THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
said: “If God gives me victory, verily at my return I shall not be subject to any lord on earth, nor
shall I have any peer among Christians except the Pope of Rome. Then shall he see whether all
Christian lords should not be subject to the Emperor, and whether Gerard’s pride shall be of more
avail than the judgment of the France and of all other Christians.” And he rode forth, passed
through Lombardy, and came by way of Tuscany to Rome.
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Let us leave Charlemagne in Rome and turn to young Roland and Otho and Berlingher, who had
been left in prison at Lyon, and who had already heard from their guardians how Charles had left
Paris and was going to Aspramont and first to Rome. One morning they saw King Solomon passing
by Lyon with eight thousand knights, riding at Charles’s rear towards Rome. While the four youths
were imprisoned in that tower, they recognized King Solomon’s banners. Young Roland said: “By
my faith: those troops are following Charles to Aspramont, and we are detained in prison. But f I
were able to escape from this prison, I too would go there.” Astolph replied: “Why then don’t we
overpower our guard and flee?” And Otho and Berlingher said so likewise. They agreed to steal a
table knife and to pry off some of the beams that buttressed their tower and to carve a club for each
of them. After they had asked for their meal and the servant asked for the knife, they said that he
had not given them one. That day they fashioned a club for each of them and in the evening, when
they asked for their food and the servant entered, young Roland struck him on the head, and so did
the others, and they slew him and fled the city. All day long and through the following night they
traveled, so that they caught up with King Solomon’s troop. Without being recognized, young
Roland engaged a Breton lad to carry his helmet, lance and shield, and the others did likewise, but,
after crossing the Alps and reaching Lombardy, they were recognized and presented to King
Solomon of Brittany. He, when they stood before him, spoke harsh words to them to inspire them
with fear, and then said that he intended to send them back. Then Astolph said: “Why not hang