Respont li reis: "N'iés pas bien enseigniez, Qui devant mei oses de Deu plaidier; C'est l'om el mont qui plus m'a fait irier: Mon pere ocist une foldre del ciel: Tot i fu ars, ne li pot l'en aidier. Quant Deus l'ot mort, si fist que enseigniez; El ciel monta, ça ne voit repairier; Ge nel poeie sivre ne enchalcier, Mais de ses omes me sui ge puis vengiez; De cels qui furent levé et baptisié Ai fait destruire plus de trente miliers, Ardeir en feu et en eve neier; Quant ge la sus ne puis Deu guerreier, Nul de ses omes ne vueil ça jus laissier, Et mei et Deu n'avons mais que plaidier: Meie est la terre et siens sera li ciels." _l.c._, l. 522. The last verse expresses the same sentiment as the answer of the Emperor Henry when he was told to beware of God's vengeance: "Celum celi Domino, terram autem dedit filiis hominum" (Otton. Frising. _Gesta Frid._ i. 11).] Also, in a less exaggerated way, there is some appreciation of the humour to be found in the contrast between the churl and the knight, and their different points of view; as in the passage of the _Charroi de Nismes_ where William of Orange questions the countryman about the condition of the city under its Saracen masters, and is answered with information about the city tolls and the price of bread.[76] It must be admitted, however, that this slight passage of comedy is far outdone by the conversation in the romance of _Aucassin and Nicolette_, between Aucassin and the countryman, where the author of that story seems to get altogether beyond the conventions of his own time into the region of Chaucer, or even somewhere near the forest of Arden. The comedy of the _chansons de geste_ is easily satisfied with plain and robust practical jokes. Yet it counts for something in the picture, and it might be possible, in a detailed criticism of the epics, to distinguish between the comic incidents that have an artistic value and intention, and those that are due merely to the rudeness of those common minstrels who are accused (by their rivals in epic poetry) of corrupting and debasing the texts. [Footnote 76: Li cuens Guillaumes li comença à dire: --Diva, vilain, par la loi dont tu vives Fus-tu a Nymes, la fort cité garnie? --Oïl, voir, sire, le paaige me quistrent; Ge fui trop poures, si nel poi baillier mie. Il me lessèrent por mes enfanz qu'il virent. --Di moi, vilain, des estres de la vile. Et cil respont:--Ce vos sai-ge bien dire Por un denier .ii. granz pains i véismes; La denerée vaut .iii. en autre vile: Moult par est bone, se puis n'est empirie. --Fox, dist Guillaume, ce ne demant-je mie, Mès des paiens chevaliers de la vile, Del rei Otrant et de sa compaignie. _l.c._, ll. 903-916.]