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 when the Count had heard tell this adventure, much grieving was he,
and abashed, and held his peace a great while, and spake no word; and
when he spoke, he said: “Thibault, then to my daughter it was that this
adventure betid?” “Sir,” said he, “of a verity.” “Thibault,” said the
Count, “well shalt thou be avenged, since thou hast brought her back to
me.”
And because of the great ire which the Count had, he called for his
daughter, and asked of her if that were true which Messire Thibault had
said; and she asked, “What?” and he answered: “This, that thou wouldest
have slain him, even as he hath told it?” “Sir,” she said, “yea.” “And
wherefore,” said the Count, “wouldst thou have done it?” “Sir,” said
she, “hereto, for that yet it grieveth me that I did it not, and that I
slew him not.”
So the Count let all that be, and abode till the Court was departed.
Thereafter was he at Rue-on-Sea, and Messire Thibault with him, and the
son of the Count; and the Count let lead with him the Lady. Then the
Count let array a strong craft and a trim, and did do the Lady enter
therein; and withal let lay therein a tun, all new, strong, and great,
and thick. Then they entered into the said ship, all three, without
fellowship of other folk, save the mariners who rowed the ship. Then did
the Count cause them to row a full two leagues out to sea; and much
marvelled each one of what he thought to do, but none durst ask him.
But when they were so far forth in the sea as ye have heard, the Count
let smite out one head of the tun, and took the Lady, who was his
daughter, and who was much fair and well attired, and made her to enter
in the tun, would she, would she not; and then let head up the tun again
straightway, and dight it well, and let redo the staves, and stop it
well, that the water might not enter in no manner. Then the Count let
put it overboard the ship, and he laid hand thereto with his very own
body, and thrust the tun into the sea, and said: “I commend thee unto the
winds and the waves.”
Much grieving was Messire Thibault thereat, and the brother of the Lady
withal; yea, and all they that saw the same; and they fell all at the
feet of the Count, and prayed him mercy, that from out of that tun they
might take her and deliver her. But the Count, who was much wroth and
full of ire, would not grant it them for any thing that they might do or
pray. So they let it be, and prayed to Jesus Christ, the Sovereign
Father, that he, of his exceeding great goodness, would have pity of her
soul, and do her pardon of her sins.
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