THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

199
© 2009 Max Wickert
“They demand neither homage nor tribute from us; and Charles, once in power, would require our
allegiance, as his father had done from our grandfather. Let us therefore defend our freedom. That
is why I ask you, Guerrin, to act like our father whose name you bear.” They set out and drove the
citizens in that division before them.
Gerard bestowed the third division on Guinam of Bayonne and Lionet of Altafoglia and his brother
Denis, sons of Richard of Morgalia. There were twenty thousand in that division. He bestowed the
fourth division on his brothers, Miles and Bernard of Burgundy, and put himself in command of this
division. They were thirty thousand knights. The fifth and last he gave to King Ulric, thirty
thousand knights of choicest nobility, along with Gryphon and all the flower of Maganza. Thus
disposed in ranks, the marched against Charles’ camp.
On the following night, some citizens abandoned their ranks and went over to Charles’ camp, and
through them it became known that the burghers had been constrained by force to sally forth into
battle. Charles heard this while in parley with his barons and was very grieved by the news. Duke
Namo said to him: “Raise the royal banner against them, march out to meet them, and make
yourself known. They either will come over to your side or turn to flight, for I know their hearts.”
The royal banner was a copy of the Oriflamme, since those of Paris (that is, King Ulric) possessed
the true Oriflamme. Charles did as the Duke had suggested, and one army began to move against
the other.
44-48: Paris Recaptured [summary]
The battle began and, as Namo had predicted, the moment that Charles showed himself to the citizens, they all cried
out: “Long live Charlemagne! Death to the traitors!” Giving command that they should not be hurt, he bade them
part and rode into battle against their masters. At the first assault, he slew Lanfroy, but in the battle that followed,
countless nobles died on both sides. Well might our author 41 exclaim: “Alas, noble Frenchmen! Alas, you brave
41 Both this and the following chapter include rhetorical apostrophes by Andrea’s putative “author.”