THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
pillaged Provençe and Savoy, and encamped near Vienne, waiting Anglant’s arrival from the other direction. When
Gerard entered Vienne, he had only ten thousand men.
At his arrival, Gerard gave his son Clare harsh words for taking refuge behind the walls without striking a blow. He
himself then sallied out and attacked the Saracen vanguard, inflicting huge damage until Nabur of Egypt and
Manador of Thrace arrived with huge numbers. Gerard was soon surrounded and would have perished, but for the
timely arrival of Clare and Bussy. The skirmish becomes even fiercer, and Troyan sends in Armagot and Mordan.
Mordan is overthrown and killed by Clare and Gerard, forgetting his earlier insults, cries out: “Blessed be he who
begot you! Blessed by you, Clare, who eat my brad and drink my wine!” But then the number of pagans kept growing
and Gerard was at last unhorsed and rescued by his son with great difficulty. The Burgundians were forced to
withdraw behind the walls. The sally had cost them three thousand men, and many cursed Gerard and his pride for
causing their deaths.
Gerard Refuses to Send for Charlemagne
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When Gerard and his sons had reentered Vienne, Gerard felt so much wrath at having been
unhorsed that he burst with it. Nor was he as ill-tempered at his overthrow as he was at Clare’s
bravery which had gotten him away. He railed against his sons, calling them bastards, sons of
whores and no sons of his own. But Clare remonstrated with him in gentle words and begged him,
for God’s sake, to send to Charlemagne for aid. “You went to Aspramont to help him;” he said; “let
him now come to help you.” Gerard answered: “What, can you not hear your heart tell you that you
can defend yourself without Charles? If he comes to help us, he will require from us the same
homage as from his other vassals. By my faith, he shall never have homage from Duke Gerard! I
would sooner let all Burgundy be burnt and all my sons be killed, before I ever pay homage to any
man, so long as I live.” That night he sent secret messages throughout Burgundy, and to his
territories and friends in Provençe, Bellandes, Savoy, Maganza, Lausanne, and Germany—to all
accept King Charles, beseeching some and commanding others to help him. The story now turns
back to King Charles.