THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
serpent. He says that he shall never while he lives send tribute to Roland, maintaining that he is no
vassal of yours.” Having spoken these words, Baldwin fell dead from his horse at Charles’ feet.
Let us now leave this knight and speak of other matters.
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The story now tells, following what Archbishop Turpin had written, that Charles, while lodged in
the great vale of Roncesvalles, spent many days there after Baldwin’s death during which no news of
Marsilius came to the army. When almost a month had passed, Charles assembled the Twelve Peers
of France and all his nobles, and said: “It seems to me that we must send another embassy to
Marsilius to ask him to yield the tribute and to renounce Mahound and Apollyon. Otherwise we
shall go to Saragossa.” Thereupon Ganelon of Maganza replied, saying: “Your majesty, a brave and
wise knight must be found to deliver your message.” At this, Roland rose to his feet and spoke in
the following manner: “Your majesty, at this pass there can be found no man more suitable to
deliver your embassy than Ganelon, for he is a prudent knight, a master of this kind of thing.”
When Ganelon heard Roland, he made no answer, for he was loath to go, since Marsilius had killed
most of the knights whom Charles had sent as ambassadors. Charles then said: “Who will be the
knight to bear our message to Marsilius?” No one answered, except Roland, who said: “The
cleverest knight in our army is undoubtedly Ganelon of Maganza.”
Once more Ganelon made no answer. Then Charles said: “It is our pleasure that you, Count
Ganelon, should take the following message to Marsilius: Let him know that we have crowned
Count Roland king of Spain and of all his lands and castles. Let him send the twenty-two years’
tribute to Roland. Let him renounce Mahound and Apollyon, with all his other gods, and take holy
baptisms and believe in Christ and his mother, the Virgin Mary. Unless he does this, we shall come