and her husband Coustans, who was so fair a child that none might better be.  The Emperor, who was a wise man, made of them much great joy, and laid his two hands upon their two heads, and held them there a great while; which is the manner of benison amongst the paynims.

That night thought the Emperor much on this marvel, how it could have come about; and so much he pondered it, that he wotted full well that it had been because of his daughter.  So he had no will to gain-say her, but he demanded to see the letter which he had sent, and they showed it unto him, and he saw his seal hanging thereto, and saw the letter which was written; and by the manner whereby the thing had been done, he said to himself that he had striven against the things which behoved to be.

Thereafter, the Emperor made Coustans a knight, even his new son who was wedded unto his daughter, and he gave and granted to him all the whole land after his death.  And the said Coustans bore him well and wisely, as a good knight, and a valiant and hardy, and defended him full well against his enemies.  No long time wore ere his lord the Emperor died, and his service was done much richly, after the paynim law.  Then was Coustans emperor, and he loved and honoured much the Abbot who had nourished him, and he made him his very master.  And the Emperor Coustans, by the counsel of the Abbot, and the will of God the all mighty, did do christen his wife, and all they of that land were converted to the law of Jesus Christ.  And the Emperor Coustans begot on his wife an heir male, who had to name Constantine, who was thereafter a prudhomme much great.  And thereafter was the city called Constantinople, because of his father, Coustans, who costed so much, but aforetime was it called Byzance.

Here withal endeth the Story of King Coustans the Emperor.

The said story was done out of the ancient French into English by William Morris.

In the time of Pepin King of France was a child born in the Castle of Bericain of a noble father of Alemaine who was of great holiness.

The father and the mother promised to God, and Saint Peter and Saint Paul, whereas they had none other child, that if God gave it life, they would bear it to Rome to baptism.  At the same time came a vision to a Count of Alverne, whose wife was big with child, whereby it seemed that the Apostle of Rome was baptizing many children in his palace and confirming them with chrism.

So when the Count was awaken he sought of many wise folk what might signify that which he had seen in the dream.  And when his vision was uncovered, a wise man and ancient bespake him by the counsel of God: “Make great joy, Count, for there shall be born to thee a son full of great prowess and of great holiness; and him thou shalt let bear to Rome and let baptize him by the Apostle.”

Thereof great joy made the Count, and he and his folk praised the counsel of the elder.

The child was born and dearly fostered, and when he had two years, and the father after his purpose was bearing him to Rome, he came to the city of Lucca.  And therein he found a noble man of Almaine who was wending Romeward and bearing his son to baptism.  They greeted one the other, and each asked other who he was and what he sought, and when they found themselves to be of one purpose they joined company in all friendliness and entered Rome together.  And the two children fell to loving one another