BYcause that I desyre y^e hye and notable fay­tes of ryght noble and ryght valyaunt men of honour and prowesse for to brynge them in to memorye and recommendacyon / and also to the ende that all noble and vertuous hertes may be moued and styred for to do well / in lykewyse as our predecessours hath done afore vs / and in es­pecyall / [Page] they of the whiche this present hystorye treateth of. ¶I fynde wryten that after the dethe of the ryghte noble / and valyaunt lorde / and prynce. Carlemayne the grete Emperour / and Kynge of Fraunce / after that he hadde subdu [...]d / & brought vnder his obeyssaunce / in to our holy crystē fayth the Spanyerdes. ¶There was a kynge in Castyll / y^• whiche was a ryght puyssaunt prynce / that was moche beloued of all his subgectes / that at that tyme was depryued of the ryght heurous felycyte / that is in maryage / whiche is to haue lygnage / and generacyon / for the whiche cause all his subgectes were gre­tely at my sease / for they desyred no thynge soo moche as to se an heyre of his body that myght be successour of the realme after y^• decease of this good kynge. His wyfe the whiche was the doughter of the kynge of Galyce / that was a fayre lady and a vertuous / amonge her prayers and orysons / that she ma [...]e so our lorde forgate not to requyre hym by his debona [...]e clemense / that he wolde sende her a chylde / to the ende that the countree abode not with out an hery [...]ou [...]. Our lorde Ihesu cryst herynge the request that this good quene made to hym / forga [...]e her no [...] / [...] in sh [...]te tyme after she conceyued / and whan terme was come she was delyuered of a fayre so­ne / of the whiche the kynge / and all his subgectes were gretely reioysce / but theyr Ioye was soone turned to sorow for the quenchad trauaylled so sore / y^• she lyued not two houres after the byrth of her sone / the whiche was grete dyspleasure to the kynge that loued her so moche / And certaynly he had good cause / neuerthelesse he was not lefte alone makynge that sorowe / for all his subgec­tes bare hym company.

AFter the cōplayntes innumerable of the kynge / and of his subgectes / y^• quene was layd on bere and for to gyue comforte they ordey­ned that the chylde sholde be borne to be baptysed / with the corps of the quene. And soo it was done in grete lamentacyons / and the chylde was named Olyuer and after that y^• seruyce was fynysshed the kynge retorned in to his palays / in the which palays [Page] he demeaned his sorowe by longe space of tyme / and he toke no comforte but in his ryght amyable sone Olyuer. And in kyssynge hym oftentymes he sayd vnto hym / Alas my dere sone thy natyuyte hathe torned me to grete Ioye / and also vnto grete trystesse and dolour / but in all humylyte I beseche our lorde that he haue mercy on thy moders soul [...] / And that he gyue the grace that thou mayst be suche one as my herte doth requyre. In suche wordes and semblables he complayned hym often vpō his felowe and spouse that he hadde soo feruently loued The noble men of his courte / and also other of the real­me were ryght dolaunt bycause that as them semed the kynge was becomen all desolate / and not soo famylyer with them as he had ben accustomed afore the dethe of the quene / wherfore they sayd that the kynges lamen­tynge endured ouer longe / wherfore it is expedyent to vs for to take aduyse in what maner we may cause hym for to cesse it / for he must put it out of his memorye / for he is yet yonge & lusty ynough for to haue ꝓgeny & chyl­dren / & there is nothynge y^• may cause hym so sone for to [...]esse his sorowe / and make hym Iocounde as to mary hym vnto some yonge lady [...]where as he maye take his pleasure and delyte in al gladnesse. These wordes were not sayd alonly in this absence / but also in his presence for they that were moost couersaunt with his persone / declared it often vnto hym / and exhorted hym for to be maryed / yf that they myght fynde one that were accep­table for the dygnyte. At that tyme the kyng of Algarbe was deed / and his wyfe was abyden wydowe / the whiche was one of the moost excellentest ladyes at that ty­me of the worlde / the whiche had a sone by her ryghtfull lorde and husbande that was named Arthur / the which [Page] was a meruaylous fayre chylde / and Olyuer & he were bothe of one aege. The kynge of Castyll had ben aduer­tysed of the beaute of the quene of Algarbe / wherfore he sente his Ambassatours / for to haue her to his quene / y^• whiche Embassatours whan they were comen theder / were receyued with grete tryumphe and honoure / in so moche that shortly after she was accorded to them by y^e lordes of the realme / as ye shall here. Whan they were brought in the presence of the quene and her counsayll / they declared the cause of theyr comynge / y^• whiche was gladly herde bothe of her kynnesmen / and the other ba­rons / and after that the Embassatours hadde rehersed that the whiche they had in commaundement by theyr lorde and kynge / they with drewe them in to theyr lod­ges / with whome wente many knyghtes and squyres for to conueye them.

AS the quene sawe her accompanyed [...] moost parte of her frendes. And them that she moost trusted in sayd. Lordes ye knowe the cause wherfore the kynge of Ca [...]yll ha­the sēte his Embassadours hether / wherfo­re I prarye you for [...] in this mater / for I am she that by our good counsayll wyll be agreable to do that the whiche ye shall determyne. These wor [...]s fynysshed / she toke [...] and wente in to her chambre / and leue them alone with that mater. And fy [...]ly / they we­re all of ou [...] accorde / that the maryage sholde be made / And retorned towarde the [...] s [...]ynge that as them thought there was but [...] prynces of more auctoryte than the kynge of Casty [...]l was wherfore she myght not be lyghtly better bestowed. And in effecte they shewed her the yonge aege that she was yet in / and also th [...] ten­dre aege of her sone. Wherfore they counsaylled her that she sholde accepte the request of the Kynge of Castyll / The quene answered / my frendes I haue tolde you / & yet dothe / that your good counsayll and [...] / [...]s well my wyll. And therfore make the responce / and answere to the Embassadours on [...] / suche as [...]e shall thynke moost expedyent / [...] I shall [...]. And then they thanked her / and [...] fyue / or syxe of the moost notablest / [...] whiche were chosen for to gyue the answere [...] of y^• kynge of Castyll. And wha [...] that they were com [...]n to [Page] theyr inne / they sayd to them. Our honourable lady the quene / of her grace and be [...]ygnyte / hath accorded vnto your request / not all of her owne voluntary wyll / but at the instaunce o [...]h [...]r [...] and Barons. To whome it semeth good / and vtyll / for the prospery [...]e of bothe par­tyes. That ye [...] whan it shall seme you good / and [...] your lorde / that as [...] as it shall please hym / he may sende for her / or come in his persone. For they put [...] to his noble [...]. Neuerthelesse seynge that both [...] partyes were wydowes / vnto theyr aduyse / it were [...] that he came the [...]er for to wedde her And [...] the spous [...]ylies sholde be doone / without ony [...] excesse of [...] / more than apperteyned to su­che a feest. And as for the surplus that he sholde do as it pleased hym.

[...]Ra [...]yously the Embassadours thāked y^• que­ [...]e / and her noble counsayll / saynge that they wolde gladly tell theyr r [...]sponce vnto theyr [...]orde and kynge / y^• shall be well contente of this vnyte. And then at theyr requcit they were ledde before the quene / whome they thanked / & [...]o­ke theyr [...] [...]ther full honourably / and of all the other [...]. And after that they had taken theyr [...] / vpon the [...] morowe they departed. But ye may [...] departed / the quene h [...]d sent them many [...] gyftes. Of theyr waye and I [...]urn [...]yes I can not [...] you / but they made suche dyl [...]gence / that [Page]

they descended in the towne where as at that tyme the kynge remayned. And as bryefly as they myght / they wente towarde the kynge / that allredy was aduertysed of theyr retornynge. And after the reuerence done / they recounted to hym how they had spedde and wroughte / wherof the kynge was meruayllously Iocounde / and at that tyme he was delyvered for to goo theder within a thre wekes / or a moneth for to espouse the quene. Aud [Page] in lykewyse as the kynge had deuysed / so it was accomplysshed / and departed from Castyll with a lytell cōpa­ny. And then as he was vpon his waye / he sente worde to the quene pronouncynge his comȳge. The whiche receyued hym with grete melody. And hastely y^e spousaylles were sumptuously made / in suche a wyse as apper­teyneth to a kyng and a quene. The yonge Arthur with al his puyssaunce made good chere to the kynge his stepfader. Also whan the kynge behelde hym / hym thought that he sawe his sone Olyuer / for to aege and bygnesse they resembled so moche that they coude not dyscusse y^e one from another / wherof the barons that came with y^• kynge was gretely abasshed. Soo whan the weddynge was fynyshed / and that the kynge had soiourned there a moneth or two / he commysed in his stede a ryght noble knyght / to be protectour of the realme of Algarbe. And after those thynges done he departed / & ledde w^t hym his newe quene / and Arthur her sone. They rode so lon­ge that they arryued in the cyte where as the kynge dyd moost remayne / and were receyued with grete tryum­phe and Ioye. The kynge cōmaunded that Arthur sholde haue suche estate as his owne sone Olyuer had / wherfore fro that daye forwarde / they were nourysshed togyder / and loued [...]oo perfoundly togyder that it myght ne [...]er be lost / as ye shall here more euydently after ensuynge / [...]nd for a good cause why / for they resembled so mo­che that oftentymes they toke one for another.

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IT was so that Olyuer / and Arthur began for to waxe grete. Wherfore they were taken from the kepynge of the ladyes. And gaue to them a ryght prudent / and valyaunt knyght / for to demonstre / & enduce them in feates of armes / as it apperteyneth to kȳges sones. He receyued the two noble chyldren / that were bothe of one aege / and of one beaute / and instructed them in all good m [...]ers. Th [...]n whan they began for to haue knowlege / they loued to­gyder with so perfyte loue / that hey made a [...]ya [...]nce togyder of fraternall cōpany / in promysynge [...] for to fayle vnto the dethe departed them / for consyderynge y^• [Page] wyll of theyr lorde / that kepte them bothe so rychely / & put in theyr vnderstondyng that it sholde be impossyble that euer theyr grete loue sholde fayle. The kynge and the quene and all the barons of the countree / seynge the two chyldren so perfyte felowes togyde [...] / and loue [...]o inwardly were gretely reioysed / and thanked oure lorde therof with mylde hertes / yf I name them perfyte with out ony defaute blame me not / nor meruayll you not of it / for certaynly of beaute / bounte prudence / and humy­lyte / that ought to be in ony noble herte / was in tho two noble men. They may dysportes amonge the knyghtes and squyres and amonge ladyes and damoyselles / as in dauncynge / and dyuers other games they founde none that myght passe them / as for dysportes that be vsed by noble men in tyme of peas / as at t [...]nnys / lepe / sprynge / wrastle / cast the stone / cast the bar [...]e / or ony other games / none wolde compare with them two. And brye [...]y all thynge that they applyed them to / became them well As vnto the regarde of Iustes / and tourneymentes / it was defended them by the kynge theyr fader / bycause y^• they were to tendre of aege as at that tyme. Notwith­standynge whan the kynge sawe that they were puys­saunt ynoughe for to welde armour at theyr [...]ase he gaue them lycence for to do crye a Iustynge / and a turneyment. The whiche Olyuer / and Arthur made for to be cryed / that thre auenturous knyghtes sholde Iu [...]e a­gaynst all comers / the whiche sholde fynde thē there the fyrste daye of the lus [...]y moneth of maye in complete har­neys / for to Iust agaynst theyr aduersaryes / with sharpe speres / and the sayd thre champyons sholde Iust .iij. dayes in thre colours / that is to wete / in blacke / gray / & vyolet / and theyr sheldes of the same hewe / and them to [Page] fynde on the thyrde daye at the lystes. There Iusted dyuers yonge knyghtes of the kynges courte. And the Iustynge was more asperer of those yonge knyghtes tha [...] euer they had sene ony in that countree / and by the re­porte of the ladyes they dyde so knyghtly euerychone y^• it was not possyble for to do better as them thought by theyr strokes. But aboue all other Olyuer and Arthur his loyal felowe had the bruyte and loos. The Iustynge endured longe / it was meruayll to se the hydeous stro­kes that they delte / for the Iustynge had not fynysshed so sone / but that the nyght separed theym / neuerthelesse the aduersary party abode tyll the torches were lyghte. But the ladyes and damoyselles / that of all the Iustynge tyme had ben there were wery / and wolde departe / wherfore the Iusters departed in lyke wyse / and wente and dysarmed theym for to come to the banket or feest / and whan that the banquet was fynysshed and done / the daunces beganne. And there came the kynge and y^e valyaunt knyghtes of armes / for to enquyre of the ladyes / and damoyselles who that had best borne hȳ as for that daye. The ladyes whiche were all of one accorde / & agreement / sayd that Olyuer and Arthur had su [...]moū ­ted all y^• best doers of that Iourneye. And bycause that Olyuer / and Arthur were bothe of one party / and that they coude fynde but lytell dyfferēce bytwene theym of knyghthode / they knewe not the whiche they myght sustayne. But in the ende they sayd that Arthur had done ryght valyauntly / neuerthelesse they sayd that Olyuer had done best / vnto theyr semynge. And therfore it was concluded that the pryce sholde be gyuen vnto Olyuer / as for the best of them of within. And another noble knyght of the realme of Algarbe / that came with the que­ne [Page] had the pryce of without / whā the pryce of the Iustes that hadde ben made / was broughte before Olyuer by two fayre damoyselles he waxed all rede and was as a­shamed at that present tyme & sayd that [...] was of theyr bounte for to gyue hym the pryce and not of his deserte / neuerthelesse he receyued it / and as it was of custome in guerdonnynge them be kyssed them. And sone after they brought the wyne and spyces / and thenne the daunces and the feest toke an ende as for that nyght.

[Page] THe two yonge mē after that the feest was fynysshed / and the leue takē / they wente vnto theyr chambre. Olyuer thynkynge that he wolde not be contente with that pryce. And Arthur on the other syde sayd that he wolde do so moche yf he myght / that another tyme he myghte gete the pryce / but not for enuye of the honoure of his felowe. But good courage and good wyll caused hym to haue those thoughtes. On the other partye the kynge allredy entred in to his chambre for to go vnto his rest / the quene also thought excessyuely on the feest that she had sene the daye tofore. And in especyall on the two yonge knyghtes was all her thought. Of the whiche the one of them was her owne sone / the whiche ye may thynke dyd not dysplease her / and sayd vnto herselfe. Lady Mary what dure and aspre strokes I haue sene thē gyue and receyue to daye. How gentylly it became the kynges so­ne Olyuer for to daunce / and the clothynge that he wa­re / certes that lady or damoysell sholde be well happy y^• he wolde loue. In these thoughtes she wente to bed and fell on slepe / but that was not but y^t she thought in her slepe that she sawe hym daunce all aboute the chambre. that had pleased her so moche the daye before. So begā the quene for to entre in to soo grete a foly that it neuer lefte her / and that was grete pyte and dommage as ye shall here afterwarde. The daye spronge / and at the houre that they were accustomed for to ryse in the courte / Olyuer and his felowe Arthur arose and made them redy in the same wyse that they were accustomed / and in that estate they wente in to the kynges court. Whan the quene sawe them / she made them better semblaunce / & better chere than she shas wonte to doo / and called the [Page] kynges sone aboute the necke / and badde them good morowe. And sayd alowe bytwene her tethe. Olyuer my frende I thynke that god hath made you for to be loked on in this worlde. Olyuer herde it well / and meruaylled hȳ moche wherfore she sayd it / for he wys [...] not whether she sayd it for good / or for euyll / neuerthelesse he put it in oubly / and thought no more vpon it.

BY space of tyme this passed ouer / neuertheles O­lyuer was not ashamed to be amonge ladyes / & [Page] damoyselles / and was neuer wery of Iustynge and turneynge / or other feates of armes that apperteyned to o­ny noble prynce. And whan that he knewe of ony greate assemble / he wolde not haue fayled but that he wolde haue ben there [...] whether that he had ben ferre or nere / and therfore euery body had grete Ioye of hym / and sayd it was a grete reioysynge to the kynge of Castyll the whi­che was alredy ferre altred in aege for to se his only so­ne & heyre so replenysshed in all vertuous operacyons / but fortune the whiche is maystresse of all aduersyte & sorowes aduychylled his cōsolacyon / & separed frō hym his electe welfare by y^e quene his wyfe. The whiche be holdynge the gyfte of grace that nature had gyuen hym so fayre a chylde / she was soo taken with his loue that it is meruayll to recounte it / for whan she was by herselfe in ony secrete place alone / as in her bedde / or elles where she sayd full often. Ha a Olyuer ryght fayre creature y^• treasoure of my thoughtes. Iowe well for to curse thy resplendysshynge beaute / for I am constrayned for thy excellence to do the thynge that neuer quene dyde / for I must habandon the loue of my lorde / and husbande for thyne. And yf that thou haue not compassyon vpon me the surplus of my dayes shal be in anguyssh and dolour In this wyse the quene complayned so longe / that Olyuer and his felowe came for to se her. Whome she recey­ued with Ioyous semblaunt. And whan ony persone axed her wherfore she shewed more sygne of amyte to o­lyuer than she dyde to Arthur her owne sone / she sayd that she dyde it for to please the kynge y^• better with all She toke Olyuer by the hande and made hym by force for to sytte downe besyde her. And began for to deuyse with hym of dyuers maters / and amonge other deuyses [Page] she demaūded hym by the fayth of his body / yf that he were not amorous of some fayre lady. And he sayd naye And then she sayd vnto hym Olyuer my loue. I can not byl [...]ue that the whiche ye haue spoken. And therfore I requyre you that ye tell me the trouthe in what place she remayneth that is so eurous for to be your louer. Ma­dame answered Olyuer / in good fayth she hathe none a bydynge. For there is so many excellent ladyes in this realme / that I can not tell the whiche I may loue. And also I doubte to be refused. Wherfore madame I know well that ye do but mocke with me / for she sholde be but a lytell happy for to haue my loue. For I am not a man that as yet hathe done ony thynge / wherof I oughte to enquyre ony lady of loue. And therfore vnto this houre I haue not done so moche / nor wonne / wherfore I ou­ghte to be contente. The quene herynge the answer of y^• yonge knyght / was sore abasshed. For the more that she deuysed with hym / the more she founde hym constaunt and ferme in his purpose / and alwaye she contynued in her folye / in so moche that Olyuer apperceyued a parte of her wyll and desyre. Wherfore he helde his peas and spake not so moche as he had done before. And she seyn­ge that she spake no more sayd vnto hym. My frende yf ony grete maystresse requyred you of loue / wolde ye re­fuse her / certes madame sayd he. I am not soo happy / nor no woman so folysh / for to requyre me of loue / and therfore there is none answer.

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OLyuer that was not well pleased for to be in suche deuyses with his fayre moder / made to his felowe a sygne that he sholde calle hym the whiche dyde so / and sayd. My broder the houre passeth that we sholde go there as ye wote of / and therfore I put you in remembraū ­ce. Olyuer answered that it was true. And then he toke his leue of the quene / the whiche dydde strayne his fyn­gres togyder at the departynge Olyuer was thā ryght dyspleasaūt bycause that he knewe her in suche estate / but he durst make [...]o semblaūt vnto his felowe / for drede and fere / that he wolde haue ben to dysplesaunt. So [Page] as they were out of the quenes chambre / the quene drew herselfe aparte in to a lytell garderobe / and lete herselfe fall vpō a bedde / and sayd vnto her selfe. My loue ye be not soo folysshe / but that ye knowe thaffayre in the whi­che I am oppressyd / and certaynly it shall not be lefte thus / for to morowe ye shall haue knowlege of all my sorowe / and dysease And also Olyuer vpon that other sy­de / was in grete thought as well as y^• quene his stepmo­der was / for whan he was in his lodgys / he wente in to his chambre all alone / where as he dyde saye knelynge / My blessyd creatour thou hast formed me vnto thy semblaunce / and hast gyuen me indygne more beaute than I am worthy for to haue / the whiche shall because of my destruccyon / yf that thou by thy grace put not [...] Wherfore I praye the that thou wouchesauf for to kepe the honour of my fader / and me / and that I be not occa­syon of the euyll wyll / wherin I se her at this present tyme / for I wyll not accorde therto for to deye. And ther­fore I requyre you with humble herte that it wyll plea­se y^• for to take her out of that dampnable opynyon / and that thou reduce / an brynge her into suche estate / and wyll / that as a good and loyall spouse / she may kepe her towarde her husbande.

