THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
that they did not wish to travel into their enemy’s power. Galafron said to them: “Upon my head,
you will be safe in going there.” But they did not trust this; so Galafron said: “I shall send to
Charles for a safe-conduct.” At this they agreed to go and sent envoys to France declaring to
Charles that they wished to come and visit his new domain, asking his pardon for any injuries they
might have done him in the past, with the excuse that that had not know who he was. Charles sent
them the safe-conduct that they required.
At that same time, a letter from Africa to Ogier arrived at Charles’ court which much abused him for
allowing himself to be baptized. A certain part of it declared: “Shame on you, Ogier, you are ‘danes
de l’alma’,” (meaning “You are damned in your soul”}. Ogier laughed at these words and showed the
letter to Charles and his nobles. Before long the saying spread throughout the court, so that
(gossiping) one man would say to another: “You are ‘danes’.” Therefore, when the Pope came to
baptize Ogier, he desired to be baptized Ogier Danes, but was ever after called Ogier the Dane, and
the name remained with him.
Now the story turns to Duke Namo and Solomon, but first to Galeana. Charles sent Morand of
Riviera and Miles of Angrant and Marquis Berlingher and Agnentin, accompanied by ten thousand
knights, to fetch Galeana, and they brought her to Paris.
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Duke Namo and Solomon of Brittany, who had been sent to make peace with Gerard of the
Thicket, found Gerard at Bellandes. They delivered their embassy on behalf of the Council of
France, asking him to make peace and to come to terms with Charles, son of King Pepin. They told
him that Charles was of his own lineage, sprung from Constantine, and that that Charles intended
him for the first rank of his council. This is the reply that Gerard made to them: “You sons of a