Then upon a day Bellangere the Constable came to Anglides and said:
Madam, it were time my lord Alisander were made knight, for he is a
passing strong young man. Sir, said she, I would he were made knight;
but then must I give him the most charge that ever sinful mother gave
to her child. Do as ye list, said Bellangere, and I shall give him
warning that he shall be made knight. Now it will be well done that he
may be made knight at our Lady Day in Lent. Be it so, said Anglides,
and I pray you make ready therefore. So came the Constable to
Alisander, and told him that he should at our Lady Day in Lent be made
knight. I thank God, said Alisander; these are the best tidings that
ever came to me. Then the Constable ordained twenty of the greatest
gentlemen’s sons, and the best born men of the country, that should be
made knights that same day that Alisander was made knight. So on the
same day that Alisander and his twenty fellows were made knights, at
the offering of the mass there came Anglides unto her son and said
thus: O fair sweet son, I charge thee upon my blessing, and of the high
order of chivalry that thou takest here this day, that thou understand
what I shall say and charge thee withal. Therewithal she pulled out a
bloody doublet and a bloody shirt, that were be-bled with old blood.
When Alisander saw this he stert aback and waxed pale, and said: Fair
mother, what may this mean? I shall tell thee, fair son: this was thine
own father’s doublet and shirt, that he wore upon him that same day
that he was slain. And there she told him why and wherefore, and how
for his goodness King Mark slew him with his dagger afore mine own
eyen. And therefore this shall be your charge that I shall give thee.
CHAPTER XXXV. How it was told to King Mark of Sir Alisander, and how he
would have slain Sir Sadok for saving his life.
Now I require thee, and charge thee upon my blessing, and upon the high
order of knighthood, that thou be revenged upon King Mark for the death
of thy father. And therewithal she swooned. Then Alisander leapt to his
mother, and took her up in his arms, and said: Fair mother, ye have
given me a great charge, and here I promise you I shall be avenged upon
King Mark when that I may; and that I promise to God and to you. So
this feast was ended, and the Constable, by the advice of Anglides, let
purvey that Alisander was well horsed and harnessed. Then he jousted
with his twenty fellows that were made knights with him, but for to
make a short tale, he overthrew all those twenty, that none might
withstand him a buffet.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account