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ON the morowe after that Olyuer was co­mē in to his faders courte / aboute the hou­re of dyner / he durste not leue his olde cus­tome / the whiche was / for to go and vysyte the quene / and also to the ende that none sholde apperceyue his affayre. In contynent as he had salued her / he withdrewe hym in to the thyckest prees of the ladyes / bycause that he wolde not be alone with the quene his stepmoder / but that auaylled hym but lytell / For the quene without ony shame wente and fetched hȳ agayne / and toke hym by the hande / saynge that she wolde speke with hȳ. And by forse whether he wolde or [Page] not she made hym for to sytte downe by her. And satte thynkȳge / and musynge a grete whyle / and sayd neuer a worde. Whā the quene sawe that he sayd neuer a worde / she was halfe ashamed and chaunged coloure / and sayd to hym. My loue haue ye no remembraunce of the deuyses that we had togyder. Truely madame sayd Olyuer. My memorye is so small / that I haue reteyned but lytell / or nought. Ha my swete herte sayd the quene I suppose y^• your vnderstondynge is not so dull / to for­gete in so shorte space / that the whiche is sayd vnto you But I apperceyue by your langage / that ye knowe my mynde better than I can recorde it to you. Madame I wote not what ye wolde saye. Certaynly sayd she my lo­ue / to y^• ende that ye knowe it. I tell you that I wyl be yours. And therfore I gyue me vnto you all holly. It is not of newe that ye be lorde ouer me / and of my wyll / But fere / & shame hathe caused me to kepe it close by lōge space of tyme. Neuerthelesse all doubtes put abacke I put you in memorye that I am not of your kȳred so nere / but hat ye may do all your pleasure with me / as ye wolde do to your lady and loue / and I also of you in lyke wyse / wher thrugh we may haue incōpreable Ioy and solace togyder. And yf that my fortune be so vnhappy / that my request be not vttred I shall occyse myselfe And therfore my loue / in you lyeth my lyfe and my deth whan Olyuer vnderstode this / he was more abasshed than euer he was before / and sayd vnto her in this wyse Madame where as ye say that ye loue me I thanke you hertly and as for that / that ye name you my louer / it can not be no gretter than it is as for my parte / for as vnto my moder / and maystresse / there is no seruyce but that I wyll do it at your commaundemēt / as I am bounde [Page] for to do. I can not thynke that ye be so chyldysshe that ye wolde loue me otherwyse than a good moder sholde / and ought to loue her chylde. For I holde my selfe for suche one / that I had leuer deye than for to do ony thynge that were contrary to the honour of the kynge my fader And yf that I dyde otherwyse / the houre of my byrth ought well to be cursed.

THe quene ryght furyously / and Irefully brake his wordes in sayng. Olyuer cursed be thy beaute / whan y^• thou arte so eleuate in pryde / to refuse suche a quene as I am / but fro hens forth / y^e name of a frende y^• was gy­uen to the by me / and that hathe ben fyxed in the profoū denesse of my secrete thoughtes / and also y^e reioycynge of my herte / by thy grete outragyous cruelte shall be torned in to grete amerenes. For I shall name the my mortall enemye / as one that is a destroyer / and sleer of ladyes. For thou arte a murderer of me / and shall be cause of my deth / and that ryght shortly. But it shall not be with out the. For in all the maners / and facyons that can be / vnto me possyble I shall abredge thy lyfe. For me thynketh that it is reason syth that I must dye for the / and y^e thou arte cause of my dethe / that thou be parteyner of my dolour and anguysshe / notwithstandynge I praye to our lorde that he pardōne the / the innumerable euyll [Page] les that by the are lykly for to befall. And then she sayd vnto hym. Aryse of my quysshen / and go thy waye / for it is impossyble to me / for to be here in the presence of the people / withoute that my sorowe shall be apperceyued / Olyuer arose and toke his leue of the quene / the whiche went in to a lytell chambre / where as she demeaned her sorowe so meruaylously that it were impossyble for to [...]ecounte / and tell it. Olyuer wente towarde the kynge & salued hym. Soo after that he had ben there a whyle he wente vnto his place / and his felowe with hym / whiche knewe full well that his broder made not soo good chere as he was accustomed for to doo / and demaunded hym what meuyd hym / that he was so sadde. And whan he sawe that he wolde not tell hym / he thought in hymselfe that he wolde not demaunde hym no more / leste that he sholde be dyspleased with hym. All that daye Olyuer a bode in this chambre / and for to couer the better his dyspleasure / he made his men for too vnderstande that he was not well at ease / and that he was a lytell dysmayde For the whiche thȳge his felowe Arthur was ryght do lent / and sorowfull / but it was impossyble to hym for to amende it / this notwithstandynge / he wolde not depar­te from hym / but after so [...]per Olyuer requyred hym y^• he wolde go towarde the kynge / and the ladyes for that nyght. And that he wolde kepe hym without makynge ony mensyon of his sykenes / and that at his comynge agayne he sholde fynde hȳ a bedde. So at the request of his broder he was contente for to goo / and sayd to hym / My good broder Olyuer it is your wyll that I shall go in to the courte / and bycause that it shall be late or that I come agayne / and that I myght happen awake you I hydde you good nyght. And I pray god gyue you go [Page] [...]e rest so that your sykenesse may to morowe be aledged And tolde hym that he wolde not lye with hym y^e nyght Then Olyuer embrased hym / with the teres in his eyen and sayd to Arthur that he abode ouer longe. Arthur apperceyued the teres in his eyen / wherfore he was sore abasshed. For he knewe hȳ for suche a man / that he dys­comforted hym not for a lytell thynge / neuerthelesse he made no semblaunt / but departed with grete lamētacy on. Alas yf he had knowen wheron his felowe dyde thȳ ke / his sorowe wolde haue doubled / for he sawe hym not after vnto the tyme that they hadde bothe suffred many aduersytees / as ye shall here more playnly afterwarde.

AS Olyuer sawe that he was left alone / and that his loyall felowe was gone / he abode al pensyf / and sadde. And sayd vnto his cham­berlayne that he wolde go vnto bedde / and y^• he sholde make euery body to auoyde for that nyght. And badde his chamberlayne that he sholde make prouysyon of paper / and ynke. So whan euery body was departed / and that there was no moo lefte with in the chambre but his chamberlayne / he made hym re­dy and wente to bedde. And then he badde his chamberlayne that he sholde go his waye for that nyght / for there is one that wyll lye with me / the whiche wyll not be knowen. The chamberlayne dyde his lordes commaundement / and departed / and shytte the dore after hym. And whan that Olyuer saw that euery body was auoyded / there is no herte may thynke / nor expresse / the innumerable lamentacyōs that he made. And fyrste of all the grete goodes / and honour / that in that countree he had receyued. And after / for the ryght bytter dolour that for his sake were lykly for to come / as well vnto the kynge his fader / as vnto his felowe / and in generall al them of the kȳges courte / where as he was so derely byloued This notwithstandynge he concluded in hymselfe that he wolde departe habandonnynge londes / possessyons / and honours / saynge that the worldly honours / were nothynge [Page] in comparyson of the spyrytuelles / y^• whiche hathe neuer ende / and sayd that he oughte not for to kepe his carcas so deyntely / that was ordeyned in this worlde for to be wormes mete / as his honour and his soule / the whiche sholde be tormented in helle / yf that he wold byleue the dampnable opynyon of his fayre moder. He thought in hymselfe that it were better for hym for to departe be tymes / than ouer late / for he had no more trust nor confydens in the quene / seynge and consyderynge y^• wordes that she had sayd vnto hym. Then he toke the paper and the ynke / and began for to wryte a lettre the whiche adressyd vnto his felowe. In the whiche after y^• gretynges and salutacyons / made as amyably as ony myght be made / he put in y^• lettre that for certayne cau­ses he was departed from the courte in praynge hym ryghte debonayrly that he wolde pardon hym of that that he had not aduertysed hym of his departyng / for certaȳ ly it had ben impossyble vnto hym / for to haue departed in his presence. And this notwithstandynge yf that he were ferre from his syghte / yet he sholde not be longed from his herte / for in what coūtre / or in what place that euer he were / he wolde holde hym for his good broder / & frende / and that neuer on his syde he wolde forgete hȳ Afterwarde he prayed hym that he wolde make his re­commendacyons ryght humbly vnto his fader the kynge and the quene / and vnto all theym the whiche sholde demaunde after hym. And then he wrote aboue. My broder bycause that I wote neuer whā I shall se you agayne. I leue with you this lytell glasse / the whiche is ful of clere water as ye may see / and I praye you that ye loke euery daye ones vpon it for my loue / for yf I haue ony euyll aduenture / that water that is in the glasse shall [Page] become all blacke / and that shall sygnyfye that I am [...] some euyll aduenture or empesshement. And then my loyall broder and faythfull felowe I beseche you that for the grete loue and amyte / that we haue [...]ad togyder that yf so happen / that ye wyll departe from the courte of my fader and neuer rest tyll that ye here some tydyn­ges of me. My broder and true felowe / in you [...]s all my hope and trust / aboue all them in the worlde. Of her thȳ ge my broder I wote not what to wryte to you / but that ye may be sure that I shall deye yours. I praye to oure lorde Ihesu cryst / that he gyue you asmoche good / and grace / as my herte desyreth. Amen.

ANd whan the lettres were made. Olyuer made hym redy / and whan he was redy / bothe booted / and sporred / and his swerde by his syde / he wente in to his stable at the houre of mydnyght whan that euery body was retrayed vnto theyr ynnes / for it was a place all alone a good waye from the kynges courte / and at that tyme there dwelled no body nor none of his seruauntes / and at that tyme / there was no warre in the realme of Cas­tyll / but all peas / and therfore he myght the better / and the more secretely do his wyll / so he toke a hors the whiche [Page]

that semyd hym best / and sadled hym / and then he lepte vpon hym / but that was not / but that afore his de­partynge / he put the lettre and the glasse in his chambre in the moost redyest place to his semynge / and there as it myght sonest be founde. And also he had taken a lytell purse / in the whiche he had put a thousande nobles / and other lytell bagges that were not of so grete value / but what of syluer / and other thynge / they were worthe as [Page] moche. He founde the gate of his place open / and the kȳ ­ge at that tyme was in a place / where as no gates were shytte. Olyuer rode forth­and exployted so moche with his ease / and also with the fayre lyght of the mone / that he passed the towne lyghtely. And whan that Olyuer was a lytell passed the towne heretorned his ryght he­auteous vysage towarde the place where as he had ben nourysshed and sayd. [...] kȳge of Casty [...] thou les [...]s [...]e in this ny [...]ht thyn onely begoten sone. [...] ryghte f [...]uctuous [...]cal [...]e thou lesest thy prynce a [...] ryghtways he [...]e. [...] thou my broder Arthur thou lesest thy fayth full f [...]lo [...]e. And there he toke his leue of them all in say­ge. [...] and [...] sel [...]s and thou ryall palay [...] taken my [...]ouryture. I pray to [...] preserue all them that ben enhabytyng ther­ [...] [...] euyll aduenture [...] and he wyll transporte [...] and [...]yue her knowle [...]e that the euyll wyl [...] me procedeth [...] of a Iust and [...] from her. As these words were fynys [...] he returned his [...] in to the [...] wypynge a w [...]ye the [...] of [...] face and of his clo [...]e that [...] of teres that he [...] neuer [...]lynted rydynge [...] me to a lytell vyl [...] [...]. And he came [...] and [...] that he [...] whiche wolde departe from thens and [...] Englande that was allredy [...] the shyppe and dyuers other [...] that wante to­warde the [...] Constantynople. Olyuer demau [...] [...] of the [...] / yf that he wolde lette hym go with them and he wolde cōsente hym ryght largely [Page] for his fraught. But the mayster marynere answered to hym / that he wolde not. Wherfore Olyuer was ryght sory / & dyspleasaunt / but at the instaunce / and request / of the Englysshe knyght / the whiche was all redy abor­de / he was content. And then Olyuer gaue the mayster of the shyppe his noble courser / for to doo with hym his good pleasure. And after that Olyuer had gyuen hym his courser / he entred in to the shyppe / the whiche abo­de but for the tyde / and whan that the bye tyde was co­men / they departed. The gentyll Olyuer was all alone for he had no knowlege / nor none acquayntaunce with no body within that shyp / but by the suffraunce of god almyghtye / he acquaynted hym soo with the Englysshe knyght / that they were so good frendes & loued so perfytely togyder / that he myght ryght well auaūt hym that god had gyuen hym good encountree / and ryght good auenture of the whiche Olyuer had ryght grete necessyte / as ye shal here in this presente hystorye afterwarde more playnly. We shall leue here to speke of the noble knyght Olyuer / [...] hym goo in the garde / and kepynge of our lorde Ihesu cryst / and of y^• wynde / and of the see / and that the wyll of his inestimable grace cond [...] hym to a good porte and hauen. Amen.

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HEre aboue ye haue herde of the departyng of the noble Olyuer / sone of the Kynge of Castylle. Whan it was daye / erly in y^• mor­nynge his seruauntes came to his chambre for to be at his vprysynge / as they were ac­customed. And whan that they were comen theder they founde the garde of his persone without the dore / wherfore they meruaylled gretely. In the meane whyle that they abode afore the dore / and that the hour of dyner approched nere / his fyrst chamberlayne came / and founde this company afore the chambre dore / the which as yet had not entred in to the chambre wherof he was abas­shed meruaylously / and demaunded what tydynges / & sayd to hym that Olyuer had bydden the euenynge be­fore [Page] that they sholde departe / and axed hȳ why he was [...] ouer that he demaunded hym / yf that they [...] [...] and he answered. I was not there to [...] nor tell you whe­ther he be [...] to [...] but it shall be well done that [...] and to he dyde / but none answered hym [...] whereas was no body / so they were [...] meane whyle Arthur that had [...] came for to se in what estate h [...]s broder had borne hym that nyghte. And whan that he knewe that none of them hadbe yet entred in to the chambre he doubted leest his felowe hadde some grete [...] bycause of y^• sykenesse of th [...] daye afore. So he called one o [...] the squyers of his chambre that ha [...]e the keyes of that doore / in the same wyse as Olyuer hadde / for they twayne had neuer but one chambre / and made to open the chambre dore / and after entred all alone / and shytte the dore after hym. As sone as he was in the chambre / the fyrst thynge that he [...]yde / was that he wente streyght vnto the bedde whe­re as he founde nobody / wherfore he was [...]ore abasshed And began for to serche all aboute / as well at y^• draught as elleswhere, And whan he sawe that he coude not fynde hym / he was so dyspleasaūt that he wyst not what to saye or do. And thus as he sought vp and downe in the chambre / thynkynge and [...] vpon this thynge / he [...] regarde [...] syde / and aspyed the lytell glasse of [Page] his felowe / that he had s [...]ne afore tyme / so he approched nere / and toke it in his hande [...] and in takynge it / he ap­perceyned the lettre / and he sawe euydently that he su­ [...]er [...] was of his felowes hande wrytynge / and [...] it [...] began for to rede it euer. And whan he vn [...] [...] the [...] of the lettre yf all the sorowes / and [...] that euer he had in his lyfe had comen to [...] yet he [...] not haue had the. C. [...] the dolour and anguyss [...] that he systayned at [...] and had his [...] And then he began for to com­playne hym so dolefully that it wolde haue molefyed y^• durest herte of the worlde and sayd vnto hymself. Alas my lorde / my broder / and my faythfull felowe certayn­ly I byleue not but and ye had loued me so profoundly / as I loue you ye wolde haue gyuen me some knowlege of your departynge. And truely it hadde bē impossyble for me to haue departed from you as ye haue departed from me. Alas my broder I knowe you for suche one / y^• ye be not departed withoute grete occasyon / and to my symple wytte I dyde you neuer tryspass [...]n [...] deserued agaynst you / but yf that your pleasure hadde ben that I myght haue knowen somewhat of your dyspleasure / & yf that [...]t be possyble to me for to knowe it sholde deye in the payne / but that ye were reuenged at your owne wyll. Ryght noble kynges sone the prouysyon sente frō heuen for the salute of this coūtree / what shall your fa­der / and my moder saye. And in sayng this he swowned And who that hadde sene hym / wolde better haue Iu­ged hym deed than quycke.

ALl the noble men of the courte that abode at Olyuers chambre dore seyng that they had no tydynges of Arthur / that was entred in to the chambre / made it for to be knowen to the kynge theyr fader / and the fyrste cham­berla [...] of Olyuer sayd vnto hym. My souerayne lor­de your sone Olyuer was yesterdaye a lytell dyseased / & [Page] made to auoyde all the gromes of his chambre / and abode all alone. And yet at this houre all the grome of his chambre / was without the dore / the whiche be not as yet entred. And as touchynge my parte I haue knocked at the chambre dore / but there was no body that answered me. Also my lorde Arthur his broder not longe ago / is entred / but we haue had noo more tydynges of hym than afore. And therfore I put you in memorye of these thynges / for to do therwith your good pleasure. Then the kynge sayd y^• he wolde go theder in his persone for to knowe what it myght sygnefye. And came vnto y^e chambre dore / y^• whiche was locked / but he made it to be opened / and entred in to the chambre with lytell company / And incon [...]ynent as he sawe not his sone Olyuer vpon his bedde / he doubted well that there was some what y^• wolde not please hym to moche. And as he loked here / & there / he [...] Arthur that was [...]yenge vpon y^• [...] thā alyue / and as yet he was [...]. And whan the kynge apperc [...] [...] he sayd vnto hym. My frēde I trow that thou knowest somewhat that I knowe not / and in saynge that he approched more nerer to hym / and sawe that he [...] not. Then he layde hande on hym and felte that there was some lyfe in hym / and therfore he made to put wyne / & brede in his nose / and dyde so mo­che that he came to hymselfe. And whan that he myghte speke he [...] for thy parte take this dyssolute crea­ture. And [...] those wordes / the [...] fel [...]e oute of his [...] whiche was redde [...] the kynge / in grete [...] and wepynge of the reder. And whan y^e kyn­ge knewe the departynge of his valyaūt sone Olyuer y^• [Page] he loued so derely. It was not possyble to hym for to he­re all that the lettre conteyned / for whan that he entred in to the mater where as it spake of the departyng of his sone / as hye as he stode he lete hymself fall downe to the erthe. It was grete pyte to haue ben in the chambre / for they wyst not to whome they myght attende / eyther to the fader / or to the broder / or to the seruauntes for all y^• whan he myght speke he a [...]ryed and sayd. O ryght my­serable kynge / wherfore dothe not god sende to the the dethe / truely nothynge sholde be to me [...] the dethe / nor nothynge so dyspleasaunt as to [...] my chylde thou made thy moder to dye and [...] of thy faders also that loueth the so tenderly. [...] whiche seynge thy ryghte fayre yong he [...].

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IN suche wordes so semblables / ledde the ryght [...]olent kynge and the quene / the grettest sorow that myght be. And there was nothȳge myght comforte them. Neuertheles a lytell whyle af­ter the kynge wente saynge. Alas my frendes / [...] this poore / and desolute kynge / and fa­der the whiche hathe lost all his Ioye / that is his sone / [...] I beseche you euerycho [...]e / to put you on the [Page] waye for to here some tytynges of hym / or yf that it be possyble for to fynde hym / for whome I haue so moche dolour / and anguysshe. Then the moost parte of theym departed at the commaundement of the kynge / and put them vpon the waye / and for to make shorte processe / they were in soo many places / and countrees / that it is meruayl to recounte it. And neuerthelesse they herde no tydynges that were ony thynge pleasaūt in that behal­fe. And therfore they retorned towarde the kynge / vnto whome they tolde all that they had founde. And whan he knewe that his losse was vncurable / he layde hym downe in his bedde all melancolyous. They that behel­de hȳ / thought y^• he wolde neuer haue rysen from thēs the quene seynge the grete maladye of the kynge / and al so knowynge that all these euylles proceded from her / y^• grete furour / and angre of the nyght afore / was chaun­ged in to pyte / sorowe / and dyspleasure / saynge thus. O vnhappy and cursed woman thou arte cause of the exyle and losse / of the moost fayrest / the moost gentyll / the moost wyse and the moost knyghtely that euer was in Castylle / thy desteny ought well to be cursed / and who y^t knewe thy case / they ought to punysshe y^e ryght bitterly. Alas my ryght fayre loue Olyuer / and my ryght de­re herte for to be drawen with horses / and for to suffre martyrdome / it is impossyble for me to amende the dys­pleasure and iniurye that by me hathe ben spoken vnto you / as she that was not maystresse of herfelfe / but was subgecte by my fragylyte to wrathe / not knowynge thy grete bounte and loyalte / and bycause that thy losse is vncouerable / and that it procedeth from me / and of my cause / neuer shall I haue Ioye. And as infortuned I shall vse y^• surplus of my lyfe in praynge our lorde that [Page] he wyll kepe thy ryght fayre yongth from all encombe­raunce. Who that wolde tell the complayntes of them of the countree / it wolde be to longe to tell it / and therfo­re I holde my peas / and reforneth to Olyuer.

