THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

her one, and ordered the hunt to be made ready in the morning. On the following dawn, he
summoned an escort of three hundred knights.
54
© 2009 Max Wickert
When the duchess heard how he was going escorted and armed at all points, she, knowing his valor,
sent for him and said: “Now I see that you love me not, since you go armed to seize a timid
wildfowl which, being unarmed, you could scarcely seize unless in arms.” She knew how to say so
many things that the duke doffed his armor, making all his followers disarm as well, and left with no
more than a hundred unarmored companions. So he rode forth from Hampton to the hunt; and
when he reached the forest, the hunt was put in order. Having entered the forest with his followers,
they flushed some wildfowl by the noise of their horns and their shouts and their dogs, as is the
custom.
4
While Guy was passing through the forest, a stag leapt up, and the dogs ran in chase of it. Guy
turned to pursue it and rode far ahead of his companions, for the stag drew him into the densest
part of the wood. At last it was taken, and around that stag all the hunters assembled. And they
were not aware that they were in the midst of three ambuscades, and that in three directions men
were at their backs. The wretched hunters took flight, and all of them were killed.
Duke Guy, remounting his steed, wrapped one of his garments about his arm, and with sword in
hand defended himself. Even the knights of Maganza said afterwards that he performed wonders in
his person, for none would have believed that he, being old and unarmed, could make such a valiant
defense. Certainly it is true that none of them wanted to kill him to do honor to Dudon or Alberic,
so that they killed his horse.