THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
one of these three things are absent, it is not a candle. If you take your shield, which I have pierced
in so many places, and raise it up to the sun, covering all but three openings, you will see a sun
through each of the three; if you cover two of them, these two will become one through the third.
That is how it is with the Trinity, inasmuch as God is Father and Son and Holy Spirit, for they are all
one Being and one Will. This is how I explain to you what the Trinity is.” Roland was silent and
said no more.
Then Ferrau raised his head and said: “Tell me, Roland, that Christ of yours, who let himself be
crucified to save you from Hell, what was he?” Roland answered: “The Son of the Living God was
born of a young virgin without fleshly sin, and allowed Himself to be crucified to redeem us from
the torments of Hell.” “How is it,” said Ferrau, “that you call him Son of the Living God, if he
could not save the human race from the devil without letting himself be crucified?” Said Roland:
“Indeed He could have done so, if it had pleased Him; but He wished to fulfill the sayings of the
holy prophets, who had foretold that the world must be saved by the Son of God and by his
crucifixion, to redeem the holy prophets and the other righteous patriarchs who were in Limbo.
These also were saved by him.”
So the two knights discussed the Christian Faith, but to no avail for Roland. Ferrau rose, fastened
his helmet on his head, and Roland did likewise. Ferrau said: “Were it not that I would be rebuked
by all my relations, who would think that it was fear that made me yield to the son of Miles of
Angrant, I would be baptized and believe in Christ and his Mother.” To this, Roland replied: “If
you allow yourself to be baptized and to believe in Christ, I will yield to you, and I declare before
you and God that I will let you take me wherever you wish. Thus you can be sure and ask Charles
for baptism without loss of honor, and it will be to your great glory.” Then Ferrau answered: “This
fight has long endured. I intend to bring it to an end. Either I will cut of your head and your bloody