THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

263
© 2009 Max Wickert
are, archbishop. But it shall be seen in good time who is valiant.” Then King Charles said: “Keep
still, my lords, and let the letter that King Anglant has sent me be read.” At these words all the
nobles fell silent, attending Turpin’s reading of the letter. He first read it in silence and then aloud.
Its words were in the manner following:
5
“To the least of our vassals, Charles, King of France, we write: Much has the sea of Africa risen
since our navy with my son Almont and thirty-two crowned kings and seven-hundred-thousand
Saracens in the service of myself, King Anglant, ruler of the two largest parts of the world, that is to
say Asia and Africa, and by virtue of Mahomet, who speeds the African winds, has reached the
lighthouse of Messina. All the powers of Apulia and Calabria have submitted to our dominion, and
we have taken the city of Reggio. We command you, Charles, on pain of your life to come to us
with our servant Balant to surrender the lordship of Europe and to crown my son Almont king over
all men of Christian faith. If you fail to do so, I shall cut your head from your shoulders with my
own hands, and shall deal worse with you than Alexander did with Porus, King of India; or I shall
shackle you in chains, as did Nebuchadnezzar to Jehoachin, King of Jerusalem.” At this point
Balant flushed with great daring and arrogance, seeing many faces grow pale at the proposal, said:
“King Charles, foolish will be the counsel that you follow unless it be to surrender your person to
my master, King Anglant.” Turpin continued: “Moreover, King Anglant sends word here that he
will have all the Christians slaughtered and their cities destroyed unless they renounce the Christian
faith, reminding us (as he says here) that ‘my son Troyan will come by way of Spain with King
Galafron, and he leads twelve crowned kings, and three-hundred-thousand Saracens. They will
make a greater massacre of Christians than Vespasian did of Jews, or Alexander of Phoenicians, if
they do not submit’.” And so he finished reading the letter.