THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
story of their god, Mahomet, and how when he was at the point of death, he regretted the evil of his
life and wanted to show the Saracens that they should have themselves baptized, and washed himself
with water, but could not speak. Even now the Saracens have a custom of washing themselves
when they are about to die, saying that Mohammed did so as an example to them, yet know nothing
of the baptism of Jesus Christ. Yet did Mahomet go to the devil, for he repented too late and died
in despair when he saw that he was not understood. That was the pavilion in which Charles sat that
morning.
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On the morning following the victory, Charles sat on his throne in the pavilion which had been
Almont’s, and King Balant came before him with Duke Namo of Bavaria, knelt down at
Charlemagne’s feet, and said: “O most noble king, let me be baptized, and then I shall give you
counsel to your advantage.” Then did the king take him by the hand and sent news of this fact to
the Pope. The Pope, overjoyed, rushed to Charles’s pavilion and Balant knelt at his feet, weeping,
begging for Holy Baptism. The Pope blessed him, sent for a little basin of water, and baptized
Balant with his own hands.
Charles was his godfather, along with Duke Namo, and named him Veltachin. Then Charles put
new garments on him and promised to endow him with a domain as soon as he came to France, and
named him to his counsel. When Balant was baptized, there no finer knight in the whole army, nor
a wiser, nor a braver. He said to Charles: “My lord, it was no treason in me to renounce
Mohammed and believe in Jesus Christ. King Anglant cannot claim that I have betrayed him, for I
am your prisoner. But be of good cheer. Now that Almont is dead, I care little for the rest.
Nonetheless there is still King Ulien, son of King Salicoran of Sarsis. I tell you that, as soon as King