THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

Brandenburg , Flanders, and Cologne, the Island of England, and low-lying Frisia, Brittany,
Cibilcalia, Maganza, Burgundy, Savoy, and Provençe.
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© 2009 Max Wickert
Thereafter, I went to France, served for a year at Charles’s court, and came to know all his barons
quite well: King Arnaut, King Philip, King Gotteboeuf, King Otho, King Salomon, Duke Namo,
Bernard of Clairmont, Bevis, Amon, Gerard, Otho and the sons of Miles. I saw the Marquis
Berlingher, and Anguentin and Hewett and Ansewig of Brittany, as well as Ganelon of Maganza,
Gryphon, Guinam, and William, and Florbe of Bordeaux. I saw the renegade Danish Ogier (who so
much despised our faith that has himself styled “the Dane”). And (by Mahomet!) I saw that Sir
Misadventure who went with you to Asia. By Jupiter, he is related by marriage to Charlemagne, and
his real name is Miles of Angrant, but he had been banished.
At last I saw Burgundy and Languedoc and Bellandes and Vienne, of which Gerard of the Thicket is
lord. And I saw Clare and Bussy, his nephews, and Rainier, Arnaut, Guiscard and Miles, his sons.
This Gerard is a deadly enemy to Charles; if he were to become Charles’s friend, you would have
great trouble in conquering the Christians.” All this he spoke, except that he could give little
account of Apulia and Calabria, for he had not gone there.
King Anglant summoned him to his chamber and asked him of the condition of the Christians.
Subrin told him: “King Anglant, you will have great trouble in conquering them, because they are
brave people and well armed, better than any in the world. But I think that your best hope lies in
this war by Gerard of the Thicket against King Charles. If he is reconciled to Charles, your venture
is dubious.” Anglant said to him: “Act in a manner that gives good comfort to our lords in this
enterprise.” And so they returned to the hall.
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