THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
done, so that he said in his heart: “If I could bring that Roland into fellowship with me, I would
never find any man to oppose me.”
Ferrau rose and laced on his helmet. Roland did likewise. Then Ferrau said: “Wait a while, for I
cannot help wishing to say a few words to you. If it please you, I will have Marsilius pardon you. I
will give you my sister to wife, whom no woman in the world exceeds in beauty. She is descended
from kings and queens, and a niece of Marsilius and Balugant, both crowned kings. I will bestow
half my realm upon you, retaining only the other half to satisfy my honor.” Roland laughed at this
and said: “I pray you, do not jest with me. But if it please you, I have a great desire to honor you
above all other men, excepting Charles and Oliver, if you agree to be baptized and turn to God and
believe in the Holy Trinity.” Ferrau replied: “If you can tell me what thing this Trinity is and what
power your Christ has, I might be willing to convert.” This made Roland very happy. “You say you
wish to know what God is, and the Trinity. God is all things and in all time, and He knows the
whole destiny of mankind. All things descend from Him and His glory.” Said Ferrau: “You say that
God made all things. I shall believe in the gospel, so that there will be no further need for us to
fight.” Roland answered: “I am happy that you are acting like a reformed sinner when he is asked to
repent, and that you are ready to believe in God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. May God
have mercy on you.” “What!” said Ferrau; “are there three gods?” Roland replied that the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one, and made manifest in a single will. Said Ferrau: “If you can
show me how three can be one, I will renounce Mohammed and Termagant.”
Roland answered: “It rather pleases me that you desire to hear me speak. The Divinity is like a
candle: to give light, three things must be in readiness, the fire, the wax and the wick. If one of these
three is absent, it is not a candle and it yields no more light than a stick. If the wax is without a wick,
it will not burn; if the wick is without wax, it will not last. Yet it appears as a single thing, and if any