[Page] WE haue suffycyently herde spokē here afore of the departynge that Olyuer made / that was sone and heyre of the kynge of Castyll / And how be put hym vpō the see / where as he was two mōthes / or there aboute. It be fell vpon a nyght that a tempest / and meruaylous ora­ge toke them / wherfore it was force to the shypmen for to habandonne theyr shyppe at the pleasure of god / vn­to whome they recommaunded them full often / as they that abode but his mercye. In that estate they were the space thre dayes / in ryght grete torment. And the tem­pest was so hydeous / and terryble / that vpon the thyrde daye theyr shyp stroke on grounde / by so grete force that it claue in two pyeces / and all were perysshed excepte Olyuer / and syr Iohan Talbot. Whiche seynge londe / the whiche was not ferre of / tooke some comforte. For whan they sawe that theyr shyp was clouen / and that all theyr felysshyp were perysshed / they sayd that it was better that they put themself for to swymme / for to saue theyr lyfe as longe as it myght be possyble. And therfo­re eche of them in makynge the sygne of the crosse / and recommaundynge them in the kepynge of our lorde / le [...] te in to the see / and began for to swymme / trustynge for to saue themselfe / the whiche was impossyble for them / yf that our lorde had not extended his grace / for they were swymmynge so longe / that there was neyther of thē but that he lacked breth / and were at the poynt to haue ben lost. And also the water was so colde / and soo aspre that yf they had suffred none other euyll / it hadde ben in oughe for to haue deyed. And in that estate they lenthed not ferre the one from the others / and requyred our lorde with all theyr hertes of his mercy / and grace / and that [Page] he wolde haue pyte on them / for they trusted neuer to haue escaped Neuerthelesse our lorde that euer purueyeth for his true seruauntes / scute them socour / for they we­re all abasshed whan that that sawe by theym a whyte herte / the whiche Olyuer toke by the hor [...]s / and mounted on his backe. Talbot the whiche was not ferre from hym / gate vp behynde Olyuer. And in y^• estate the herte bare them to the lande / and then he vanysshed awaye / & then eyther of them as well as they myght haue laudes and thankynges to god / that of his infynyte grace had preserued them / & this done they enforced thē for to go vnto a lytell place / the whiche was not ferre from y^e see syde. This place was a gentylmans of the coūtree / and whan he sawe them in that plyte / he had grete pyte on them. And made them a good fyre / and warmed / & chaffed them ryght well / & layde them in a softe bed. And he dyde to them all the pleasure that he coude. And whan that they were a lytell amended / he demaunded theym how they were escaped. And they recoūted to hym all y^• daunger / and peryll that they had ben in / and how that god of his endlesse grace hadde saued them by myracle / Wherof theyr hoost had grete meruayll. Notwithstan­dynge he byleued them ryght well / for he wyst well that there was nothynge impossyble to god / wherby we may haue alwaye memorye herof / to the ende that yf we fyn­de our self in ony daunger / or peryll by fortune / and also to the occasyon for to flee synne / for whā a synner gothe to commyt synne / and remembreth the mercy / and pu­yssaunce of god / and deuoutely reclaymeth the ayde of our lord. Then god permytteth / and gyueth them suche comforte / that they ben delyuered from all temptacyon as to the purpose of these two / the whiche he preserued [Page] from the peryll of the see.

RYght as they deuysed. Olyuer demaunded in what countree they were in. And they tolde hym that it was Englande. Wherof the knyght that was with Olyuer / was moche reioysed / notwithstandynge that he was sore syke. And enquyred of his hoost yf he knewe not a knyghte that was called syr Iohā Talbot. He answered / that he had often herde speke of suche one / but he neuer sawe hym / but he saed that his pryncypall abydyng was in Caun­terburye / as they sayd all aboute / and sayd that he was but twenty myle from thens. Thenne the syke knyght sayd vnto hym / blessyd be god that hathe brought vs he ther / for I am that same syr Iohan Talbot / that I spe­red after afore / and my dwellynge is in the cyte of Caū terburye. And bycause that I knowe that without the mercye of god I am neuer lyke to releue of my maladye and also that I fele my dethe approcheth. I beseche you that ye make me to be caryed to Caunterbury / to the ende that I may make my testament / & ordynaunces as a good crysten man. And ye shall be well recompensed. Olyuer seynge this knyght soo greuously vexed with that maladye / he was ryght pensyf / and sorowfull / as he y^• whiche knewe not whether for to goo / or resorte. And then the gentyll Olyuer sayd vnto hym. My lorde / and my frende I am ryght dyspleasaūt of your maladye / & [Page] bycause that I haue founde with you so good company I shall neuer habandon you / yf that it please you / tyll y^• tyme that I haue sene as our lorde wyll expose your sy­kenes / for as for my parte I thanke god that I am all guarysshed / and in good poynt / and redy [...]or to mounte on horsbarke / for to conueye you whether that ye please The knyght thanked hym full humbly / and sayd that al his volēte was for to go there as he had specyfyed / and that he requyred none other thynge / and all was at the dyspence of his hoost / and wolde take nothynge of them And then he was caryed in a hors bere to his place / and Olyuer rode with hym / but he lyued not longe after he was comen in to his place / and his frendes made grete sorowe for hym / but after his dethe they shewed hȳ but lytel sygne of amyte / bycause of moneye that he oughte te a burgeys of the cyte / he was in the sentence of cursynge / vnto the tyme that the burgeys were contended / & he had ben the space of seuen yere in that sentence / as he the whiche had not wherof to paye / but yf that he sholde haue solde ryght largely of his godes / for to haue payed his dette withall / and in suche estate he deyed / wherfore the burgeys was not content but yf that he were payed that the knyght were put in holy grounde / but his hey­res seynge this concluded / and loued better for to burye hym in the prophane / and vnhalowed grounde / thā for to paye his derte / as they the whiche loued not y^e soules o [...] theyr frendes / so well as they dyde the goodes moundaynes.

OLyuer seynge the grete falste / and auary­ce of the frendes of that deed body / was no thynge well contente with them. He dyde all the dylygence that he myght that he were buryed / as wel towarde hym that he oughte [Page] the good to / as to them that sholde paye it / too the ende that the knyght the whiche he had knowen in his lyfe / for a good / and a vertuous man / myght be buryed in holy grounde / but it was impossyble for hym to fynde ony appoyntement / for the knyghtes frend [...]s wolde not do nothynge. And the burgeys sayd that he wolde do nothynge excepte that he were payed all alonge / that whi­che was his duete. Olyuer seyng that there wolde be none other thynge / enquyred what the some of y^e deth dyd drawe to. And founde that it drewe to a .lx. pounde. not withstandynge that durynge his vyage he had spente a good parte of his .M. nobles / that he had but lefte aly­tell more than halfe / yet he was delybered for to content the burgeysland payed hym. And also he made the ser­uyce of the knyght ryght honourably / for whiche cause he was moche praysed of euery body / and to the contra­ry the frendes of the deed bodye / was moche blamed as it was ryght. Olyuer the whiche had but a lytell money lefte / soiourned a lytell space of tyme in Caunterburye / where as he herde tytynges that the kynge of Englan­de / at the instaunce of his subgectes had made a crye of a torneyment / that sholde laste thre dayes. And theder myght come all noble men. And he that sholde doo best by the saynge of the prynces / and pryncesses / the whiche was commysed therto / sholde haue his onely doughter in maryage / yf that she had wyll vnto hym. The whiche doughter at that present tyme / was holden for y^e moost fayrest lady that was in all the monarchye of the worl­de. And the Kynge her fader wolde not mary her to noo grete prynce / bycause he wolde not haue her lenthed fro hym. For he loued her so feruently / that he coude make no good chere / y^• daye that he sawe her not. Also he dyd [Page] thynke that for the welfare of the countree / it was mo­re necessarye for to gyue her to a hardy / and a valyaunt man / thought that he were poore / than to a grete lorde / that had not those vertues. And also as touchynge no­blesse and r [...]chesse / she had ynoughe for thē bothe / and for that cause he had made crye the tor [...]eymēt / that the moost valyauntest of the feest / sholde haue his ryght be­auteuous and fayre doughter in maryage. And that af­ter his decesse / his kyngdome myght falle in to the handes of the valyaunt knyght / and lorde / for to kepe and defende it from all them that wolde greue it. There we­re foure hōdred knyghtes commysed of within for to re­syste agaynst all comers. And it was .xi. monethes syth that the feest had bē publysshed thrughe all the realmes crysten. This not withstandynge vntyll that tyme Oly­uer had herde no tydynges therof / and there was no more but .xv. dayes to the corneyment / wherfore Olyuer had grete dyspleasure / bycause that hym thoughte that he myght not come theder sone ynoughe / & also bycau­se that he had but lytell moneye for to go theder withall Neuerthelesse he made hymredy for to be there / in the best wyse that he myght / yf that our lorde sente hym not some empesshement / that he coude not go. And fro that houre he beganne for to fele the sparcles of loue / & sayd to hymselfe that he sholde be well eurous yf that after his grete aduersyte and euylles he myght attayne vnto so hye a thȳge as for to haue her in maryage / of whome he herde speke soo moche good / thrughe the vnyuersall worlde.

OLyuer hauynge ryght grete desyre & wyll for to be with the other at the tornaymente aforesayd / consyderynge that y^e terme was shorte / payed and contended his hoost / and after departed frome the cyte of Caunter­bury / all alone withouten ony company towarde the cyte of London. Where as the grete / and solempne feest / [Page] sholde be holden. And therfore dyuers grete lordes we­re comen theder all redy. And there came so many that all the lodgynges / and ynnes were full. Soo as Olyuer exployted hym so on his Iourneye that he was a good dele auaunged / as he the whiche thought that he sholde neuer come theder tyme ynoughe / for to se her for whose loue he toke that Iourneye / and so he passed on his way in suche thoughtes / and in those thoughtes he came into a lytell busshy wodde / somwhat out of his hye waye / & he had not longe gone therin / whan he mette .xv. theues the whiche were armed in complete harnays / and cryed to hym saynge that he was but deed / and he was enuy­ronned with them or euer he loked vp / and lefte his pen sees of loue. And whan he sawe that he coude not escape without medlynge / he sette his hande to his swerde and smote one of them vpō the heed so asprely / that he claue hym to the tethe / and soo fell downe deed. And than he smote on the ryght hande / and on the lefte hande / so im­pyteously that he cutte armes / and hedes / in a suche wyse / that the hardyest of them durst not abyde hym a buf­fet / for he had sette his backe agaynst a thycke hedge / so that his enemyes myght not endommage hym behynde And for to make it shorte he dyde so moche by the helpe of god / that he slewe .xi. of them / and the remenaūt fled­so [...]e wounded. Whan Olyuer sawe that he was delyue­red of them / he thanked god of that vyctorye / and alyghted of his hors / and tayde hym to a tree / and then he began for to bynde some of his woundes / in the beste wyse that he myght / but they were not mortall / wherof he gaue thankȳges to god. And so as he toke kepe to his woū ­des / his hors brake loose / for he had not tayed hym fast. And so wente awaye with his casket of moneye the whiche [Page] was at the arson of the sadell / and was gone all redy a good waye or euer Olyuer apperceyued hym. Neuer­thelesse whan that the apperceyued hym / he begāne for to renne after hym as well as he myghte / and Olyuer ranne so longe / and so fast / that he was al [...]moost brethe­les. And in that estate the hors came rennynge bofore the place where one of the theues was hydde / that had escaped from Olyuer. And whan the sayd thefe saw the hor­se / he knewe hym well ynoughe / and ranne after hym / & toke hym / and incontynente mounted vpon his backe / and rode his waye with casket and all. Whan Olyuer apperceyued hym / he knewe well ynoughe y^• he had lost his horse / and his casket with moneye / wherfore ye may well thynke that he was ryght dysplesaunt / for he foun­de hymselfe without moneye / and also in a straunge coū tree / where as he hadde no knowledge / and whan he saw that all was lost / he sayd to hymselfe. O good swete lor­de Ihesu cryst I requyre y^• comforte this poore vnhap­py catyf / for all myn esperaunce and hope is onely in the for I se well that fortune is contrary to me / and that yf it procede not of thyn infynyte grace / myne enterpryse can neuer be encheued / wherfore good lorde I put me totally in to thy grace and mercy. In praynge the good lorde Ihesu cryst that thou dystinge it after thyn owne wyll / for lyghtly I can not haue worse than I haue had hetherto / wherof I thanke the.

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RYght so as Olyuer complayned hym of his mysauenture / there came a man to hym the whiche plucked hym by the slewe dyuers tymes saynge. Olyuer of Castylle be nothyng abasshed bycause that I take you out of youre thought Olyuer lyfte vp his heed whan he herde his name pro­nounced / and wyst not whether that he hadde dremed it / or not / and as all abasshed in makynge the sygne of the crosse sayd vnto hym. I coniure the in the name of god that thou do me no harme / and that thou tell me who gaue the knowlege of my name. The man that se­med bothe fayre and reuerent sayd. My frende haue no [Page] doubte of me / for I am a crysten man / and byleueth as well in god as thou doost / and meruayll the not yf that I knowe thy name / for thou ought to knowe that y^e fel­des hathe syght / & euery wood hathe sowne. I knowe y^t thy dyspleasure hathe adnychylled thyn vnderstandyng for and thou had thought on thy fayte / thou wolde not haue made thy complaynt so hye / for I haue herde all y^t thou hast sayd / and how thou hast wyll for to goo to the torneyment that shall be holden at London within this syxe dayes. Also how thou hast ben dysmoūted and lost thy moneye. I am beholden vnto you for some seruyce and pleasure that thy moost nerest frendes hathe done vnto me / therfore I am he that wyll ayde the for to ac­complys [...]he thy good and hyghe enterpryse / in praynge our sauyour / that he wyll gyue the grace well for to fyenysshe it / and but yf it holde at the I shall furnysshe the of armour / and of horses / so well that it shall suffyce the But it shall be on suche a condycyon / that thou shalt promyse me that of all that thou shalte wynne by occacyon of the torneyment halfe / yf it be my pleasure to demaunde it / and take it. Olyuer seyng the offre that the knyght made hym / sayd vnto hym as euyll auysed of afterclaps My frende yf the hour be suche / & that my fortune wyll consente that thou do to me this pleasure. I promyse y^t vpon the parte that I trust to haue of paradyse / that yf ony good come to me by occasyon of thy seruyce / that y^• shalte be perteyner of the Iust halfe / or of the grettest parte / yf it were his pleasure for to demaunde it. At the­se wordes the knyght answered / it suffyseth / and prayed hym that he wolde remembre hym whan tyme wolde requyre it. And after those wordes were fynysshed the noble knyght sayd vnto hym. Myne owne specyall frende [Page] Olyuer meruayll the of nothynge of that that thou seest but kepe alwaye this lytell path that thou fyndest on the ryghte hande / and thou shalt fynde an hermytage / and there thou shall haue tydynges of me / but I go theder / but there I sh [...]ll fetche the whan tyme is / so they depar­ted / and Olyuer wente on his waye / and prayed the knyght to remembre hym.

[Page] IN a lytell whyle Olyuer had loste the syght of his knyght / and wyst not where he became / for all that he forgate not to holde the waye that he had shewed hym / and soo exployted hym that he came to the hermytage with [...]ay / but he foū de the dore shytte / wherfore he knocked soo longe that y^• good hermyte the whiche was in his orysons came and opened the dore / and was all abasshed / for he was not a customed to open the dore at that tyme a daye. Whan Olyuer apperceyued the hermyte / he salued hym / and y^• good mā rendred hym his salute In demaundynge hy what auēture brought hym theder at that tyme a daye And Olyuer answered hym. My fayre fader I praye you that I may be your geste and clerke for this nyght / for I knowe none other place here aboute / where as I myght go to. And then the holy mā sayd vnto hym. My frende the hous and the goodes that god hath gyuē me be at your commaundemēt. Then Olyuer entred into y^e chapell / and souped with the hermyte / that gaue hym brede and water ynoughe / in saynge to hym / Syr ye be not vsed to suche vy [...]aylles / but and ye had sayd Saynt Iulyans pater noster / ye had founde better lodgynge / notwithstandynge take it in pacyente / for and I hadde better / ye sholde haue better / but beware that ye swere not. In suche wordes or semblables / was Olyuer occupyed the moost parte of the nyght. And whan it was ty­me they wente to rest / but Olyuer slepte not so well nor so longe in the mornynge / as yf he had layne on a fether bedde. Whan the gentyil Olyuer apperceyued the daye he arose / and ayded the hermyte for to saye masse / the same masse dyde Olyuer here with grete deuocyō / and after that the masse was fynysshed / he confessed hym to y^• [Page] holy hermyte / and amonge other thynges he recoūted vnto hym of the knyght that he hadde founde in the fo­rest / and how that he had called hym by his name. The holy hermyte assayed hym saynge. My fayre broder and frende / ye saye that all y^• salutacyons that he hathe ma­de vnto you / hathe ben in goddes name / for and it had ben ony thynge elles but good / he wolde not haue sente you hether in to this holy place / notwithstādynge that I am indygne. Wherfore me semeth that ye can not do euyll for to gyue credence to it. It is parauenture a knyghte of this countree that hathe vnderstande your case / as he hathe tolde you / by occasyon that ye spake soo hye / And the best counsayll that I can gyue you is to remyt you in the holy garde of our saueour / and requyre hym that he wyll defende you from all euyll / and from all yl­lusyons of the euyll enemye.

SO as ye haue herde / soiourned Oliuer in y^e hermytage with the good holy man by y^e espace of thre dayes / or four / & there was no more but two dayes vnto y^• begynnynge of y^• torneyment. This hermytage was with in two myle of Lōdon. And whan Olyuer wente for to dysporte hym without the wood he myght se the cyte all at full / and the place where as the torneyment sholde be the whiche was all enclosed aboute / and there he sawe them assaye theyr sadelles / and theyr cousers / and in ly­ke [Page]

wyse theyr harneys / wherin he toke no grete pleasu­re bycause he doubted y^t his knyght sholde forgete hym And bycause that the tyme was shorte / he was in grete doubte / and repented hym sore that he had byleued hȳ so lyghtly. And that also in the meane whyle that he had soiourned in the hermytage / that he had not gone in to the cyte / for to se her for whose loue so many noble men put themselfe in payne and Ieoperdye / and of whome he had herde so moche good spokē of / but he durste not habandonne the hermytage / lest that his knyght sholde not fynde hym in defaute / saynge that he was not the­re as he hadde appoynted hym to abyde. And in that es­tate he passed the two dayes. And whan it came vnto y^• daye that euery gentylman and lorde oughte for to be & [Page] fynde hymself vpon the lystes / and ye may ymagyne in what dolour was the poore Olyuer. And yf that his herte was sory / and dyspleasaunte / no body ought to mer­uayll them / for he stode afore the dore of the hermytage alwaye herke [...]nge yf that his knyght came / for there fell not a lefe / but that he wende that he had comen / he abode so longe that he was out of all esperaunce and ho­pe. And he stode in that estate sore musynge / he herde grete noyse of ryders amonge the leues. And then Oly­uer thought that it was some grete gentylman that ro­de to the torneyment / as the other lordes dyde. And thē he kest his regarde that waye where he herde the noyse / And aspyed to the nombre of fyftene gentylmen clothed in blacke sa [...]sene [...]. And the surplus of theyr habyllementes was of the same colour / and they were mounted on blacke coursers and theyr coursers were trapped all in blacke veluet / and eche of them hadde a spere in his hande / that was couered with blacke veluet. And then he sawe come after therin ten knyghtes [...]abylyed in longe gownes of blacke veluet and furred with martres / and [...]edde after them a courser morell / the whiche hadde [...]us­kynges of clothe of golde vp to the bely / and he was en­ [...]yronne [...] with xv. pages mounted vpon coursers of y^• same colour and buskynges of the same colour. And af­ter them was [...] score pages of the same lyue­ [...]ay / reserued that it was clothe.

