As he thorow the cyté went, To see the batelle betwene them two, Tylle he wyste whych schulde maystyr be; The chylde came to the yatys sone, And opyn them fulle wyde. And skornyd hym that tyde. The gyaunt to abyde !" The gyaunt upryght can stonde, And toke hys burdon yn hys honde, To the chylde smote he so, That the chyldes shylde brake yn two, And felle on every syde. The chylde was never 3yt so wo, That hys schylde was brokyn yn two, 920 925 930 935 940 More he thoght to byde; To the gyaunt he smote so sore, 945 Clement on the wallys stode, Fulle blythe was he yn hys mode, And mende can hys chere: "Sone, for that y have seene To me art thou fulle dere; Now me thynkyth yn my mode, Soche playes for to lere. Jhesu that syttyth yn Trynyté, 950 955 Blesse the fadur that gate the, And the modur that the dud bere!" 960 Chylde Florent, yn hys feyre wede, Sprange owt as sparkylle on glede, There was no chyldys play! The gyaunt to the chylde smote so, The stede on kneys lay; Clement cryed wyth egur mode, "Sone, be now of comfort gode, And venge the, yf thou may." 965 970 As evylle as the chylde farde, When he Clementes speche harde, Hys harte beganne to bolde; Boldely hys swyrde he lawght, 975 To the gyaunt soche a strok he raght, That alle hys blode can colde. He hytt the gyaunt on the schouldur boone, 980 That to the pappe the swyrde ranne, To grounde can he folde! Thus hyt was, thorow Goddys grace, The gyaunt swownyd yn that place, The kyngys on the wallys stode. Alle gladd they were ; Alle the people at the chylde loghe, And hys hedd he smote of there. Wyth them spake he no more. The chylde toke the ryght way 985 990 To Mountmertrous, there the mayde lay, 995 And the hedd with hym he bare. When he came to the maydyns halle, The maydyn that was so mylde of mode, In a kyrtulle there sche stode, And bowne sche was to sete. "Damyselle," he seyde, "feyre and free, Welle gretyth thy lemman the, Of that he the be-hete; Here an hedd y have the broght, The kyngys of Fraunce ys hyt noght, Hyt ys evylle to gete." The byrde bryght as golde hye, "Me thynkyth he was trewe of hete, 1000 1005 1010 "Damyselle," he seyde, "feyre and bryght, 1015 Now wylle y have that thou hym hyght," And ovyr hys sadulle he leynyd; Ofte sythys he kyste that may, That alle the brygge can bende! 1020 Crye and noyse rose yn the towne, Many an hardy knyght, With sperys longe and schyldys browne; And made hym bowne to fyght. Hur skarlet sleve he schare of then, He seyde, "Lady, be thys ye shalle me ken, 1025 When ye me see by syght." Soche love waxe betwene them two, That the lady wepte for wo, When he ne wynne hur myght. 1030 Chylde Florent yn on-feyre wede Sprange owt as sparkylle on glede, The sothe for to say: 1035 Many hethen men that stownde, There was no chyldys play. To Parys he toke the way; The hethyn men were so for-dredd, To Cleremount with the mayde they fledd, There the Sowdon lay. In hur fadur pavylon, There they let the maydyn downe, And sche knelyd on knee; The Sowdon was fulle blythe, And kyssyd hur sythys thre. Wyth grete solempnyté : Sche tolde hur fadur and wolde not layne, 1040 1045 1050 How Araganour, the gyaunt, was slayne; 1055 |