THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
mouth and told him to be silent. The Duke stepped forward a little and said: “Who are you, who
live like peaces in forest hollows and caves?”
At this moment, Solomon and Ogier arrived, and Bertha recognized all three. Then she broke out
in constant wails, seeing that she could not escape, while they stared at her and once more asked
who she was. She cast herself at the Duke’s feet, threw up her arms in the sign of the cross, and
begged for mercy. She was wearing a garment of coarse cloth, all tattered and torn, with her flesh
showing through in divers places. None of them recognized her, and yet they felt pity at her tears.
They asked: “Who are you, woman?” She replied in great shame: “I am the unfortunate Bertha,
daughter to King Pepin, sister to King Charles, wife to Duke Miles of Angrant; and this is his son
and mine.”
When the barons heard these words, they all knelt down weeping before her and asked her what had
happened to Miles of Angrant. She told them how he had left her like a desperate man, since no
man would have anything to do with him because of his excommunication; she related how she had
given birth to this boy in this cave, and why he was named Roland, and that the boy was five years
old when Miles left. There was none of the three who did not weep bitterly, and she pleaded them
for the love of God to say nothing to Charles. Young Roland, too, wept because he saw his mother
weep.
Then the three lords drew apart to talk together, and decided to help her in any way possible, and
that Charles should pardon her for the sake of this young fellow. All three swore to be her and
Young Roland’s champions and defenders, and in this manner gave comfort to her. Then all three
agreed to go to Sutri. They asked some of the citizens to bring regal attire to Bertha, along with
some of the best women in Sutri, and she was reclothed and adorned like a queen. Young Roland