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HIs folke clothed and habylyed as ye haue herde afore / rode vnto the hermytage and then euery body [...]oued and abode there all [...]oye / and salued Olyuer that was afore y^• bare / and he full gentylly rendred to them theyr salute. And as he behelde that fayre company / hȳ thought that the knyght with the longest gowne was y^• same knyght that spake vnto hym in the wood / wherof he was ryght gladde / and wēte for to salue hym / but as soone as the knyght apperceyued hym comynge he a [...]y­ghted of his horse / and came agaynst hym / and after he sayd to hym. Olyuer good frende these mē that ye se here I haue brought them vnto you. And bycause that we ben comen from ferre / for to do you seruyce and honour I praye you that ye do so moche at his [...]neyment that [Page] ye haue honour / and that we lese not our payne. Olyuer answered hym ryght curteysly. My lorde and my fren­de / ye do so moche for me / that I can neuer rendre you the guerdon / wherfore suche as I am ye may cōmaun­de me / for th [...] [...]dy is yours / and at this tyme I can not gyue you no better thynge. I praye to god that he gyue me grace for to deserue it agaynst you / and that he gyue me strengthe for to doo as well as I haue the volente / These wordes fynysshed y^• knyght sayd to hym that it was hye houre for to arme hym. And therfore in a fayre grene place y^• was afore y^• hermytage / there was a chayre brought / wherin Olyuer set hym for to take his refeccyon / and then after they armed hym dylygently In y^• meane whyle that he armed hym / the ladyes came in to the felde / and brought with them y^• fayre Helayne dou­ghter of the kynge of Englande / and ledde her in to the pauelyon that for her was ordeyned / and it was han­ged with tapysserye of clothe of golde ryght ryche / and there was a chayre reysed vp on hye in y^e whiche chayre was .x. steppes or that they myght come to y^e syege abo­ue / ouer the whiche was a canape of purple veluet char­ged full of grete perles oryentales / and had in the myd­des therof a Carbuncle / that rendred so grete lumere y^• it was meruayll for to beholde it. In the syege aboue as I haue receyted to you was sette the excellent Helayne / And vpon eche of the forsayd steppes satte two Iuges. That is for to knowe a prynce / and a pryncesse / echone after his degree. The other ladyes and damoyselles the whiche was there without nombre / put theym in theyr places / and scaffoldes that were for thē ordeyned / and ensygned. And in lyke wyse on the other syde was a gre­te company of noble and valyaunt knyghtes and lordes [Page] of this realme of Englande. Ye may well thynke that it was grete tryumphe and grete solace for the men of ar­mes / for to beholde so fayre a companye aboute the no­ble / and excellent Helayne / and euery thynge so well or­deyned as that thynge was there / for her sake / the whi­che was so rychely apparaylled that non [...] can not reher­se the lyght that the precyous stones rendred that were about [...] her / the whiche embelysshed her excellent vysa­ge. Who that hadde sene her in that estate / he wolde ha­ue thought that she hadde ben a thyng of the other worlde / for I thynke that at her nayssaūce and byrthe / natu­re had put all her excellence / and grace. Yf that she was semely of body / and excellent of vysage / it was nothynge in comparyson towarde the gyftes of grace / where with she was endowed / for all excellence / and bounte / honoure / & hūblenesse / doulsure / and swetnesse / and all other vertues and good condycyons that in ony womā of noble lygnage apperteyned / florysshed in her. And therfore she sholde be ryght eurous in this wretched worlde that myght attayne vnto so hyghe a thynge as for to haue for his parte y^e floure and lyesse of this worl­de. And euen thus euery body put hymselfe in payne for to conquere her. And there was not one but that hym semed that he wolde conquere her / or elles deye in the payne.

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ANd then the ladyes were not soo sone in the scaffoldes / but that the four hondred knyghtes were vpon y^e felde / redy for to withstan­de all comers / as ye haue herde before / for the torneyment sholde last thre dayes. The fyrst daye was ordeyned for to Iust. The seconde daye for to torneye / not as they do nowe a dayes / but with sharpe swerdes / and not rebatred. The thyrde day was for to fyght on fote / and euery body myght haue an axe of armes / and a swerde aboute hym. And bycause that they were many knyghtes / they had grete place / they w^t [Page] out had knowlege that they of within were alredy at the lystes vpon the felde / and all the ladyes redy for to beholde them whiche sholde do best / euery knyght put hym in deuoyre for to Iuste the fyrste. Neuerthelesse Olyuer was not the fyrste / for there was many there afore hym As the kynges sone of Scotlande / and dyuers kynges of Irlonde / and many other prynces / and grete lordes / the whiche were so manerly clothed / that it was tryum­phe for beholde them. There was but fewe speres bro­ken afore Olyuers comynge. And whan he was amon­ge the prece he smote his hors with the sporres / and made his hors to torne soo gentylly / that euery body loked vpon hym. And in especyall it pleased the ladyes moche his fyrst entrynge in / sayng that the blacke knyght was best in poynt / and the fayrest armed of all the place / and after began the Iustes / and euery body put hym in payne for to do well. The knyght that was Olyuers gouer­nour sayd vnto hym / my frende beholde vpon this scaf­folde the fayre lady that ye shall conquere / yf that it hol­de not at you / take good courage / and thynke for to doo well. And then he toke a spere and gaue it to Olyuer y^• whiche toke of it no regarde / for he had fyxed his syghte vpon the excellent Helayne. And soo he hadde his spere in the rest a grete whyle / without ony mouynge from one place / as he that that thought nothȳge on it. And so as the knyght behelde hym in that estate / he sayd vnto hym Olyuer he slepe. And thenne Olyuer as a persone that is awaked out of his slepe / smote his hors with the sporres without auysynge where he wente / and y^e fyrste thynge that he recountred with his spere / that was ionge and stronge meruaylously / was a post that helde vp a scaffolde / and vpon that scaffolde was moche people / [Page] and he smote it downe / and all them that were vpon it. Then there was grete laughter of them that sawe it / & sayd that it was a meruayllous stroke. The ladyes ex­cused hym / saynge that he had not clere syghte / or that his hors was not at his wyll. Olyuer was ledde backe to his felowes sore ashamed / and they gaue hȳ a newe spere. The fyrst that he encountred with was one of the kynges of Irlande / named Maquemor / y^• whiche was smyten downe horse and all. Then ye sholde haue herde the heraudes crye / see the auēturous knyght armed in blacke / that with one onely stroke hathe smyten downe a .C. persones / & with the seconde stroke a kynge / ye shal se hȳ do meruaylles of armes to daye. Olyuer herd the se wordes / wherfore he put hymselfe in payne for to doo well. And there was none that myght abyde hym a stroke with a spere. Neuerthelesse euery body put hymself in deuoyre as wel within as without / but aboue all Olyuer bare y^• pryce / the whiche dyde not dysplease y^• fayre Helayne / y^t sayd to herselfe / that and he were as knyghtly vnarmed / as he was armed / that he myght be y^e flou­re of all them in the place.

IN lyke wyse as ye haue herde endured the Iu­stes vnto the nyght separed them. And thenne the kynge and his doughter Helayne retorned in to the cyte. And then the Iusters departed for that nyght. And the moost parte of the kny­ghtes of the torneyment in dysarmynge theym deuysed [Page] of the blacke knyght / saynge that they had grete volēte for to se hym dysarmed / for to knowe yf he were as se­mely a knyght on fote / as he was on horsbacke / & yf y^• his gowne became hym as well as harneys. And there was many at the banket / the whiche wolde not haue be there yf they had not thought to haue fou [...]e hym therefor no pryse sholde not be gyuen vnto the last daye. And whan it came to the daunces / and that Olyuer was not there / euery body meruaylled / so eche dyde the best that he coude. Olyuer was in the hermytage by the coūsayll of his knyght / the whiche was departed from hym / and he had tolde hym that without doubte he wolde retorne vnto hym in the mornynge betymes / wherfore Olyuer thanked hym / and abode in the hermytage that nyght / in thankynge our lorde of his good auenture. The good hermyte made hym Ioyefull chere to his power / but he made not soo good chere as they dyde at London. The noble Helayne was set in the halle / in y^e same wyse that she was sette at the Iustes / to the ende that euery body myght beholde her. After that the daunces were ended they brought spyees. And after the fayre Helayne was conueyed to her chambre / with foyson of ladyes / and so the feest ended for that daye. Nowe ye oughte to vnder­stande that euery persone made hym y^• best at case that he myght for that nyght / for to be vpon the morowe more fressher than Olyuer. Soo the nyght passed and the daye came / wherfore euery body put h [...]m in deuoyre for to fynde all that them belonged for the seconde Iourney And whan that it was tyme for to departe. Olyuer ap­perceyued a grete company of folke / all habylyed in re­de / in the same estate that they were clothed the daye afore saue y^• it was rede, whan they approched Olyuer he [Page] wente and salued his knyght that was clothed in a lon­ge ge [...]owne of cramosyn / and behynde hȳ was Olyuers hors / and the pages of the daye afore / were clothed in satyn cremosyn. The courser on the whiche Olyuer shol­de ryde was a bayarde. And the horse was hosed in clo­the of golde [...]yght ryche.

[Page] ANd then Olyuer came to the torneymente and was the fyrst that entred in to the felde of them of without / but ye may well thyu­ke that it was not without grete beholdyn­ge of the ladyes / and in lyke wyse of theym of within / ye may well thynke that Olyuer thus accompanyed as ye haue herde / was beholden of kynges and quenes / lordes and ladyes / and of all them that were there presente / and he the whiche knewe it / the beste wyse y^• he myght made hym lyghtest for to be armed / for to gy­ue grete st [...]okes. And bycause that he wolde not trauayle the hors vpon the whiche he ought for to werke as he haddened [...] therof. He mounted vpon a lytell hors that was ryght well accustomed for to make some pleasaunt thynge before the ladyes / and therfore he faylled not at that tyme / wherfore the sayd Olyuer was beholden of euery body / and sayd the one to the other / beholde what a semely knyght he is / for by symylytude of his body he ought well for to encheue a hye enterpryse / se how honestly and knyghtly he rydeth / for he remeueth noo moore for all that his horse can do / than yf he were not vpō his backe. Amonge these deuyses / the kynges sone of Scot­lande came ryght rychely clothed / and strongly accom­panyed with valyaunt knyghtes / that wolde torneye that daye with hym / and also the moost parte for the garde of his persone. After came the kyng Maquen or and two other kyng [...]s of Irlonde / of whome I knowe not the names. And after came the duke of Buroon / and the Erle of Flaundres. And then came in the duke o [...] G [...]cecetre / the duke of Lanca [...]e / the duke of Bedforde / the duke of Northf [...]lke / and the duke of Somerset. And so came in the erle of Northumberlande / the Erle of Le [...] ­ [...]etre / [Page] and y^• erle of Salysburye / and so many otherlor­des / that was it meruayll. Whan all these prynces / and lordes were assembled / & that they sawe there came no moo / it was cryed by the Kynge that euery man sholde do his deuoy [...]. Then the two sygnes / that is to knowe that of within / and in lyke wyse that of withoute began for to approche. There ye myghte haue sene cleue many basynettes / and many a knyght beten downe to y^• erthe Olyuer that was mounted vpon his courser / helde his swerde in his hande / wherwith he dyde meruaylles of armes / he wente sekynge them that hym thought were the moost val [...]auntest / and with them he had add gladly / and whan he hadde remembraunce / or leyser to loke on hye / and that he myghte beholde the fayre Helayne / his force & hardynesse doubled. Wherfore none may recounte the valyauntnes & feates of armes that he dydde / Now it was ordeyned that & the sygne of them of with­in myght by force of armes be broughte to a place that was there / by theyr aduersary party / that the torneyng sholde be accomplysshed. Therfore they of without put themselfe in payn for to wynne it. And Olyuer the whiche rested neuer in one place / and to whome euery body made waye / encountred hym that bare the sygne of thē of within / & [...]aue hym suche a stroke that he made hym bowe his heed vpō the hors necke / and was so astonyed that he hadde almoost fallen to the erthe / and Olyuer retorned his stroke thynkynge for to haue cutte the shafte of the sygne / but he sounde it so stronge / and so well banded with [...]ron / that he coude not empayre it / but it was force to the knyght that helde it / for to lette it go fro hym and so it sell to the erthe / then ye myght haue herde gre­tes [...] outes on bothe partyes / & they of within put them­sel [...]e [Page] in [...]yre for to reyse vp theyr sygne agayne. But that was unpossyble for them / bycause of the valyaunte Olyuer that defended it / with y^• good helpe that he had of his partye.

AT the re [...]cowes of that sygne / was many a knyght s [...]ayne on bothe partyes / but moore of them of within / than of without / wherof the kynge was not well content for to se his men dye so. And then he cōmaunded to two or thre knyghtes the whiche were ordeyned whan the­re moued ony deb [...]tes / that they sholde put them in payne for to repease them / to go hastely and departe them / the whiche without py [...] slewe eche other. They dyd the kynges commaūdement / but or they myght come to y^e place where the debate was / there was dyuers m [...]ruaylous strokes gyuen. And the hystorye sayth that a v [...]y­aunt knyght of within whan Olyuer dyde so many feates of arm [...] approched to hym / and toke his swerde in bothe his handes for to gyue the gretter stroke / and euē so as he hadde bothe his armes eleuate for to smyte Olyuer. Olyuer apperc [...]yued it / and hasted hym for to smy­te fyrst [...] / and gaue hym so grete a stroke that he made to fle in to y^• [...]elde / y^• swerde with bothe his armes / wher­fore all they y^• sawe it meruaylled. And in lyke wyse the [Page] kȳge began for to blysse hym sayng / yf this rede knyght that was yesterdaye clothed in blacke lyue lōge / or yf y^• fyghtynge be not departed / he wyll make dye the moost parte of my men / he is a lyuynge deuyll se how his swerde dothe cutte / he hathe done soo moche / that it is of the same colour that his armour is of. The knyght that he hathe smyten downe shal neuer cut no purse. In that estate deuysed the kynge / and on y^e other parte the ladyes hadde alwaye theyr eyē on hym / but the fayre [...]elayne had not the courage for to beholde hym / bycause of the effusyon of blode of her gentyl knyghtes / but it was not longe after / but they were departed / and was cryed by the kynge that none so herdy vpon payne of dethe sor to torneye ony more for that daye. And therfore euery bo­dy dyde withdrawe hȳ / and it was tyme for Olyuer to retorne into his hermytage / whether as his knyght dyd brynge hym / and thenne toke leue of hym / and tolde hȳ that he wolde not forgete hym the nexte morowe. The kynge and his excellent doughter retorned in to the n [...] ­ble cyte. And souped y^t nyght in the fayre He ayns chambre / the whiche was not wel [...] at case bycause she hadde sytten soo longe / and also for the slaughter that she had sene / wherfore she sayd to her fader. My lorde my fader be ye not dyspleasaunt for the pyteous syghte that was to daye / ye make your men to deye without cause. I by­leue not that it is for me / for and I knewe it I sholde rather make an othe neuer to be maryed / wher ore I beseche you that ye wyll acco [...]de me y^• they Iust or torneye / no more in the facyon that they haue done to daye. The kynge answered her. My doughter thynke for to make good chere / and take no thought of nothynge / for of this that is happened I am more dyspleasaunt than ye be / [Page] Therfore I shall put so good remedye / that it shall not happē as it hathe done to daye. And thenne, he gaue her good nyght / in saynge that he sawe well that she had no talent for to daunce that nyght / and she answered naye And for the causes aforesayd there was [...] daūces that nyght.

[Page] WHan the kȳge was in his chābre he enquy­red how many knyghtes there had beslayn & founde deed of thē of w^t in to the nō bre of .xivi. & of thē of without .xv. wher­fore the kynge was moche angrye / & commaunded that .xlvi. other knyghtes sholde be put in the places of y^e deed knyghtes / and yf there were ony hurte that myght not helpe themself on the morowe / that they sholde put in other. The thynge was done so / and vpon the morowe the Kynge wente in to his scaffolde / where as he dyned / and the fayre Helayne also durynge the [...]yner tyme they spake of nothynge but of the torneyenge. of the daye past. And the kynge sayd that he was ryght dyspleasaūt bycause that he myght not se hym that dyd so grete dedes of armes / wherfore he commaunded .xx. knyghtes that they sholde haue alwaye regarde to hym and that they sholde not fayle to brynge hym to the banket / for he wolde se hym. He commaunded also that the nombre of two thousande fyghtynge men were armed / for to kepe the felde from all debates and noyses. The meane whyle the maysters stewardes and controllers / were in the palays makynge all thynge redy for the banket and feest / that sholde be at nyght / the whiche sholde be without comparyson of al that euer hadde bē sene in this realme. The houre approched that they sholde fyn­de them in the felde. And the foure hondred knyghtes of within / with the two thousande came in to the felde / wherof some of them hadde leuer haue bē commysed to make redy y^• feest / for the example that the rede knyght had gyuen them the daye afore / the whiche all redy dyd arme hym / & was comen vpon his hors clothed in whyte and all his folke in the same sute / in the same manere [Page] that they came the daye afore / saue that they had ben clothed in rede / and soo came in to the felde on horsbacke / & put hemselfe besyde the kynges sone of Scotlande / and all the other alyght in lyke wyse. And then whan all were assembled / the kynge badde two knyghtes for to goo loke how many they were of without. Then they wente downe / and tolde the Lordes the kynges wyll and com­maundement. Then they toke a gyrdell and made them for to passe vnderneth / and founde that they of without were well foure hondred. And a knyght by the commaū dement of the kynge sayd that euery body sholde vngyrde his swerde / and sayd that the axe suffysed / and after that the batayll was begonne / the Kynge sente men for to departe them / and badde that none were so hardy for to smyte on the heed with the trenchaūt after y^• tyme / & aduertysed them y^t the pryce sholde be gyuen at nyght / to hym that hathe deserued it. And thenne it was tolde them that they myght begynne whan it sholde seme thē good. Then they begāne for to smyte in suche wyse that it was a goodly syght to beholde them. It was a semely syght for to beholde howe Olyuer demeaned hym with his axe / for he smote so puyssauntly that he made hym awaye large ynoughe. Whan they approched nere the one smote vpon y^e other so impetyously that it was meruayll they myght stande. Olyuer dremed not / for he ga­ue so pesaunt strokes / that hym that he hytte a ryght he made hym to kysse the grounde / and he dyde soo moche that there durst not abyde afore hym / soo with force of smy [...]ynge / his axe that was grete and longe dyde breke And whan he sawe that / he approched hym to a knyght and pulled his axe out of his handes / by suche a myght and by suche a chyualrous puyssaunce / vertue and also [Page] manere that whether he wolde or not he made hym kys­se the grounde. Twayne of the kynges of Irlande / had grete enuye at Olyuer / bycause they sawe the pryce coude not escape hym / & therfore by grete dyspleasure they assaylled Olyuer / the whiche defended hym so valyauntly / that he cloue one of them to the tethe. The kȳge seynge that it myght not endure without grete debate / sayd that it suffysed. And so they departed whether they wolde or not.

[Page] ANd then the kynge and the ladyes retorned in to the cyte / & euery body withdrewe thē in to theyr habytacyons / so the deed kȳges body was borne in to London by his men / where as his body was enseuelyd / and put in a hors lyttere couered with blacke / and in that estate / in grete lamentacyons was ledde in to his realme. Oly­uer was yet in the felde where as he cryed after his hors but none answered hȳ / nor he coude espye none of them that came with hym / wherof he had grete meruayl / and was so dyspleasaunt that he wyst not what to do / not w^t standynge his armour / he put hym selfe on the waye towarde the hermytage all ashamed / saynge that he sawe well his euyll au [...]nture / and that in all fortune was to hym contrarye. And therfore he delybered in hym selfe for to habandonne the good that myght come to hym by occasyon of the torneyment / and not for to make hym to be knowen to ony persone lyuynge. Euen so as he wen­te thynkynge on his euyll aduenture / the .xx. knyghtes that by the kynge were commysed / and ordeyned for to haue regarde on hym / soughte hym on euery syde / and dyde soo moche that they apperceyued hȳ goynge alone Then they smote theyr horses with the sportes / and dyd so moche that they ouertoke hym / and sayd to hym. Gē ­tyll knyght lette it not torne you to dyspleasure / yf that we [...] do that the whiche was cōmaunded vs by the kynge for he hathe cōmaunded vs for to witholde you / y^• whi­che requyreth you / that it wyll please you / for to be this nyght at the daunces / and at the banquet / and therfore by hym we laye handes on you. It was force to Olyuer to obeye the commaundement of the kynge. And therfore all ashamed he retorned to London with the forsayd [Page] knyghtes. But durynge the waye it was not withoute plesaūt thoughtes / for whan he bethoughte hym of the grete pompes / and ryche habyllementes that he had durynge the other dayes / and now he founde hym alone w^t out ony knowlege / and that it was force for hym to be at y^e banket and feest with the other / without gowne / or other clothynge / saue in his harneys / but yf he foūde some that wolde lenne hym a gowne / he was in soo grete dyspleasaūce / that he wolde haue ben a .M. myle thens yf it hadde ben possyble for hym. In that estate they ro­de tyll they came to London / and dyslodged one of the xx. knyghtes for to lodge hym / and demaunded hym in what place they wolde fynde his seruauntes / for to sen­de for them. The poore Olyuer all ashamed sayd. Cer­taynlye I can not tell you where to fynde theym / but for this nyghte I shall be mayster / and varlet. As they were in these deuyses the hostesse came to Olyuers per­sone and sayd to hym alowe. My lorde it is not longe a­go syth one of your seruauntes was here / and gaue me this lytell fardell / tellynge me that your clothes were in it / and hathe layde the bogette vnder your beddes heed For all your seruauntes ben gone / and ye shall fynde thē nomore. And tolde me that the knyght that ye wote of / recommaundeth hym to you / and putteth you in memorye of the promyse y^t ye made to hym / the whiche prayth you that ye wyll haue it in remembraunce Olyuer herȳ ge his hostesse / was more abasshed than euer he had ben and feynynge that he knewe well ynoughe what it wol­de meane / wente fyrst to his beddes heed / and founde y^e bogette that his hostesse hadde tolde hym of / and founde the keye in the locke / and tasted it / and felte wel ynough that it was heuy / and vndyde it / and in lokynge in to it [Page] he apperceyued that it was nothynge but golde / & good nobles of Englande.

