THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

the fierce appearance of Charlemagne and of the wonderful horse beneath him. This was
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© 2009 Max Wickert
completely white, like an ermine. It was the same horse that Balant the Turk had brought him.
Charles said: “My noble duke, King Anglant has arrived to destroy our Faith, and has already seized
a large part of Calabria. However, if God will guard me against death, not two months shall pass
before I slay him with my own hands, even as I slew his brother Bramant in the kingdom of Spain.”
Gerard answered; “May God protect this Christian people of yours, for whose weal we have
assembled so many good knights. And yet, my lord Charles, you can see the Saracens coming down
from yonder hill. They are coming toward you. Therefore do you and your people first issue
against them. These are Almont’s bands. Let God cast them down and confound them, for he is
the fiercest Saracen on earth.” Charles replied: “Even so, let God destroy him.”
By then had the Holy Father, that is, the Pope of Rome, come alongside them, who spoke the
following words: “Most noble lords, I cannot preach a long sermon to you. God sent his only-
begotten Son for our salvation, and He was willing to die to redeem us and made us heirs to two
things: one of them is the earth, and the other is Heaven. We must therefore be ready to defend it
against these Saracen dogs. Whoever dies in this battle can be certain of attaining the realm of
eternal life, and all those who survive, having bravely defended Christ’s Church, will be sure of
infinite riches and the infinite love of all members of the Christian faith. Those who, by their
cowardice, have not come to this war may well be called cursed and miserable. Let Christ be in your
hearts. Christ suffered pain and death for us; we must now bravely fight for Him. He will always be
with us in battle.” Then he made the sign of the cross and blessed them.
Presently all Gerard’s men departed, and he went with them back to the tower. Charles had his
battle divisions drawn up, summoned all his barons into his presence and assigned them their ranks.