Old French Romances, Done into English — John Shaqi
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
So on the morrow John sold the two horses for ten pounds Tournays, and
bought corn and let grind it, and bought baskets, and fell to making
French bread, so good and so well made that he sold it for more than the
best baker of the town might do; and he did so much within two years that
he had well an hundred pounds of chattels. Then said John to his lord:
“I rede thee well that we buy us a very great house, and that we buy us
wine and take to harbouring good folk.” “John,” said Sir Robin, “do
according to thy will, for I grant it thee, and moreover I praise thee
much.” So John bought a house, great and fair, and harboured good folk,
and earned enough plenteously; and he arrayed his lord well and richly;
and Sir Robin had his palfrey, and went to eat and drink with the most
worthy of the town, and John sent him wine and victual, so that all they
that haunted his company marvelled thereat. So much he gained that in
three years’ time he had gotten him more than three hundred pounds of
garnishment, out-taken his plenishing, which was well worth fifty pounds.
But here leaveth the tale to tell of Sir Robin and of John, and goeth
back to tell of Sir Raoul.
For, saith the tale, that the chaplain held Sir Raoul right short that he
should go over sea, and quit him of the pledge he had laid down; for
great fear he had lest he yet should leave it; and so much he did that
Sir Raoul saw well that he needs must go. So he dight his journey, and
arrayed him right richly, as he that hath well enough thereto; and so he
betook him to the road with three squires: and went so much by his
journeys that he came into Marseilles-on-sea and took lodging in the
French hostel, whereas dwelt Sir Robin and John. So soon as John saw him
she knew him by the scar of the wound she had made him, and because she
had seen him many times. The knight sojourned in the town fifteen days,
and hired him passage. But the while he sojourned, John drew him in to
privy talk, and asked of him the occasion of his going over sea, and Sir
Raoul told him all the occasion, as one who had little heed thereof, even
as the tale hath told afore. When John heard that, he held his peace.
Sir Raoul set his goods aboard ship, and went upon the sea; but tarried
so much the ship wherein he was that he abode in the town for eight days;
but on the ninth day he betook him to go his ways to the holy sepulchre,
and did his pilgrimage, and confessed him the best he might: and his
confessor charged him in penance that he should give back the land which
he held wrongfully to the knight and his wife. Whereon he said to his
confessor, that when he came into his own country he would do what his
heart bade him. So he departed from Jerusalem and came to Acre, and
dight his passage as one who had great longing to repair to his own
country. He went up on to the sea, and wended so diligently, as well by
night as by day, till in less than three months he came to the port of
Aigues-mort.
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