[Page] OLyuer that foūde hymselfe all alone in his chābre / sat hym downe / for the .xx. knygh­tes hadde taken leue of hym / and were gone for to dysarme them / to be at the feest / & seynge that he had tyme ynoughe / begāne for to tell his moneye / and founde that there was .v. M. nobles / wherfore he thanked god and the noble knyght that had / had soo good remembraunce on hym. Whyles that he put vp his golde in to his bougette / entred in to y^e chambre fyue gentyll squyers clothed in whyte satyn & .x. varlets clothed in whyte clothe / whiche salued hym saynge. My lorde / your mayster stewarde hathe ben here this after none / and hathe gyuen eche of vs a gowne and tolde vs that it was your lyueray / and that ye shold reteyne vs in your seruyce / and therfore we come towarde you to knowe and it be y [...]ur wyll / for there is none of vs but that he hathe good mayster / for some be the Erle of Flaundres men / and the other the dukes of Somer­set And thus eche of vs hath good maysters / but they haue as many seruauntes as theym nede the. And for the valyaūtnesse that we haue sene in you / we become your seruaūtes yf it be your pleasure. Olyuer answered thē and sayd. My frendes of your grace ye saye more good of me than I haue deserued. Ans as I vnderstāde eche of you hathe a good mayster / and better than I am / but and it be your wyll I reteyne you all. And to morowe syth that ye be men of knowlege I shall enquere of your estate / and thenne to eche of you I shall gyue suche esta­te as to you apperteyneth. One of y^• seruauntes sayd to hym. My lorde your mayster stewarde hathe ordeyned me your palfreynere / therfore ye shall tell me yf it please you what I shall do with your horses. For I haue fyue [Page] good coursers / & two lytell hobyes ryght fayre / of whi­che he badde me take good heede. And bycause that it is ferre to the courte I thynke ye wyll not g [...] on fote ther­fore yf it please you ye shal tell me whiche of your horses ye wyll haue / and what harneys I shall put vpon hym whether that of veluet crymosyn / or that of beten golde & yf that it please you that your four pages shall come towarde you. Olyuer was moche abasshed / and made the sygne of the crosse / and sayd to hym. My frende go in goddes name / & sadle one of the two lytell hobyes whi­che thou louest best / and put on hym the harnes of beten golde / and make y^e pages come with two torches for to lyght me in to the courte. And thē Olyuer commaūded for to vndo the fardell / and so it was done. And founde thre sortes of clotynge for hym / of the same colours y^t he hadde worne durynge the torneyment / that is to wyte / blacke / rede / and whyte. The hosen were of scarlet / the gownes of veluet / the doublettes of blacke damaske fy­gured / and the hatte of blacke / vpon the whiche was a ryght gentyll and ryche ouche of stones ryght curyously wrought / & there was in it an e / & an o / togyder. Wher­fore he began for to kysse it / and sayd alowe. Fayre fader god yf that thou wylte extende soo moche thy grace on me / that my fortune were suche that Olyuer & Helayn myght come so nere togyder as these two lettres / I sholde be moche beholden to thanke thy grete maieste. In y^• same wordes Olyuer clothed hym / and founde that his clothynge were so well made for hym / that there coude none amende them. He was not so sone clothed but that his hors was redy abydynge hym at the dore / and his foure pages. And within shorte tyme after y^• knyghtes that had brought hym theder / came for to fetche hym / [Page] and tolde hym that it was hyghe tyme to goo in to the courte. They they mounted on horsbacke / and the tor­ches were lyghted that conduyted them in to y^• courte.

[Page] WHā Olyuer was afore the gate of y^• palays he began for to smyte his hors with y^• sporres / y^• whiche made lepes without nōbre & dyde all that his mayster wolde haue hȳ do / he made fyre to sprynge out of the payment in suche haboundaunce y^t euery body loked out at y^e wyndowes to beholde hym / & in suche estate he came to the place where it was tyme to alyght. And bycause y^• he was so semely a knyght / there was grete prece to be holde hym. There was so huge a nombre of folke that with grete payne he myghte descende / and passe forthe / The tydynges came to the kynge / and to the other prȳ ­ces that theder were comen / how y^• whyte knyght was comen / and mounted vp the steyres / and sayd that and his beaute were lost / that in all the worlde it myghte not be recouered / and in lyke wyse these tydynges were pronounced to the ladyes / the whiche demaunded what maner a man he was / and it was tolde them that he was a heed of werke / & that there was neuer sene a more fayrer knyght. And durynge these wordes he entred in to y^• halle where as all the lordes were / and salued the kȳge The whiche by semblaunt made hym ryght grete chere and honour / and so dyde all the other lordes / the whiche sholdred one another for to se hym / for his excellente be aute. There was many that at his comynge wolde that he hadde ben a thousande myle thens / and in especyall they that hadde done beste nexte hym dyde curse hym in theyr courage / but his physnamye and maneres were so swete / that he sholde haue ben ryghte cursed y^• wolde haue done hym ony harme. So as he was fested on euery syde / y^e ryght fayr and good Helayne accompanyed with dyuers grete lordes and ladyes came in to the hall [Page] apparaylled & aourned so rychely / that her habyllemen­tes were worthe a realme / for there was neuer sene the pareylles or lyke. Her beaute enlumyned the palays / the whiche exceded all natures werke. And thynke not that that Helayne for whome Troye receyued soo many ad­uersytes passed this. But bycause that comparysons be heynous / and noysous I holde my peas in retornynge to my purpose. The fayre Helayne of Englande seynge the thought of her lorde and fader set her vpon her kne­es / and made to hym reuerence and honoure as it apperteyned. The kynge her fader toke her by the hande and made her for to aryse / in saynge that she was ryght well come. And thenne she was salued of all the other k [...]yghtes & lordes vnto whome she rendred echone theyr salute after theyr qualyte / as she coude do full well. Thenne was Olyuer brought afore her the whiche knewe hym as sone as she sawe hym. For he was easy for to knowe amongest them all. Wherfore she behelde hym volunta­rylye / and it was force to the knyghtes and squyres for to withdrawe them aparte / for to make place to the la­d [...]es and gentylwomen / to the ende that they myght se hym the better at theyr cases. And there was but fewe of them that were for to marye / but that they thoughte within theymselfe / and wolde that Olyuer had conque­red them by force of armes / as well as he hadde done y^• fayre Helayne.

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ALytell whyle after these thynges d [...]uyse [...] the tables were spredde / and incontynente as all thynge was redy y^• trompettes blewe for water to wasshe theyr handes. And then the kȳge and his doughter wasshed / and all the other lordes in generall. And the Kynge made to enquere of Olyuer / of his kȳne / and what he was / and of what marches / to the ende that y^• honour were done to hym after his estate. He answered to them that demaunded hym that he was a poore knyght of Spayne / & not of a hye place. There was not one neyther the kyng nor the other / but that men semed well by his phys [...]amye / that he was of a good house / and that also without gre­te puyssaunce he coude not haue furnysshed the habyllementes that they had sene hym haue durynge the f [...]st / Whan tyme was the kynge satte hym downe at the ta­ble / [Page] and with hym all the grete lordes and ladyes / reser­ued Helayne / that was sette vp on hye in the myddes of a table that was eleuate / to the ende that she myght be sene of all theym in the halle. At the ryght syde were the prynces Iuges set at the same table / and on the other syde were the .x. pryncesses at the same table. Olyuer wol­de not sytten downe at the kynges stable. Notwithstan­dynge he was prayed so moche / and commaunded that it was force for hym to obeye. There was other tables without nombre where as the other knyghtes and ladyes were sette. Who that wolde deuyse to you the seruyce and the mysteryes that was there / it sholde be to longe to recoūte it. There was no mete that replenysshed thē so sone / as to beholde the excellent Helayne / she was the repose of the wery / and the couragynge of the valyaunt And there was not one but that they thought that god hadde made her for to shewe his hyghe puyssaūce. This feest dured so longe tyll that it was tyme to vnserue / & there was none of them all that thought other thynge / saue to make good chere / and also they were not requy­red otherwyse. The tables taken awaye & graces gyuē to our lorde of his goodnes / the daunces began / and in­contynent the .x. prynces / and the .x. pryncesses withdre­we them a parte in to a lytel chambre for to knowe who had done best / and they were in grete plete. The one helde with the kynges sone of Scotlande / and the other [...] the erle of Flaundres / & the other with the good duke of Somerset. But the moost parte helde with Olyuer. In suche wyse that there was none of theym but that they gaue theyr voyce to Olyuer / & whan the kynge thought that they myght well haue done / he habandonned the daunces and came towarde them / & demaunded theym [Page] what thynge that they had done. One of theym kneled downe & sayd. Our souerayne lorde ye haue of your gode grace commysed vs for to saye fr [...]ly the trouthe. Al­so we haue made our othe that we shall not take regar­de to the magnyfycence of the lygnag [...] nor lordshyppe / And vs semeth that the best doer of all this assemble ha­the ben Olyuer / not for one daye alonely / but for all the the dayes / & we sawe neuer knyght do suche dedes of armes as he hathe done / therfore we aduertyse you therof / for to do therwith your good pleasure. The kynge answered and sayd. My fayre cosyns / and my good fren­des / and you my fayre ladyes here presente I here well ynoughe what ye haue sayd / and knoweth that it shol­de be agaynst reason to take y^• pryce from hym y^• hathe deseruyd it. And truely who had axed me myn aduyse [...] wolde haue sayd the same that ye haue tolde me / but fo [...] all that ye ought to knowe that this is not a lytell thyn [...] For he that wynneth the pryce / wynneth my doughter and cōsequently all my realme for to be kynge ouer yo [...] al after my decease. And bycause that ye gyue the pry [...] to a straunger vnknowen of vs all I wolde vnder cor [...] reccyon soo it that seme you good / y^t he were aduertyse [...] of this thynge by one of you / and how the pryce shall b [...] gyuen to hym. And he the whiche shall aduertyse hym / maye saye also to hym / that I am delybered for to make vnto hym a request / that is for to knowe that he were cō tente for to abyde a yere in my courte afore that my fay­re doughter Helayne be gyuen vnto hym / for to know [...] his mures and condycyons. And also I shall promys [...] hym by the fayth that I owe to knyghthode that durynge that tyme I shall not mary her / & yf that he be a man worthy her / & that I knowe none other thyng thā I do [Page] tyll this present tyme / that whiche he hathe wonne shall not be taken from hym. And also I shall put in doubte ryght grete lordes that bē here / and yf that I gaue her to hym in theyr presence / they myght cōspyre some euyl agaynst his pers [...]ne / wherby ryght grete inconuenyen­tes myght come to hym / and there is myn aduyse. Whā the kynge hadde fynysshed his wordes / they withdrewe themsel [...]e a parte. And founde in counsayll that the kynge had sayd ryght well / and sayd it sholde be wel done to knowe Olyuers wyll / afore that the request were made on hyghe. Bycause that it sholde be shame to the Kynge yf it were not vnto hym accorded. Thus there is no thȳ ge but good / and the kynge hathe no wronge to knowe afore the loue.

ONe of the prynces was ordeyned to speke to Olyuer / wherfore he came in to the hall where as y^e ladyes were / and [...]oke Olyuer aparte / and sayd to hȳ all that ye haue her [...]e afore. Olyuer had alwaye doubte of y^• thynge / by cause of the grete multytude of lordes that were there / to whome hȳ thought they wolde soner ap­plye than to hym / & thought as well that yf he were not contente that it sholde be force to hym / wherfore he an­swered to the prynce. My lorde ye mocke with me for I [Page]

haue not deserued the honour that ye do to me / but and ye speke in sadnesse / and that it please the kynge to ma­ke to me a request / as I here you saye. I tell you that it is no prayer / but his commaundement to the whiche I wyll not dysobeye / and sayd no more / nor the lorde also but retorned towarde the kȳge / and aduertysed hym of that whiche he hadde founden in Olyuer / and sayd that he founde neuer a more dyscreter mā / nor more worthy and that he was dygne of moche good. And the Kynge was ryght Ioyous of that reporte / and began for to tell in what maner he wolde that y^e pryce were gyuen / and who sholde bere it / and tolde them that he wolde make them haue knowlege / the houre that the pryce sholde he gyuen. And then he departed and came to the daunces [Page] where as he founde his doughter / y^• whiche he toke by the hāde / and sayd to her. My fayre doughter ye muste tell me to whiche of these lordes that ye haue s [...]ue here / ye haue best wyll to / & whiche hathe done beste by your aduyse. My lorde my fader I haue no more wyll to one thā to an other. Ye be my fader reason it is that I obey to you / for your pleasure is myne / and also me thȳketh that they haue all done so well that none can amende it / Then the kynge demaunded her yf that she wolde be as well cōtente yf Olyuer hadde the pryce / as yf a gretter lorde had it. She answered / it is a fayre thȳge to do ry­ghte to euery body. Ye be wyse and knoweth what ye haue to do. The kȳge whiche was dyscrete sente for y^• pryce / y^• whiche was brought in the maner that foloweth.

[Page] THere came fyrste many torches / and offycers for to make place. After came a Kynge of ar­mes rychely clothed holdȳg [...] on hyghe with bothe his hādes a grete and massysse cheyne of golde / charged & enryched with precyous stones. After hym came two fayre ladyes / clothed in ly­ke habyllementes / the whiche became them so well that it was a pleasaūt syght to beholde them. These ladyes were accompanyed with four knyghtes clothed in lyke wyse / and eche of the ladyes were on the ryght hande of two knyghtes. And in suche estate they came afore y^• kȳ ges persone / to whome they dyde the reuerence as it apperteyned. And thē they demaunded hym yf it were his good pleasure that the pryce were gyuen. And he answered ye. Then they began to walke aboute the halle / and came to the place where as Olyuer was hydde amonge the prece. To whome the Kynge of armes sayd that he sholde come forth / and that it was to hym that they wolde speke / and after that he was comen forth the kynge of armes sayd to hym in this wyse. Carbūcle and gemme of all prowesse and hardynesse / the kȳge our souerayne lorde / and the ladyes of this company / by the grete and hyghe faytes of armes that in you hath bē shewed / and comen to theyr knowlege / dothe presente to you this noble cheyne / in gyuynge you the pryce of y^e thre dayes w^t tryumphe and glorye / aboue al them that theder hathe ben comen / or founde them there. I make you no mēsy­on of my ryght redoubted maystresse / and lady Helayne bycause that the Kynge my souerayne lorde make y^• to you a request / that is that the ryght that ye can demaū ­de of her by the crye that was publysshed by his cōmaundement / that it wyll please you for to be cōtente & [...] [Page] dyfferre and abyde vntyl a yere be passed. And he dothe promyse you that enduryng that whyle / my lady Helayne his dought [...] shall not be maryed / and then he shall do so moche towarde you that ye shall be well contente / For she shall be appareylled for you / euen as she sholde be at this presente tyme / for he wolde not take fro you for no thynge / that the whiche ye haue deserued. Oliuer with a symple voyce all rubycūde answered that he had not deserued the honour that they presented hym / but syth that it was the kynges good pleasure / and the lor­des and ladyes / he sholde be a grete fole / and mysprou­de to refuse it. As for the surplus touchynge the kynges requestes / he answered that his requestes were cōmaū ­dementes / in praynge yf that he had wonne ony thynge that it sholde not be taken from hym. For he was well in wyll for to take it / yf it fell to hym. This notwithstandynge he was well contente that the kynges wyll were accomplysshed / and to abyde a yere. And thanked the kynge / and the ladyes that had made hym that present. And toke the chayne of golde and put it aboute his neck And then they demaūded hym his name / and surname he made hymself Olyuer / but he sayd that his surname myght not be knowen at that present tyme. And bycau­se that the heraude coude not tell how to gyue his name in knowlege that the pryce was gyuen to / he beganne for to crye in this maner wyse To this blacke / rede / and whyte knyght / the floure of chyualrye / that by force of armes hathe obteyned the laste tryumphe of the torneyment hathe ben delyuered the pryce.

THen was Olyuer ledde afore the kȳge / y^• whi­che he thanked hūbly of the grete honour that [Page] he had done to hym without deseruynge / and besought hym for to haue alwaye memorye of hym / and of his promyse that he h [...]o made hym / and to reteyne hym of his courte. The kȳge answered in saynge that he wolde do it with ryght [...] good wyll / & that suche estate as he wol­de demaunde / sholde be delyuered hym / and with that that he sholde not fere hym / but that he wolde haue me morye of hym / & that bycause of the pryce that was his he sholde lese nothynge. Syr sayd Olyuer I can not tel you how ye vnderstande it / truely I can nothynge lese / of what wherof I had neuer nothynge / but I holde you for so valyaunt that ye wyll not go agaynst your worde ye gyue me for to chese and take suche estate as shal please me / wherfore I thanke you. ¶And therfore I praye you that ye wyll be cōtente that I be squyre keruer afore my lady your doughter. And the Kynge answered in refusynge hym / and sayd that his doughter was not accustomed for to be serued of a knyght. Notwithstandynge he requyred and prayed so moche that the kynge was cōtente that his wyll were fulfylled. Neuerthelesse that he was worthy to haue had a gretter estate than that / Then he made hym to ryse and toke hym by the hāde / & ledde hym towarde his doughter / and then commaun­ded her that she sholde kysse hym / bycause that hym se­med that Olyuer had well deserued it / and at the leest yf that he had no more honour but that for to content hȳ the better. The fayre Helayne in accomplysshynge the wyll of the Kynge her fader / toke Olyuer by y^• hande y^• was alredy on his knee / and kyssed hym in touchȳge her mouthe agaynst his. This kysse thrugh perced y^• herte of Olyuer and his entraylles / and entred and lodged in the moost secretest place of his herte / and neuer after de­parted / [Page] that done she made Olyuer to aryse / the whiche thanked her. After the daunces were begonne agayne / and endured a grete space of tyme / and after came the wyne and spyces / and whā euery body had dronke and that it was oure for to go to bedde / the grete prynces / & lordes toke leue of the kynge / and of the fayre Helayne / for to retorne on the morowe in to theyr countrees / and thanked the kynge of the grete chere and honour that he had done to them in his courte. The kynge prayed hym that they wolde yet abyde a daye or twayne. But they wolde not abyde but badde hym adew. And whan it ca­me that the kynges sone of Scotlande toke his leue of y^e fayre Helayne / he sayd to her alowe as in reprochynge / y^• he was ryght Ioyous that she was soo well assygned. Helayne that was not folysshe / vnderstode well that all that he hadde sayd / proceded of enuye / wherfore she hel­de her styll and sayd nothynge / but toke leue of hym & of all the other / the whiche wente in to theyr lodgynges & on the morowe departed. The kynge Maquemor of Irlande / and another that was his neyghbour for ony prayer that the kynge dyde make / wolde not come to y^• feest but all euyll contente were departed / without takynge leue / for the dyspleasure that they had of the dethe of the kynge of Irlande theyr frende / and that the kynge had made therof so lytell accounte. And affermed & promy­sed the one to the other that yf it were possyble for them whan they were comen in to theyr countree / that the kynge of Englande sholde repente hym to late.

