THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
As you have heard, Roland, along with Samsonet, remained with the Twelve Peers. When the ten
days had elapsed, Roland put on his hauberk, took up all his weapons, mounted Veliantin and rode
from the camp all by himself. As Roland was riding near Pamplona, he saw, half a bowshot away, a
beautiful garden. Roland looked at the city from all sides, seeing how strong and beautiful it was.
Then he saw, in one corner of the forest, a beautiful lady gathering roses and flowers. When Roland
rode into the midst of the garden and approached her, she rose and said: “Alas, sir knight, are you
not of Charles’ Christian camp, who will this very night be utterly ruined, for our lord Malzarasse
has prepared the means to destroy them at midnight?” Roland answered: “By our god Mahound, I
am well pleased that Charles and his people will be destroyed. Then he turned to his stallion and
rode of toward the host. As he was looking back, he saw that the lady had gone he knew not
whither. She was completely dressed in white. Roland, greatly marveling at the lady’s vanishing,
crossed himself. You must know that this lady was the angel Gabriel who brought a message to
Roland. Roland rode off and came to his camp. All that day, he said nothing to anyone. When
evening arrived, Roland said to Charles: “It is now necessary for us to withdraw our army to that
steep mountainside yonder.” Charles listened to him and said: “Roland, my dear nephew, I shall do
whatever you please.” He therefore had all the instruments sounded to rouse the camp, and
trumpets, drums and cymbals rang out so loudly that those in the city heard them. Then the Dane
took up the Oriflamme, rode up the slope and fixed upon a tall tree. Roland rode up and down the
camp, ordering all men up the high mountainside.
Those in the city, hearing the sound of so many instruments, began to shout: “Wait until midnight,
when we will turn this merriness to sorrow!” As all Charles’ forces had with to the mountains, the
sound of the instruments ceased, for everyone had taken higher ground. When midnight drew near,