THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
“Dear brother of mine, how much evil is brewing to cause your death!” Yet he put in effect what
Gerard had said.
Departing from Bellandes, they came toward Paris, passed like friends through the countryside
during the feast of Saint Dennis, and made a show of heading toward the saint’s shrine Then they
seized much wealth and slaughtered many citizens of Paris, men and women and children. Never
until that day had so much cruelty been wrought in the realm of France. On their own doorsteps,
pregnant women were killed and their wombs slashed open, and countless prisoners were taken and
outrages committed. Had the queen not taken thought that very morning to go to Saint Dennis, she
would have fallen into their hands. All the same, more than twelve thousand citizen and two
thousand women were slain, and many others taken to Burgundy. The brothels of every
Burgundian town filled up with Parisian women.
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After the destruction and massacre of Saint Dennis’ Day, the queen sent messengers in haste to
inform Charles and Roland of the monstrous evil that the Burgundians had wrought. When Charles
heard of the great crime that Gerard had committed, his sorrow was so strong that he all but fell
from his horse, for the messenger reached him just as he was preparing to lay siege to Velagna. He
heaved three great sighs and withdrew to his tent in terrible grief. When presently Roland, Ogier
and Astolph arrived and asked Charles for the cause of his distress, he handed them the messenger’s
letter. As soon as Roland finished reading it, he cried out like a desperate man: “Let the camp at
Maganza be struck and let us be off to chasten the pride of Gerard of the Thicket, that renegade
dog!” The whole army was full of sorrow at the dolorous tidings.