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OLyuer badde good nyght to the kynge and to his fayre doughter Helayne / and conse­quentlye to all the other. And he was con­ueyed to his lodges / by dyuers gentylmen of the kynges courte / that all redy had gre­te volente for to be acquaynted with hȳ. Olyuer comen in to his lodges / made theym for to drynke / and then he thanked them for y^• trauayll y^• they had taken for hym / & sayd to them. My lordes I wyll be from hensforth your seruaunt / broder / and felowe. And yf there be ony thyn­ge that I may do for you / there is none of you but that ye shall fynde me redy at nede. Then they all departed / [Page] saue one gentyll squyre / the whiche Olyuer reteyned w^t hym / for to lye with hym / & also to the ende that he shol­de haue the more acquayntaunce with the lordes of the courte. The nyght passed and the daye came. And whā it was tyme. Olyuer arose and clothed hym in newe robes / that he had made make all the nyght. And was led to the courte by his squyre / and foūde the kynge y^• was alredy at the masse / the whiche fynysshed / the kynge cō maunded that Olyuer sholde be ledde towarde his fyrst knyght chamberlayne / the whiche he had ordeyned for to speke to hym. Whā Olyuer was comen / y^• fyrst cham­berlayne sayd to hym Olyuer my frende the kyng hath ordeyned me for to receyue your othe / and that I gyue to you retynue of .xx. horses. And yf it be your pleasure for to serue my lady his doughter as ye haue requyred / as well ye may do it / as yf ye were of lesse estate. Olyuer thanked the kynge / and made his othe. And as he y^• whiche thoughte neuer tyme ynoughe for to se her that had gyuen hym that gracyous kysse / requyred that for that daye he myght kerue afore her / and so he was ledde into her chambre / where as Helayns table was spredde / the whiche made no longe taryenge but came. Whan Oly­uer sawe her / he gaue her good morowe / And she ren­dred hym his salute ryghte curteysly / and behelde hym gladly. And then she sat her downe at the table. Where as Olyuer began for to kerue afore her. And in castynge vp her eyen demaunded hym yf that it was his wyl for to kerue afore her. Olyuer answered / madame it is my pleasure for to do you all the seruyce that I can / so that it torne you not to dyspleasure. Olyuer my frende sayd she nay / but I thanke you / how well y^• I had wolde that ye had deported you of this offyce / but syth y^t it is youre [Page] wyll / it is well myne. So Olyuer kerued afore his fayr maystres all alonge the dyner / but it was not withoute foyson of regardes and lokes. Whan the table was vp / he was a lytell whyle with the ladyes / and then he wente towarde the kynge / to whome they had tolde that O­lyuer dyde serue at his doughters dyner / & sayd that he was the gentyllest seruaunt that euer they had sene.

THese thynges dyde passe / and Olyuer was a grete whyle in y^e courte so well beloued that all that knewe hȳ sayd good of hym. The kȳ ge hymselfe coude not prayse hym ynoughe / & sayd often that Olyuer was bothe fayre & good / saynge that he and his doughter were wel serued The fayre Helayne in lyke wyse seynge the graces and beautees that god and nature had endowed that yonge knyght with / dyde prayse hym strongly in her herte / but she made no semblaunt for doubte of some folke. For ye knowe well ynoughe that they say oftener the euyll than the good / for all that whā they demaunded her / she sayd that she sawe nothynge in hȳ but all good / and that he was a ryght gracyous knyght / & in suche estate he had put hym in the grace of all them that knewe hym. And in lyke wyse at y^• begynnynge had ben cōspyred dyuers enuyes agaynst his persone / but by the grete wysdome & doulcenesse that remayned in hym / he had subdued & ouercome his euyl wyllers / in suche wyse that euery body [Page] loued hym. Also none can not recorde to you y^• newe thynges that were begonne / enterprysed / and acheued by hȳ / as well Iustynge as other dyspertes and playes Ye haue well herde how Olyuer had receyued a kysse of his excellent maystresse / and I haue also tolde you that he kepte it so well / that he lost it not whan he wolde / for loue in a shorte space had defaced his Ioye and lyesse / & with that helde hym so streyte in his bondes that he coude not ete nor drynke / slepe nor rest in bedde / and he was not at his ease nor peas the houre that he hadde lost the syght of his lady and maystresse. And was not in no pla­ce but that hym thought that he sawe the representacyō of his excellente lady afore his eyen. In suche estate he was a space of tyme / and in suche wyse he aduychylled / hym that he became in suche estate that he cared no mo­re of noo good dede. Thystorye sayth that on a tyme as he kerued afore his maystres at the table as he that was not mayster ouer hymselfe began to beholde her / and in beholdynge her he made many syghes of loue that pro­ceded from his herte. Then the fayre Helayne appercey­ued that he thought strongely vpon her / and she had no thȳge kerued afore her for to ete. For Olyuer had gyuē her none / wherfore she sayd by dyuers tymes. Olyuer my frende I wolde ete gladly yf ye gaue me wherof O­lyuer that thought on other thynges herde her not at y^• fyrst tyme. And whan his vnderstandynge was comen agayn / all ashamed he began for to serue / and as he that had no thought on that whiche he dyde / cut his fyngre [...]ll moost of. Wherfore he departed from thens inconty­nent / and gaue another to serue. Helayne apperceyuynge these thȳges knewe & apperceyued clerely y^• thought of Olyuer / wherof she was nothynge gladde / whan she [Page] sawe hym in suche poynt for her loue.

OLyuer comē in to his lodgys entred all alone in to his chambre / and layde hym downe vpon his [Page] bedde / in complaynynge hym so pyteously / that it was grete pyte for to here. He cursed the god of loue that had wounded hym so profoundly with his hambynge darte and bounde hym in his bandes soo vyolently / wherfore he sawe appertely that he must nedes deye / for he abode none allegeaunce / nor mercye of his anguysshous ma­ladye. Ha kynge of Englāde sayd Olyuer yf thy worde had ben verytable / as a kynges ought to be / I had not fallen in this extremyte that I am nowe in. Thus as ye haue herde demeaned Olyuer his sorowe by longe spa­ce of tyme / and contynued so in that he was greuously sycke / and layde hym downe in his naked bedde. Wher­of the Kynge and all they of the courte were ryghte dys­pleasaunt. And the kynge vysyted hym ryght famylyerly / and made hym to be sumptuously kepte / and taken heede to of his physycyons. But aboue all them that were dolaunt / the noble Helayne passed / notwithstādynge she made no semblaunt outwarde. And on a tyme as y^• physycyens came to her / as it is theyr custome for to vysyte prynces and prencesses / she demaunded them how Olyuer dyde / and yf that he amended not. They answered naye / and sayd that they had grete doubte of his lyfe Whan Helayne herde these tydynges she was so dolent that she myght scarsely susteyne herselfe. Thē she with drewe her in to her garderobe / and gaue them to vnder­stande that she was sycke / & therfore she layde her dow­ne on her bedde / & made her to be couered / for to couer the better her dole. And whan the ladyes were voyded / she began to saye with a softe voyce. O god almyghtye creatour of heuen and erthe / the whiche after thy pleasu­re dysposeth all erthely thynges. And thou ryght doulce quene of heuen / lady of the worlde / and empresse of helle [Page] also truely as thou bare .ix. monthes in thy blessyd flan­kes the veray sone of god thyn espouse / and that conceyued hym a vyrgyn / and delyuered hym a vyrgyn / and y^• arte aduocate and refuge of all desolate creatures I be­seche the that thou wylte counsayll me vnhappy and vnfortuned woman. O gloryous vyrgyn Marye wherfore hathe thy blessyd sone gyuen me soo moche beaute for to be cause of the dethe of the moost fayrest / and moost va­lyauntest knyght that euer was sene / the whiche am in dygne of this grace. Wherfore I beseche the that thou kepe this gentyll knyght / the whiche hathe not my soo­ne me in no maner of the worlde / wherby I sholde put hym in this ryght daungerous peryll / and that thou dysdeyne not for to tell me myn honour saued / how that I myght gyue hym allegeaunce of his maladye. Whyles that she complayned so to god and to our lady / a lyghte sompne toke her / wherthrughe she was constrayned to slepe. In her slepe her semed that our lady spake to her and sayd. Helayne my sone & I haue herde thy request The knyght for whome thou hast prayed is sycke to the dethe. And bycause that thou arte cause of his maladye / thou must be cause also of his guarysshȳge and helthe / go towarde thy fader and demaunde hym lycence for to [...]o se hym / & whan thou shalte be there / put hym in me­morye that the yeres ende approcheth nere / & that thou shalte haue so good mynde on hym / that it shall suffyse hym. Helayne a waked ryght Ioyous of her vysyō / and in thankynge god and our lady arose / and wente towarde her fader / the whiche gaue her leue to go vysyte Olyuer / and so she wente theder with a lytell company. And whan she was entred in to the chambre / she approched towarde the bedde where as Olyuer was / that alredye [Page] had lost his knowlege / and with the teres in her eyen named hym her frende / in demaundynge hym how he dy­de. Olyuer knewe the voyce of his may [...]esse / and lyfte vp his eyen in makynge a lytell syghe anguysshous / for other thynge coude he not answere. Helayne appercey­ued that he had but lytell knowlege / wherfore she approched more nerer / and sayd with a lowe voyce. Alas my frende what lacke ye / wyll ye leue me a wydowe / do ye not knowe y^• the ende of the twelue monthe approcheth By my trouth my frende your maladye doth greue me so sore that ye can not byleue it / wherfore I pray you that ye wyll thynke for to guarysshe you / and yf there be ony thynge that I can do for you / tell it me. And euē so god helpe me myn honoure salued / I knowe no mā for whome I wolde do more than for you.

AS Olyuer herde y^• swete voyce of his mays­tres that recomforted hym so swetely / he forced hym for to speke / and with grete payne thanked her / and with payne myght he ab­steyne hym from saynge that she was cau­se of his dethe / and as she that loued hym / sayd to hym / Fayre syr thynke for to waxe hole / and come to y^e courte For vpon my fayth ye shall be ryght welcome. Then she [Page]

toke leue of hym and retorned / and it was neuer a daye after / but that she shente for to knowe how he dyde / and with that she sente hym ryght largely of her wynes / and dyde so moche that within shorte tyme he was stroūge ynoughe for to promayne hym aboute his chambre / as he that had had a good physycyen in his maladye. And it was not longe after that he wente in to the courte / and whan he felte hymselfe that he was entyerly hole / he ser­ued his maystres as he had done before The whiche made hym greter chere than she was accustomed to do. In suche wyse y^• Olyuer was more beauteuous than euer he had bē afore. Helayne that apperceyued that Olyuer was out of daunger / put hym in remembraunce of the regrettes and complayntes that she had made for hym durynge his maladye / wherof Olyuer had his heed dy­uers tymes sore troubled. ¶It happened vpon a whyt­sontyde / [Page] on the whiche daye he helde open courte. And there was the moost parte of the lordes of Englande as­sembled / euen so as he was at dyner / and his doughter sette besyde hym / came a messanger afore the table / the whiche began for to saye. That same god all puyssaunt / that gouerneth all thynges / gyue honoure and glorye & good aduenture to the hyghe and puyssaunt prynces / & my souerayne lordes the seuen kynges of Irlande / by whome I am sente hether / and that he confounde the crowne of Englande / the whiche is not worthy to be named Kynge. Now herken tyraunt what I haue in char­ge for to saye to the by the kynges of Irlande. They sende the worde by me / and defyeth the of fyre and bloode / and that they wyll depose the of thy realme / as he that is not worthy for to holde it Some of them hathe ben co­men to thy courte for to knowe more playnly thy gouer­nynge / wheras they haue apperceyued thy grete crude lyte and tyrannye / and howe that by thy synguler and dampnable wyll / hathe accomplysshed thy tyrannye on colde bloode withouten ony cause reasonable / wherfore thou arte cause of the effusyon of blode humayne / and of the semblable crysten. And therfore take heede to that whiche thou hast to do. For I tell the that they ben alre­dy descended on thy grounde / and shall do suche Iustyce on the as apperteyneth.

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FYnysshed the wordes of the messanger / the kynge enclyned his heed / and sone after lyft it vp agayne / and began to rolle his eyen / & to bende his browes in suche wyse that here sembled a man extracte oute of his mynde / Whan the messenger sawe the kynge make suche chere / he wolde with a good wyll haue ben in his moders bely. There was none that answered / for the courte at that tyme was to troubled that it was grete meruayll to be­holde it / for all they in the halle kepte scylence / and sayd neuer a worde. Whan the valyaunt Olyuer sawe all the companye so sore abasshed for so lytel a thynge / as hym semed / he sette hymselfe on his knees before the kynges [Page] persone / and all ashamed beganne for to speke and sayd Ryght myghtye Emperour & redou [...]ted syr. I beseche you that your ryall mayeste be not dysmayed agaynste me / yf that I auaunce me to speke soner than I oughte to do. Syr ye haue herde the iniuryes that these caytyfs kynges of Irlande hathe unposed on you by the saynge of the herauldes. And for bycause that I knowe you soo valyaunt and so puyssaūt / and with that that ye hadde leuer deye than it sholde abyde thus without vengynge you on your enemyes / that alredy ben entred in to your realme / wherfore I supplye me in all humylyte that vn­to me yonge man / notwithstandynge that I am not dy­gne / and that I haue lytell sene vnto this present tyme that ye wyll do me that honoure for to gyue me a certayne nombre of men of armes / suche as your good pleasu­re shal be / and that ye shall fynde by the delyberacyon of your good counsayll / for to go agaynste these vnhappy folke / that withoute cause wyl vsurpe youe lordshyppe. ¶The kynge answered vnto Olyuer and sayd Olyuer I shall counsayll me on the request that ye make to me after dyner / and after I shall make you to knowe my wyll. And then he commaunded that the messaunger of the Kynges of Irlande sholde be sette to dyner. And soo it was done. Whā the kynge was rysen from the table / he assembled his counsayll. And then was gyuen an an­swere to the messanger that he sholde saye to his mays­ters that they myght be well sure that the Kynge doubted theym but lytell / and that he hadde good wyll for to kepe his herytage / & that yf they myghte wynne [...] that it sholde be theyres / but by the pleasure of god it sholde not happen so / and then they gaue some gyfte vnto the messanger. And then the sayd messanger departed and [Page] retorned towarde the kynges of Irlāde that alredy were entred into the realme of Englande / to whome he tolde the answere that he had receyued. And then y^• kynge of Englande accorded to Olyuer his request / for the grete valyauntnesse y^• he had sene hym do afore tymes. And gaue to hym .x. thousande men of armes / the whiche comen he toke leue of the kynge / and the kynge gaue hym foure thousande nobles at his departynge / the whiche Olyuer toke in good thanke. But afore that he departed from the cyte he dystrybued it vnto the poore men of ar­mes that had nede therof / and more to / and he dyde soo moche that they spake of nothynge but of his grete lar­gesse / wherfore he gate the loue of euery body. And in y^• maner departed after that he had taken leue of his may stresse / the whiche commaunded hym vnto god. And he spedde hym so well on his Iourneye that he came with in thre myle of his enemyes. And whan it came to theyr knowlege they reysed vp theyr syege that they had lay­de aboute a stronge place / and putte theym all vpon a playne in fayre ordenaunce redy to abyde bataylle. Oly­uer in lyke wyse prayed and requyred all his men for to do well / in shewynge theym that they sholde haue more honoure without comparyson / yf ony good aduenture happened them / than yf the kynge were there in his persone / and eche of them promysed to do his deuoyre. And in that good wyll they approched so nere theyr enemyes that they myght se them clerely / the whiche were foure agaynst one man. But they were not men of suche chap for the moost parte were comune men and euyll armed at all poyntes.

RYght so as these two hoostes approched to gyder / ye myght haue herde suche a noyse that it was hydeous to here / and whan it came to the strokes gyuynge / ye sholde haue sene sheldes c [...]ouen / and helmes & hauberkes brokē / ste­des and knyghtes smyten downe / hedes and armes cut of / and many one pulled downe that neuer rose after. Olyuer wente thrughe the batayll maulgre all his enemyes / and dyde suche dedes of armes that he made hym to [Page] be knowen within a lytell stounde of euery body / wherfore they fledde afore hym and made hym waye. For all that he hytte he smote downe / none can not reherse vn­to you the meruaylous strokes that he gaue / for bothe his frendes and his enemyes were all abasshed to behol­de them. He escryed as hye as he myght / yf the kynges of Irlande be here I shall make them crownes. One of the kynges of Irlande that was a valyaunt man tooke a grete spere in his hande and came towarde Olyuer / Olyuer that sawe hym come pulled a spere frome hym that was nexte hym / and smote his hors with the spor­res and mette togyder so strongly that it was not in the horses puyssaunce to susteyne them / wherfore bothe fell to the erthe / but the kynge neuer arose after / for Olyuer had perced his hauberke and smyten hym to the herte / wherof it was grete dommage / for he was a valyaunte man. Then ye sholde haue sene Englysshmen and Irys­men renne to the socoure of theyr lordes and there was slayne moche people on bothe sydes. Olyuer was on so­te amongest his enemyes where as he smote on the ry­ghte hande and of the lefte hande / and dyde suche dedes of armes that it was grete meruayll. His cuttȳge swerde made his enemyes to flee afore hȳ. For all that maulgre them all he mounted on his hors / and then beganne the batayll more fyers and more aspre than it hadde ben of all the daye afore. And in that same bataylle / Olyuer with his propre handes toke two of the moost grettest Kynges of Irlande. And then after that Olyuer with grete payne perced the hoost and dyde soo moche that in despyte of all his enemyes / he came vnto the chyef stan­darde of the Irysshmen / the whiche by force of armes he smote downe to the grounde / and with one stroke he [Page] smote of his heed that bare the standarde / & so he deyed / Thenne ye sholde haue sene Irysshemen gretely abas­shed whā they sawe theyr chyfe standarde fall to y^• erthe they toke grete payne for to rere it vp agayne / but they coude not. And fynably / by y^• valyauntnesse of Olyuer and the courage that he gaue his men the Irysshemen were dyscomfyted / and so they fled. The chase endured more than two myle / and there was soo many slayne y^• it was a pyteous syght for to beholde it / and euery body saued hym that myght. And than they came by nyghte and by dare to theyr shyppes / and in grete hast they en­tred in to theyr shyppes / and sayled in to Irlande where as they tolde theyr pyteous dyscomfyture that gaue grete dyscomforte vnto all theym of that countree. Olyuer made to sowne the retreyte / to the ende that none wente ferder forthe / wherfore euery body retorned. And whan it came to repasse by the waye where as the batayll was done / and sawe the grete effusyō of blode / there was none of them but that theyr hertes abhorred. And Olyuer hymselfe had the teres in his eyen and sayd. My blessyd creatour I praye the that by thy grete mercye thou wyl­te pardon me the effusyon of blode of these crysten men. Neuerthelesse take that Olyuer sayd these wordes / yet he was ryght Ioyous and gladde of the vyctorye / and gaue louynges and thankynges to almyghty god / with a good herte. In that maner they came vnto the towne that hadde ben assyeged afore of the Irysshemen / whe­re as they were receyued with grete tryumphe and Ioy and with processyon of all the chyrches / and all the bel­les were rongen at his entrynge. And they gaue Oly­uer grete gyftes / the whiche he gaue vnto his men / and in lykewyse of all the butyn that he had wonne he wolde [Page] haue nothynge. After he sente for the capytaynes of his armye / and whan they were comen he sayd to them / fayre lordes ye knowe the vyctorye that god of his grace hathe gyuen to vs agaynst oure enemyes. And therfore it sholde be good to sygnefye these tydynges to the Kynge our soueraylle lorde. Wherfore I praye you that the de­de bodyes maye be nombred / to the ende that we maye wryte to hym the more certaynlye. It was tolde hym y^• the kynge sholde haue shortlye tydynges / for it sholde be to longe to abyde the tellynge of them. But as it semed them they myght not fayle to wryte .xx.M. of theyr enemyes deed / without puttynge other nombre / and fewe of theyr men.

