THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
saddle, cutting the horse in two. Had he been able to strike another blow, Oliver and Alda would
have been fatherless. There was a great fight at Rainier’s rescue, in which sixty Christian knights
were slain, but by sheer force they provided him with another horse.
The Christians praised Almont greatly for his knightly prowess. They said that, if Almont were a
Christian, there would be no braver fighter in all of France. Almont was much grieved by Rainier’s
rescue and by the loss of his tower. He stood firm in the middle of the Christian field, and (may
God confound him for it!) made a great massacre of Christian knights. No matter where he struck,
he opened the ranks of the Christian knights, like a lion among lesser beasts. Whoever found
himself faced with him avoided him. Nonetheless his own men were fleeing everywhere through
the mountains and the plains.
Then Almont left the battle and fled toward Calabria. Rejoined by many of his men, he had the
horn sounded to summon his uncle Danebrun. At that sound, some turned back for shame and
boldly resumed battle,, so that the Christians received much harm and would have fared worse, had
not Gerard, once in possession of the tower, commanded Lord Clare and Lord Bussy at once to
return to their horses, accompanied by two thousand mounted knights. There were still a thousand
horses left, so that three thousand knights mounted and crossed the river.
Then was Almont in great danger. Hearing the noise, he turned back toward the river, sheathed his
sword and grasped a lance. He stormed toward those three thousand and, when he encountered
Lord Clare, exchanged blows with him. Lord Clare nearly fell down, but Almont was thrown to the
ground from his horse, but before Lord Clare could ride back toward him, remounted and took
flight with his men, for he was aware of the danger in delay. The mountains and plains resounded
with cries. Ah, what numbers of horses went galloping riderless up and down, fleeing in every