Old French Romances, Done into EnglishMorris, William
General
Old French Romances, Done into English
Morris, William
French literature -- To 1500 -- Translations into English; Romances; Tales, Medieval
But Arderi, as one out of his wit, answered him: “I will nought of thy
friendship nor thy service; but I shall swear the sooth as it verily is,
and I shall smite the head from off thee.”
So Arderi swore that he had shamed the King’s Daughter, and Amis swore
that he lied; and straightway they dealt together in strokes, and fought
together from the hour of tierce right on till nones. And Arderi was
vanquished, and Amis smote off his head.
The King was troubled that he had Arderi; yet was he joyous that his
daughter was purged of her guilt. And he gave to Amis his daughter, and
a great sum of gold and silver, and a city hard by the sea wherein to
dwell. And Amis received the same with great joy. Then he returned at
his speediest to his hostel wherein he had left Amile his fellow; but
whenas Amile saw him coming with much company of horse, he deemed that
Amis was vanquished, and fell to fleeing: but Amis bade him return in all
safety, for that he had vanquished Arderi, and thereby was wedded for him
to the King’s Daughter. Thence then did Amile betake him, and abode in
the aforesaid city with his wife.
But Amis abode with his wife, and he became mesel by the will of our
Lord, in such wise that he might not move from his bed; for God
chastiseth him that He loveth.
And his wife, who had to name Obias, had him in sore hate, and many a
time strove to strangle him; and when Amis found that, he called to him
two of his sergeants, Azones and Horatus by name, and said to them: “Take
me out of the hands of this evil woman, and take my hanap privily and
bear me to the Castle of Bericain.”
So when they drew nigh to the castle, folk came to meet them, and asked
of them who was the feeble sick man whom they bore; and they said it was
Amis, the master of them, who was become mesel, and prayed them that they
would do him some mercy. But nevertheless, they beat the sergeants of
Amis, and cast him down from the cart whereon they were bearing him, and
said: “Flee hence speedily if ye would not lose your lives.”
Then Amis fell a-weeping, and said: “O Thou, God debonaire and full of
pity, give me death, or give me aid from mine infirmity!” And therewith
he said to his sergeants: “Bring me to the Church of the Father of Rome,
whereas God may peradventure of His great mercy purvey for my poverty.”
When they came to Rome, Constantin the Apostle, full of pity and of
holiness, and many a knight of Rome of them who had held Amis at the
font, came to meet him, and gave him sustenance enough for him and his
sergeants.
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