ANd whā the lettres were made by Olyuer and by the lordes / they were gyuen vnto a messaunger / and badde hym make all dyly­gence that he coude / the whiche he dyde / and whan he was comen to London he presen­ted them to the kynge / and whan the kynge hadde redde them alowe / ye may well thynke that he was ryght Io­yous and gladde. And therfore he made theym for to be redde on hyghe / and whan it came to the knowlege of them of the courte / there was none but that he thanked god. And the Kynge commaunded that these tydynges sholde be publysshed all aboute. And after mounted on [Page]

horsbacke and dyuers other lordes in his companye and so came to the cathedrall chyrche of Poules in y^e whiche he, gaue louynges / and praysynges to oure lorde / and to the valyaunte Olyuer. ¶I retorne here to Olyuer the whiche assembled al the gretest of his armye / & demaunded them yf they had ony talent to doo a good thynge / And they answered ye & that it sholde not holde at them Then Olyuer sayd / my lordes frendes and felowes god hathe gyuen vs so fayre auēture that we can neuer thanbe hȳ ynoughe. Therfore me semeth seynge oure good [Page] begynnynge yf that it stycke not at you we maye do yet some good thynge. For ye ought for to knowe that there was neuer men more abasshed than our enemyes were whan they knewe the veryte how it wente / that one of theyr kynges was slayne / and the other twayne taken / and with this all theyr men of warre slayne / in whome they affyed them. And thus thē as me semeth seynge y^• we be not ferre from theyr marches / yf that we put vs in to theyr countree hastely / afore that theyr grete an­guysshe and sorowe were passed / and without gyuynge them leyser to thynke on theyr affayres / we sholde fyn­de them so vnpurueyde / that in them sholde be lytell re­systence / and there is myne aduyce vnd [...]r correccyō / for as me semeth yf that we myght conquere this countree ye sholde be worthy to haue grete louynge and recōmendacyon / and shall be dynge neuer to be put out of memorye amonst the noble & valyannt men. Those capytay­nes herynge the wordes of Olyuer preysed hym moche in theyr hertes / and well semed theym that that whiche he had sayd proceded of a hyghe and noble courage / therfore all of one accorde without lōge counsayl sayde vnto hym. Olyuer we ben departed for to serue the Kynge a­gaynst his enemyes / and the after / and therfore we telle you that where someuer ye wyll go / we shall folowe you as they that wyll lyue and deye with you / and neuer too fayle you. ¶Olyuer seynge the affeccyon of those noble men towarde hym / and the good wyll that they hadde / to do the kynge seruyce / thāked them / in offrynge vnto them bothe body and goodes.

BY this maner was concluded the vyage in to Irlande / and toke in the towne as many pa­uelyons and tētes as they myghte gete / and all thynge that was necessarye for theyr vyage / and departed from thens / and toke with them a thousande men on horsbacke / and as many on fote / without theyr nombre. And also they toke with them as moche artyllerye & other habyllementes of warre as [Page] that they myght well haue without dysgarnysshynge of the towne / and it was tolde them afore theyr departyn­ge / by them that had charge for to bury the deed folke y^• they had founde deed of theyr enemyes .xxiiij.M. and of theyr mē .xij.C. wherfore theyr frendes were ryght dys­pleasaunt. And they assembled shyppes and entred into y^• see / and dyde so moche that in shorte tyme they were oute of the realme of Englande / and entred in to Irlan­de where as they began for to do moche harme / and foū ­de but fewe places that resysted agaynst them / for they be not so stronge as these of this regyon. They that we­re taken by force had no mercy but that they slewe them all. They that dyde yelde them to theym afore that they besyeged them / were taken to mercye. And w^t this they fered so sore theyr enemyes / that the moost parte of them yelded them or they came to them. Then y^e kynges of y^• countree that were escaped fro the batayll were soo sore abasshed that they coude not put no consayll to theyre affayres / for theyr folke were yet full of sorowe / bycause of the dolorous fortune that hadde happened theym. Wherfore they habandonned all in the wyll of god / and alonely fortefyed the places where as they wolde retray them / but this was not but that they gaue often assaul­tes and scarmoshes to the Englyshmen ryght subtyllye gouerned on theyr syde / wherthrughe there was many men slayne on bothe partyes. And in suche wyse by suc­cessyon of tyme that the moost parte yelded them to thē And y^e ryche themself helped for to warre agaynst theyr lordes. In that estate they wente and assyeged a place / where as one of the kynges of Irlande was / that hadde ben newe crowned. And was his sone that Olyuer dyd slee at the torneyment. The whiche they assaylled ryght [Page] quyckely / and boystously / and there was done on the one syde and on the other grete dedes of armes For they that were within the castell defended them vygorously / soo that they receyued that daye but lytell dommage. The kȳge Maquemor was aduertysed of these, thynges / and how the fyege was afore the place of his cousyn. Wherfore he was ryght dyspleasaunt. And swore by his crowne that it sholde not abyde se. He assembled as moche folke as he myght. And then he the thyrde kynge came for to aryse the syege. Olyuer was aduertysed of all these thȳ ges / wherfore he put hymselfe on the felde for to abyde them. And lefte a partye of his folke for to kepe the sye­ge. He put his folke in ordynaūce / and abode his eneme­es all redy for to fyght / the whiche a [...]ode not longe or y^• they came. And whan they sawe that Olyuer was alre­dy on the felde / they knewe well that they coude not escape without medlynge. And then they put theyr folke in ryght fayre ordenaunce / and began for to shote gonnes and Olyuer and his folke remeuyd not / but abode thē with ferme fote / and with one crye receyued them at the poyntes of theyr swerdes & speres. And there was slayn at the fyrst recountre dyuers mē on bothe partyes. Full many ladyes lost theyr lordes / and many chyldren were faderles / and full many maydens lost theyr louers there Olyuer cutte of hedes and armes in suche maner that neuer mā dyde more dedes of armes than he dyde. Not withstandynge the Irysshmen solde theyr lyues ryghte derely / as men replenysshed with prowesse / for as them semed and they lost that batayll / that in lyke wyse they sholde lese theyr countree / wherfore theyr courage dou­bled and dyde as well as they myght. In that estate du­red the batayll almoost vnto theyr nyght / but in the ende [Page] the Irysshemen were dyscomfyted / as they that mygh­te not endure the [...]adde strokes of the Englysshemen. ¶The pursuyte dured not longe bycause of the nyghte The Kynge Maquemor and two other kynges were taken / wherof Olyuer was ryght gladde / for he had alre­dy fyue / and so there was no moo lefte but two / wherof there abode one enclosed in y^• place where the syege was whan the nyght was comen Olyuer in his tente made the Kynges prysoners to be seruyd ryght honourably. And on y^• morowe he made to crye that euery body shol­de put hym in payne for to do his deuoyre to take y^e pla­ce. Then ye sholde haue sene many a valyaunt knyght and squyre / and mē of armes go to the assaulte but they of within defended them soo valyaūtly that it was gre­te meruayll. And the kȳge sayd that he hadde leuer deye than for to yelde hym in to the handes of his enemyes / and to hym that hadde slayne his fader.

EUen so as ye haue herde endured the syege by longe space of tyme afore y^• castell. Durynge the whiche tyme Olyuer made often the kyn­ge of Englande to knowe of his demeanynge And sente hym often worde that he sholde ha­ue noo doubte of them / for they had nothynge but good The artellerye that was there endommaged strongely the castell / and so moche that a grete parte of the walle was smyten downe / and then it was assaylled at that syde. Olyuer was in that assaulte and bare hym so valyauntly [Page] that he was the fyrste that entred in / wherfore al his men folowed hym. And at that tyme was the castell wonne / and the kynge taken. But afore that he was ta­ken he dyde grete dedes of armes / and all the other we­re slayne. Olyuer departed from thens / and lefte good garnyson there. He put hym on the waye for to goo con­quere the realme of the sone of hym that he hadde slayne in the fyrst batayll. But that same kynge abode not his comyng / but came agaynst Olyuer without ony armoure at all / berynge in his hande a braunche of Olyue in y^• sygne of peas. And whan he sawe Olyuer he sayd to hȳ O ryght valyaunt conquerour / afore whome nothynge can endure / by the furoure of thy swerde thou haste subdued seuen kyngdomes / and hast the kynges prysoners wherfore I knowe that my persone alonely can not re­syste agaynste thy persone and puyssaunce. Therfore I come and yelde me at thy wyll / and do offre me and my realme for to serue the. Olyuer thanked hym and tooke hym by the hande / & sayd that he sholde soupe with hym that nyght. Then Olyuer commaunded that the tētes sholde be pyght in a fayre grene felde that was no ferre from thē / by the whiche dyuers ryuers and fountaynes passed by / wherfore the place was more delectable. Oly­uer cōmaunded that the kynges that had bē prysoners of longe tyme / the whiche were abyden in a stronge for tresse not ferre from thē sholde be brought to hym / and made to saye to his cooke that he sholde make redy the souper in y^• best maner that he coude / for he wolde feest the seuen kynges in his pauylyon. And whā the houre of souper approched / he made them to sytte downe at a table / and souped rychely. After souper Olyuer made auoydaunce / and sayd vnto the seuen kynges howe that [Page] they were prysoners / not to come of them / but at the plesure and wyll of the kynge of Englāde / that they hadde so vylaynously offended and made grete doubte that he wolde punysshed them greuously as it apperteyned / & tolde them that they sholde be ledde to hym on the next morowe / and that they sholde thynke on that that they wolde doo / for to amende the offence that hadde ben done by them.

SOne after dyuers wordes came y^e spyces & y^e wyne / & after they wente vnto bedde vn­to the morowe / y^t euery body by the cōmaū ­dement of the capytayns made thē redy to departe and soo euery thynge packed & trussed they retorned towarde London. And than Olyuer called vnto hym a ryght valyaunt knyght and one of y^e capytaynes Englysshe / to whome he prayed moche curtaysly that he wolde goo towarde the kynge & denounce to hym theyr comynge / and that he coude tell hym the thynges better than ony coude wryte theym. The kny­ght in accomplysshynge the wyll of Olyuer put hȳ selfe on the waye & he dyde so moche that within a lytell spa­ce he arryued at London / and salued the kynge / and made the recōmaundacyons ryght humbly frome Olyuer and all his felowes / and than he began to tell hym how they were on y^e waye to retorne / and that y^e seuen kyngedomes of Irlande were conquered / and put in y^e obeys­saunce of his septre. And that Olyuer brought hym the seuen kynges prysoners for to doo with them his good pleasure. And began to deuyse hym of y^e valyaunce that he had sene Olyuer do / and that with payne it was cre­dyble that the whiche he hadde sene Olyuer accomplys­she. And sayd syre after god and his holy moder gyue thankynges vnto the ryght valyaunt knyght Olyuer / for by his ryght arme ye haue obtayned vyctory of all your enemyes. And certaynly I thynke that neuer god gaue to no man so moche goodnesse as he hath gyuē to [Page] this same. The kynge herynge those Ioyous tydynges was so replenysshed with Ioye that he was a longe space or that he myght speke. Neuerthelesse sone after he enbraced the knyght and sayd. My frende ye be ryght welcome I thanke god / the armes / and the swerde of the ryghte gentyll knyght / of the Ioyous tydynges that ye brynge me. And after commaunded hym for to tell it on hyghe. So he began for to recounte it more lenger than he hadde done to the kynges persone. And alwaye pray synge and louynge Olyuer / saynge that it was a thynge of the other worlde / and not for to byleue to theym that had not sene it. These tydynges were sone spredde aboute in the ladyes chambres / and came to the ceres of the fayre Helayne that was moche Ioyous of that whiche she herde / and her thought that and he hadde ben kynge and she quene / that all the worlde sholde haue bē the better. Wherfore her courage blamed strōgly her fader bycause that he kepte from so gentyll a knyght that y^• whi­che was due to hym. The kynge enquyred and demaunded the daye of his comynge / and made to ordeyne a ry­ghte grete feest at theyr comynge. He commaunded all the grete lordes and prynces of his realme for to be there And whan it came that Olyuer approched nere the Cy­te / all the prynces wēte agaynst hym / and there was no­ne of them but that they dyde hym honoure and reuerence. The kynge hadde ordeyned that he sholde be ledde in grete tryumphe thorughe the cyte. And therfore the strete [...] were hanged / and the fyres alyghted / and the belles rougen on all sydes. ¶Also the processyons on all sydes wente agaynste hym to the gate of the cyte. And whan [...] apperceyued the processyons he alyghted of his [...] and consequently all the grete lordes that dydde [Page] hym that honoure. And in that estate they came vnto y^e cathedrall chyrche of Poules where as they gaue than [...] kynges and louynges to almyghty god and to our lady And then they mounted on horsbacke / and then Olyuer sente the seuen kynges prysoners in to y^e places that we reordeyned for them. And he all armed wènte towarde the kynge / the whiche he salued ryght humbly. Whā the kynge apperceyued hym he wente agaynst hym / and began for to kysse hym & colle hym saynge / my ryght swe­te frende / blessyd be the fader that engendred the / and the moder that bare the. And thanked be my blessyd lor­de that euer gaue the wyll for to come in to this countre the whiche at this presente tyme is so gretely honoured and redoubted by thy swerde. I praye to god that he gy­ue me space for to deserue it to you warde Olyuer answered to hym. Syr thanke our lorde / and after the valy­aunt men that ye gaue to me / and not me / for take that I haue done the best that I can / yet I haue not deser­ued the honoure that ye do to me. The kynge answered that he was aduertysed of euery thynge / and commaunded hym to go and dysarme hym. And whan the houre of souper sholde approche that he sholde retorne / & that he sholde brynge with hym the seuen kynges / for he wolde soupe with them in his palays. Olyuer wente towarde his maystres / to whome the kynge hadde commaun­ded / that all the honoure that she coude make hym / that she sholde do it. And therfore whan she sawe Olyuer co­me to warde her / she wente agaynste hym and toke hym by the hande and kyssed hym in saynge that he was ry­ght welcome / and that she was glad of his welfare / but bycause that the souper tyme approched that he sholde [...]etche the kynges prysoners / he abode not longe there / [Page] but toke leue and wente in to his lodgynge.

[Page] WHan y^• Olyuer was dysarmed / and habyl­led of newe clothes / he came ryght well ac­cōpanyed of noble mē o [...] y^e kynges courte / y^t had grete desyre for to please hym / in to y^e lodgys of the seuē kynges the whiche he salued / and sayd to them that the Kynge his lorde wol­de speke with them and soupe with them / they sayd that they wolde go gladlye / and mounted on horsbacke / and Olyuer also with them that conduyted them. And whā they entred in to the courte dyuers lordes / and prynces of Englande came agaynst them that dyde lede them to warde the kynge / the whiche whan he lawe them in his chambre / he remeuyd not from his place / y^• other bowȳ ­ge theyr knees lowe ynoughe. And whan they appro­ched nere the kynge / the kynge toke of his hatte and in marchynge thre or foure paas agaynst them / sayd that they were ryght welcome. And whan he had salued thē all / he began for to deuyse with them of dyuers thyng [...]s pleasaunt withoute makynge ony mencyon of warre. And so longe they were in these deuyses that the houre of souper was comen / and the water blowen. The Kynge of Englande had ordeyned that thre tables sholde be sette in the halle. One more eleuate and hygher thā the other. And at that table the kynge satte hym downe / and commaunded Olyuer for to sytte with hym / the whiche durst not dysobeye the kynges commaundement. And therfore all ashamed he satte hȳ downe / and there was no moo. After he commaunded that the Kynges of Ir­lande sholde be sette. The mayster cōtroller that knewe well ynoughe what he sholde do / made them for to sytte at the seconde table / and all the other prynces the which were without nombre satte at the thyrde table / and were [Page] ryght sumptuously seruyd.

RYght as they hadde souped / and that the ta­bles were taken vp / & graces rendred vnto god / the kynge cōmaunded for to go fetche his fayre dougter Helayne / to the ende that the daūces were begonnē. And the noble & valyaunt knyght Olyuer wente for to fetche his goodly and excelleut maystres. And whan that she was comen and that she had salued her fader / she salued after the seuen [Page] kynges / euen so as she coude full well do it / and the other lordes ensewynge. Then were the daunces begon the whiche the kynge behelde gladly. And in beholdȳge Olyuer daūce / he thought in hym selfe how it sholde be possyble for to rendre to hym the guerdon of his seruyce And thoughte soo moche that a more gretter thynge he myghte not gyue hym than his doughter / that afore he had wōne by force of armes / but bycause that he hadde taken her from hym / parauēture he wolde haue dysdayne for to take her agayne / wherfore he concluded for to speke to hym after the daūces in the presence of all them that were there / or that wolde be there. And euen soo as he had thought it he dyde it. And whan all was faylled / and that his doughter was comen for to gyue hym good nyghte. He made to be sayd to her that whan she sholde be in her chābre / that she sholde not hye her vnto bedde The whiche dyde euen so. After he called Olyuer in the presence of the kynges of Irlande / and of the other prynces and lordes that were there. Olyuer my frende I be­gyn for to haue knowlege of my caas / and how that of longe tyme I haue with holdē that whiche ought to be yours / that is my doughter. That the whiche dyde mo­ue me therto was bycause that I knewe not / so playnly your estate as I do nowe. But truely and Helayne were quene of all y^e worlde I wolde thynke her wel bestowed onyou / as to the moost valyauntest knyght of y^e worlde Thus I then knowynge all these thynges shall gyue to you the moost derest thynge that I haue / y^• is my doughter / yf it please you for to take her to your wyfe. Wherby after my deth ye may be kynge of Englande / the whiche wolde be ryght happy to haue suche a lorde. Thē fynys­shed the kyng his wordes. Whan Olyuer sawe that the [Page] kynge had fynysshed his wordes / he sette hym on bothe his knees / and began to saye these wordes. Ryght ho­nourable lorde / truely there is no seruyce but of a kynge for I may wel auaunte me / that with lytell deseruynge I haue the gretest guerdon that euer hadde man / wherof I gyue louynges to god and to you graces and than­kes / nor neuer poore man as I am hadde the hondrethe parte of the honour that ye do to me. I praye to god that he gyue me grace to deserue it vnto your hyghnesse. For by you my name shall be chaunged / and they that shall here speke of this mater / shall name me the seruaunte hyghly guerdonned.

THen the kynge commaunded Olyuer for to aryse / and sente for his doughter. And whan she was comen / he toke her by the hande and leddeher to hym and sayd. My frende se he­re my doughter that I gyue you to your wyfe / in acquytynge my promesse. Olyuer thanked hym ryghte humblye. The poore Helayne that of al this knewe nothynge / was more abasshed than euer she had ben afore / and began for to chaunge coloure / wherby her beau­te was nor mynysshed. Whan the kyng sawe her in that estate / he sayd to her. My ryght dere doughter I haue all troubled you as semeth me / whā I haue gyuē you to a man without knowynge your wyll. But by the helpe of god he shall do nothynge to you but that ye may well suffre and endure / as I deme. Then Olyuer began for to laughe at the wordes that the kynge had sayd. Wher­fore Helayne was more ashamed than she had ben afore The archebysshop that was in the halle dyde handfeste them. Then began for to speke by the kynges commaundement an au [...]cyent knyght / y^e whiche adressyd his wordes vnto the kynges of Irlande / and sayd to them that the kynge his souerayne lorde for the loue of the solemp nyte that sholde be on the morowe / and also for the loue of Olyuer / he was contente to rendre to them theyr realmes / quyte theyr raunsons / and sende them agayne in to theyr countrees without ony dommage / by suche mo­yen / [Page] that eche of them sholde do hym homage / and hol­de of hym theyr landes. With this that as often as y^• kynges good pleasure sholde be for to sende for thē / in war­re / or in peas / that they sholde come and serue hȳ. And fro thens forth to holde hym for theyr souerayne lorde / They knowynge that of two euylles it is the beste to es­chewe the worste / accorded to the kynges request / & dyd homage vnto the kynge of Englande. ¶And after these thynges / and that they had daunced ones aboute for the espousayles euery body wente to bedde / but Olyuer slepte not that nyght / but watched al y^t nyght / as he y^• wolde with a good wyll haue ben a daye elder / & thanked god of his goodnes. For hym semyd that he was lyfte out of his euyll aduēture / and so passed the nyght. And whan the daye was comen and that it was tyme for hym to aryse / the kynge that knewe well ynoughe that Olyuer coude not haue his gownes made so soone / sente hym / thre or foure gownes of clothe of golde beten. And whā Olyuer was apparaylled / all the prynces and lordes ca­me and fetched hym / and fyue kynges of Irlande came / and the other twayne abode for to accompany the fayre Helayne.

