Literature, Medieval -- Translations into English; Tales
When the king of Ampluy heard this, he thought in himself thus: "Lo, I
have warred against the emperor all the days of my life, and now he hath
a son who, when he cometh to full age, will revenge the wrong I have
done against his father; therefore it is better that I send to the
emperor and beseech him of truce and peace, that the son may have
nothing against me when he cometh to manhood." When he had thus said to
himself, he wrote to the emperor, beseeching him to have peace. When the
emperor saw that the king of Ampluy wrote to him more for fear than for
love, he wrote again to him, that if he would find good and sufficient
sureties to keep the peace, and bind himself all the days of his life to
do him service and homage, he would receive him to peace.
When the king had read the tenor of the emperor's letter, he called his
council, praying them to give him counsel how he best might do, as
touching this matter. Then said they, "It is good that ye obey the
emperor's will and commandment in all things. For first, in that he
desired of you surety for the peace; to this we answer thus: Ye have but
one daughter, and the emperor one son, wherefore let a marriage be made
between them, and that may be a perpetual covenant of peace. Also he
asketh homage and tribute, which it is good to fulfil." Then the king
sent his messengers to the emperor, saying, that he would fulfil his
desire in all things, if it might please his highness that his son and
the king's daughter might be married together. All this well pleased the
emperor, yet he sent again, saying, "If his daughter were a pure maid
from her birth unto that day, he would consent to that marriage." Then
was the king right glad, for his daughter was a pure maid.
Therefore, when the letters of covenant and compact were sealed, the
king furnished a fair ship, wherein he might send his daughter, with
many noble knights, ladies, and great riches, unto the emperor, for to
have his son in marriage.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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