THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
present I advise you to dispatch ten or fifteen thousand knights to Lazara in Navarre. Meanwhile we can gather our
forces for the coming battle against our enemies, may Mahound confound them!” Marsilius agreed and summoned his
nephew, the giant Ferrau. He put him in command of fifteen thousand knights and ordered him to occupy Lazara,
but to offer no battle against the Christians except in defense of the city.
Ferrau led his army to Lazara. Soon afterwards four thousand of them went pillaging across the French border,
seizing much cattle and prey. When Ogier the Dane discovered this, he sent word to Charlemagne to bring up his
entire army. Charles at once put the host in readiness and commanded Basin of Longies to ride ahead with an
advance guard to let Ogier know that he would soon arrive. On the morning before his own departure, Charles
appointed Answig of Maganza regent of France during his absence. Then he sent letters for assistance to Flor of
Hungary and Desiderius of Pavia.
Charlemagne’s Army Arrives in Navarre
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He also caused a letter to be written to the good King of England, telling him to keep good watch
against the Saracens beyond the sea, and that he needed no other aid from him. Intent on marching
to Spain into King Marsilius’ lands, King Charles rose one Wednesday when mass was being sung,
and the queen was in prayer below praying to Christ for his happy return. The queen said to him: “I
will ask you a boon, for I well know that you desire to venture abroad, where you will find much
resistance from Spain and Aragon, for they will not yield so easily as you hope. I ask you to have all
their wives and women sent to all your nobility, so that they shall have no excuse to return to their
countries.” The emperor replied: “My lady, I promise you that if I stay long in the land of the
Saracens, I will send for you and the other ladies and wives of my nobles.” Then the queen said:
“My lord, I ask you one other thing. Since you desire to ride out over so many plains and mountains
and valleys, carry the banner of St. Michael before you.” The queen bowed and curtsied to him and
went down from her palace to the court, where he was expecting his barons. Charles crossed
himself with a cheerful countenance, and then mounted his horse with his nephew Roland, the
seneschal of his host, who was in full armor and carried a great staff in the manner of a seneschal.
He led his whole army out of the city, disposed in proper ranks, in the order in which they would