RYght sone after that all these thynges were redy. Olyuer came in to y^e courte accōpany­ed as ye haue herde afore / & wente to y^e por­tall of y^e chapell / where as he foūde y^e Arche bysshop redy. They hadde not bē lōge there whan that they herde comynge to them grete foyson of [Page]

trompettes / and mynstrelles / and began for to sowne / and come to warde the chapell after them / and there ca­me dyuers kynges and herauldes of armes / and after came the Usshers And after theym then came Helayne aourned as it apperteyneth to a bryde / and to a lady of so ryall a lygnage. She was accompanyed of dyuers ladyes and damoyselles that folowed her. And with this she was on the ryght hande of two kynges. And came a softe paas vnto the place where as Olyuer abode her / [Page] And they hadde not ben longe there whan the kynge came / at whose comynge they were wedded. The seruyce was done. The tables were layde / & then they set them to dyner after that the ladyes were retorned frome the chambres. Who that wolde deuyse to you the scruyce of the sayd dyner / the gyftes that were gyuen as well on the one syd [...] as on the other / it sholde be to longe a thyn­ge to recoūte. The yonge men of the kynges courte that neuer were dyfferent to no thynge that was for Iustes made crye a Iustynge for the after dyner / where as the ladyes were. Also a torneyment was cryed .xvj. agaynst xvi. that was a ryght fayre syght to se. Olyuer Iusted not bycause he sholde not be defouled / & to the ende that he sholde be fresshe for to daunce at nyghte / but he was moūted on a grete courser and dyde meruaylles. He serued one of the kynges of Irlande / that for to do hym honoure Iusted / and foure of the other also. And dyde soo well that twayne of the fyue had the pryce / one within / and the other without. And it was gyuen theym or that they departed from the tyltes / as they that hadde done best. And after that euery body was comē to the courte the ladyes were clothed in newe gownes. And then they wente to the banquet that was alredy apparaylled. Yf they were well seruyd it is no nede to demaunde it. For there was neuer a fayrer feest in England / after that of the grete torneyment / that had ben afore. And whan it was after the banquet y^e daunces began / and Olyuer ledde the fayre Helayne at the daunces / that euery body sawe gladly. For all the worlde sayd that they had neuer sene a more fayrer couple of folke togyder. After that y^• daunces had endured a longe space of tyme / the farre & noble Helayne was ledde vnto bedde. And then wyne & [Page] spyces were broughte. The whiche Olyuer abode not / For he was alredy in his chambre where as he dysabyl­led hym. And whan he knewe that the bryde was a bed / incontyn [...]nt he put hym on the waye towarde the chambre. And whan he was there he chased all the ladyes out excepte one. And came towarde the table where as the banquet was on / and kest it to the erthe / to the ende that he sho [...]de not be awaked / then he came to the dore / and locked it / and wente to bedde to her that of longe tyme he hadde loued / & she hated hym not / wherfore they were the better contente togyder / and of the surplus I holde my peas. But the hystorye sayth that vpon that same nyght they engendred a chylde male / the whiche dydde sythe moche good / and exalted our crystē fayth agaynst the sarasyns / in vengynge the dethe of our lorde Ihesucryst.

WHan it came to the kynges knowlege that Olyuer had casten downe the table y^• the bāker was on / he began for to laughe. And sayd y^• he had ryght well wrought / wherfore no body wolde not medle for to entre in y^• chambre / & was not awaked of no body vnto the moro we / at a .xi. of the clocke / and y^• the kynge had dyned / the whiche came vnto the chambre dore / and beganne for to call them / and sayd that it was daye & tyme for to ryse / [Page] Olyuer the whiche slepte not came in his sherte and opened the dore to the kynge / the whiche entred alone / and came vnto his doughters bedde / where as he cōforted her as well as he myght. In saynge y^• he knewe it well of longe ago that she was to yonge for to slepe with the mē. The whiche answered nothynge vnto hym for ony thȳge that he coude doo. Wherfore he toke leue of her / & sayd to her that she was euyll contente with hym sythe that she wolde not speke to hȳ. After that he was depar­ted / the ladyes came and toke her vp. Thenne whan she was redy she wente to masse / but this was not without foyson of regardes of dyuers lordes and ladyes / the whiche with one accorde Iuged y^• she halted not. The masse was sayd / and the dyner passed / the whiche was ryghte plenteuous of all goodes. And y^e kynge helde open cour­te by the space of .xv. dayes / after the whiche all the lor­des toke leue of hym. And the kyng abode in his symple estate / reserued that Olyuer had his estate as a kynges sone / and reteyned dyuers gentylmen of his courte The kynges of Irlande toke theyr leue for to retorne home / In offrynge them alwaye at y^e kynges pleasure / & Oly­uers / for god had gyuen hym suche grace that euery body loued hym. The debates and dyscordes amonge the gentylmen. Olyuer appeased to his power. The poore knyghtes by his largesse were made ryche. He was the defendour of wydowes and Orphelyns / and to his po­wer to all dyscomforted and dyssolute he gaue comforte and coūsayll. Shortly all vertues that were possyble to be in a mannes mortall body / florysshed in this ryght valyaunt and gentyll knyght / in suche wyse that euery bo­dy louyd hym & blessyd his comynge. And helde the kyn­ge for wyse and prudent that so sone coude knowe his cō dycyons / [Page] and that he had so kepte his doughter to ma­ry her so vertuously / without thȳkynge on couetyse / so the kynge lyued in grete ease within his courte / & in gre­te louȳge and glorye without. And was so moche fered and redoubted that none durst do hym dyspleasure / but was mayster and lorde of all his neyghbours. The fayr & good Helayne that was with chylde was not of lesse recommendacyon ayenst her / for all vertues that a wo­man ought for to haue habounded in her. It happened that after that she had borne her terme / she was delyuered of a payre sone / the whiche was named at the fonte stone Henry. And this chylde gaue so moche Ioye to the kynge / and to all them of the realme y^• it was metuayll But that same chylde wyst and knewe that he ought yet to be the moost derest holden of all the other. For he was one of the best and valyauntest knyghtes that euer was Neuerthelesse he was not kynge of Englande / for he deyed yonge / wherof it was grete dommage. ¶ A lōge ty­me dyde passe and so moche that the fayre Helayne was with chylde agayne / the whiche was delyuered of a fay­re doughter / y^• whiche was ryght solempnelye baptysed and she was named Clarysse. The fayre Helayne and Olyuer were so assotted and doted on theyr chyldrē that it was a grete meruayll / and I am not abasshed. For they ought well to be so. The moder hadde them alwaye bytwene her armes / and myght not forgo the syght of them. It was the passe tyme of Olyuer / for the realme of Englande was in peas / and wyst not wherin to occu­pye hym saue to goo on huntynge / and haukynge / and for to make good chere.

OLyuer passed his tyme Ioyously / soo as ye haue herde. ¶It happened that the hun­ters made hym to knowe that the grettest wylde bore that euer was sene / was in the forest fyue myle thens. Olyuer that loued well hūtynge was ryght Ioyous / and sayd that he wolde go ryght gladly / wherfore on an after none he depar­ted from the cyte / & lodged hym in a vyllage by y^• forest where the wylde bore was in. That nyght his wyfe dre­med a meruaylous dreme / for her thought that she was on huntynge with her lorde / and that she sawe a Tygre meruaylously grete / that with his teeth / and his nayles deuoured Olyuer / and bare hym awaye she wyste not where Of his vysyon all trymblynge the fayre Helayne awaked / and coude not slepe after that. And on the mo­rowe she sente worde to her lorde / & requyred hym that he wolde not hunte as for that daye / for and he dyde her herte Iuged her that he sholde haue some hurte. Olyuer herynge the message of his wyfe dyde no thynge but laughe / for hym semed y^• dremes were but fantasyes / wherfore he sente worde to his wyfe that she sholde make gode chere / & that he wolde brynge her some venyson / then he mounted on horsbacke and wente to y^• forest / and vn­coupled the houndes / and began for to hunte. Thē Olyuer put hym in to the forest / and folowed the houndes / wherfore he dyde folye. For yf he had byleued the coun­sayll of his wyfe / it had not happened to hym as it dyde For so as he folowed the houndes as nere as he myghte the wylde bore came that was on fote / and trauersed [Page] afore hym. Olyuer that was welhorsed smote hym with the sporres / and ranne after. And he dyde so moche that he had lost all his men within a lytell whyle. Alas yf he had knowen of the euyll aduenture / he wolde not haue putte hym so soone in the forest / but as he that toke no hede rode on alwaye without kepynge ony waye / so as his euyll aduenture ledde hym. O kynge of Englande truely of a longe tyme thou shalte not se thy fayre sone Olyuer / nor thou ryght fayre Helayne of a longe tyme thou shalt not se thy lorde and husbande.

AFore that Olyuer apperceyued that no bo­dy dyde folowe hym / he was ferre from his folke. And whan he founde hymselfe alone / he blewe his horne / but none answered hym Wherfore he put hym on the waye in an vn­happy houre. For the more that he wente forwarde / the ferder he was from them. Thus as he wente so the wyl­de bore that was ferre from hym / came amōgest a com­pany of men that passed thorughe the forest / the whiche wente to London. And the chyef was one of the kynges of Irlande / that same that Olyuer had slayne the fader of at the torneymente. As he sawe the wylde bore / with suche houndes as he had he folowed / and ranne soo mo­che in the forest that they recoūtred Olyuer whiche was all alone. Then Olyuer auaunced hym and salued the kynge / but the kynge dysdayned to speke to hym. And he escryed to his men saynge / here is the murderer that hathe slayne my fader. Wherfore I do pray you that ye wyll take hȳ alyue / for I can not auenge me better than at this tyme. And whan Olyuer herde these wordes he sethande to his swerde / and defended hym ryght valy­auntly. But in the ende whether he wolde or not he was taken. And the kynge made a hode all close to be put on his heed / to the ende that he sholde not be knowen / and in that estate he made hym to be ledde to a porte of y^• see [Page] where as he was put in a shyp and ledde in to a fortresse of Irlande that was that same kynges. In the whiche Olyuer was put in pryson full of vermyne / and had brede and water ones a daye. Abydynge the retornynge of the kynge / that sholde do Iustyce on hym at his pleasure. And to the ende that his treason were not knowen / he retorned not / but wente to London towarde the kyn­ge his souerayne lorde / y^• whiche he founde gretely dys­comforted / for he had herde no tydynges of Olyuer the whiche was soughte on all sydes. O what pyteous and innumerable lamentacyons was made whan y^• trouthe was knowen that he coude not be founden. Certaynlye neuer so grete dolours was not demeaned in no coūtre The good kynge sayd. Ha ryght noble realme thou hast wel lost the floure of thy crowne / and the moost parte of thyn armoure. Alas my ryght swete sone thou was he y^• trauaylled whan I reposed me / & he by whome I was redoubted / and he by whome I was obeyed / and he by whome I lyued in rest and in surete. ¶These regrettes were nothynge in comparyson to the pyteous lamenta­cyons that his doughter made. She myght neyther ete nor drynke / but had layde her on a bedde as she had bendeed / in suche wyse that all they that sawe her had grete pyte on her. And whan she myght speke she escryed saynge. My blessyd creat our wherfore dydde thou euer gyue me hym / that in his departynge dothe eue me in so gre­te doloure / and dystresse vpon the erthe / certes yf it were thy blessyd pleasure I wolde be in his company / then she complanyed her vnto the blessyd vyrgyn Marye in saynge. Ryght swete vyrgyn mary moder of god what may I haue done to the / that thou hast separed me fro the syght of my ryght amyable lorde and husbande that [Page] so derely loued me. With suche or semblable wordes the ryght fayre Helayne meuyd all theym aboute her / that they coude not comforte her. ¶I shall leue her to speke of the kynge ef Englande and his doughter / & all theym of his realme demeanynge theyr sorowe. And shal speke of them of the realme of Castylle / and of Arthu [...] Kynge of Algarbe / and Regente of Castylle.

[Page] WE haue herde here before how Olyuer was departed from Castylle / and of the meruay­lous dule that the good kȳge demeaned bycause of his departyng / the whiche neuer lette hym vnto the dethe / for within shorte space it made hym fynysshe his dayes / and lyucd not longe after the departynge of his sone. For the whiche cause Arthur kynge of Algarbe / and felowe of Olyuer / by the consente of dyuers lordes of the countree / was chosen for to be Regente of Castylle vnto the retornynge of O­lyuer. And by cause that the affayres of the realme of ca­styll be gretter than they of Algarbe the whiche is but a lytell coūtree. Arthur helde hym moost in Algarbe. And forgate neuer to vysyte the glasse of his felowe. And soo moche that he apperceyued that the sayd glasse was su­che as the lettre specyfyed. That is for to knowe that the water was troubled and gretely obscure. In suche wyse that it was almoost lyke ynke. And whan Arthur apper ceyued it suche / with grete haboundaunce of teres he began for to saye in this maner. O ryght noble ryght va­lyaunt & loyall felowe / I se well that ye haue some grete empesshynge / or some euyll aduenture / or in fermyte of body wherfore I am ryght dyspleasaunt. And bycause that at a nede one knoweth his frende I make auowe to god and promyseth hym by the fayth that I owe vn­to hym / and to the crowne that I bere / that euen as se­cretely as ye departed from this realme / shall I departe also. Nor neuer as longe as I lyue shall I not reste / tyll that I knowe whether that ye be a lyue or deed. Thē in wypȳge his eyen / he departed out of the chambre / and came in to a halle. And commaūded to make lettres for to assemble all the thre estates / and all the prynces of the [Page] countree. And whan they were all assembled / he began for to shewe them and sayd that it was not possyble for hym to gouerne bothe y^e realmes well that he had in his charge. And therfore his wyll was for to commyse some dyscrete prynce in his stede to be Regent of Castyll. For he wolde retorne in to that of Algarbe / bycause that he loued it more / for bycause that it was his propre heryta­ge / and that it was the place of his byrthe. Therfore he wolde knowe of them / yf it were theyr good pleasure y^• he resygned his estate at his dyscrecyon to the moost wysest as hȳ semed. Or yf they wolde chese one after theyr dyscrecyon and counsayll. They answered. Ryght puys­saunt kynge of Algarbe we haue not holden you for Regente / but for kynge vnto the comynge of Olyuer as ye do knowe / for we neuer founde you dysobeyssaunt. And also there is none of vs but that we wolde do you as so­ne pleasure as to our souerayne lorde. Your wyll and departynge is full greuous vnto vs. But syth it is so that we can not kepe you / chese whiche of vs it shall please you and gyue hym your stede. For we shall holde youre eleccyon. For all that we shall neuer haue man soo dcre as you. Arthur thanked them / & dyde chese a good pryn­ce that was ryght vertuous for to be regente. And then he toke leue of them in grete wepynges. And then he to­ke a certayne nombre of men with hym / and he dyde somoche that within a shorte space he came in to his real­me / and whan he was there / he recommaunded to his conestable all the gouernaunce of his countree. And af­ter commaunded al his men to obeye to hym / and sayde that he wolde ge in to a place all alone / the whiche was not ferre of. And that with the grace of god he wolde not tarye longe. This done he departed in a fayre mornyng [Page] and wente his waye withouten ony company / saue of god alonely / to whome I praye that he be in his garde / for grete nede he hadde therof / as ye shal here here after warde.

IN suche maner as ye haue herde departed the valyaunt and gentyll Arthur from his coun­tree. And began for to serche tydynges of his felowe / as he that hadde wyll neuer for to reste tyll that he had herde tydynges of hym. The fyrste countree that he arryued in was Portyngale / in the whiche he founde nothynge that was pleasaunt vnto hym. After he sought the remenaunt of Spayne / and came in to that of Fraunce / and wente so moche on one syde and other that he came to Calys / where as he founde men that wente in to Englande / and therfore he moū ted on the see for to go theder. Ye maye well thynke that he was longe in serchynge the coūtrees that ye haue herde aboue. In this meane whyle Olyuer his felowe was alwaye in pryson / with brede and water / and oftē bette as he that had neuer hope to departe thens. And desyred nothynge but the dethe. ¶ As Arthur was on y^• see for to go in to Englande / there happened a wynde contra­ry to aryse on the see / and droue them in to the marches that the maryners knewe not atte that presente tyme. But whan that they had longe beholden & sene it / they [Page] apperceyued that it was one of the countrees and real­mes of Irlande / the ferdest from y^• of Englande. Whan Arthur herde saye that it was one of the realme of Ir­lande / he prayed them that they wolde set hym a lande / for as hym semyd / as sone myght he here tydynges of y^• whiche he soughte / as in another countree / so as he dyde by the wyll of god euen so as ye shall here. Whā Arthur was on grounde / he wente on fote in praynge our lorde for to adresse hym on his waye. He was well the space of two monethes in that coūtree. And whan he wolde ha­ue ony thynge he muste make some sygne / or elles they coude not vnderstande hym. He hadde neyther hors nor mule for to ryde on / wherfore he wente on fote / and soo longe he wente that on a daye he founde hymselfe in a thycke forest / in the whiche dyuers wylde beestes dydde remayne. They had wel made hym sygne that he sholde not entre in to that forest but he had not vnderstonden them. He wente all the daye alonge the forest withoute fyndynge of ony aduenture. The nyght toke hym wherfore it was force to hym for to slepe. And whan it came vpon the morowe / he put hym on y^• waye ryght euylly broken his faste. And he had not longe gone whan he apperceyued a grete and an horryble lyon strongly oppres­syd with hongre. For he had founde no praye of longe tyme. Wherfore whan Arthur sawe and apperceyued that he came towarde hym he appareylled hym for to fyghte for he was armed at all poyntes / and also he had a good swerde. He toke of his mauntell and wounde it aboute his arme / and then he drewe out his swerde / and kyssed the hyltes / in recommaundynge hym to god / and wēte towarde the lyon / that doubted hym but lytell. For whā it came to approche he gaue hȳ suche a stroke with his [Page] pa [...]es that he rente his cloke / and mo than a hond [...]eth mayles of his haubergon. And it was force to Arthur for to fall to the erthe / but as a valyaunt knyght he gate hym on his fece. And incontynent he began for to assayll the lyon ryght asprely. And whan the lyon [...]elte [...]ymself hurte / he began for to caste a crye so meruaylous that all y^e forest dyde rynge of it. And Arthur recouered ano­ther stroke / and sette it so well on that he smote of his hede / and so the lyon deyed.

[Page] AS Arthur sawe that he was delyuered of y^• lyon / he thāked god with a meke herte / and whan it came vnto y^• nyght and that he founde hym not out of the forest / noo more than yf he hadde not remeuyd out of one place / he was moche dyspleasaunt / as he that of all the daye had not eten / but his comforte was whan he thoughte vpon saynt Iohan Baptyst that lyued by rotes / and hym se­myd that he sholde be ryght meschaunt yf he myght not lyue with suche vytaylles for a space of tyme. So he be­gan for to serche aboute the forest / and began for to cete herbes and rotes suche as he founde by so grete appety­te for hongre / that he had neuer eten capon in his coun­tree that had semed hym so good. And whan the nyghte came he put hym on a lytell tree / for drede of dombe beestes. Then within the nyght whan the mone was fayre and clere / he herde a thynge come a ferre that made soo grete a noyse that it was a hydeous thynge to here for in his waye he smote downe all that he mette to the erth And whysteled soo hye that it thrughe perced Arthurs eres. The whiche whā he herde that meruayll / he begā for to blysse hym / in recommaundynge hym vnto god, praynge hym for to be his defendour agaynst that beest that he sawe comynge. And euen so as he recommaun­ded hym to god / this meruaylous beest came towarde y^• tree that he was mounted on / and smote the tree with his tayle so empyteously that he fell downe to the erthe / whan the poore Arthur founde hymselfe on the groun­de / yf that he had fere and drede I am nothynge amer­uaylled / and I thynke well that he wolde haue bē in his countree agayne with a good wyll. But as a valyaunte knyght he prayed god that he wolde haue mercy on his [Page] soule. For he thought that his laste daye had ben comen and sette hande to his swerde for to defende hym / yf the beest assaylled hym. For he had no wyll for to delyuer y^• fyrst assaulte the beest was passed wherof Arthur was ryght Ioyous / but within a whyle the beest retorned to warde hym agayne in enuyronnynge hym Th [...]n he made hym to torne thre or foure tornes / and made hym for to fall agaȳst a tree so harde that it lacked but lytell that the herte of the valyaunt Arthur dyde byrste. ¶ Arthur was not so soone vp but that the beest was besyde hym and he as wyse lenyd agaynst a tree. And whan y^• beest thought for to haue smyten hym / he smote y^e tree / wher­fore he endommaged hym but lytell or nought. But her tethe was longe and cuttynge meruaylously / wherwith she strayned hym in suche wyse that yf it hadde not ben the tree that he helde hym by / he sholde nothynge haue resysted. For alredy he was so sore wounded that he had nothynge on hym but that it was perced. He reuenged hym valyauntly and gaue hym grete and sadde strokes but she hadde so harde a skynne that in no wyse he my­ght dommage it. The synke of her alonely greued Ar­thur as moche as all the remenaunt. The whiche whan he sawe the beest that for nothynge that he had done she was as fresshe as she was at the begynnyng of the med lynge / he began for to reclayme our lorde / in praynge hȳ that he wolde haue pyte on his creature / and sayd. ¶Ha my ryght swete lorde and felowe by the cause I shall fynysshe here my lyfe / but and I hadde sene the afore my dethe. I sholde ende the surplus of my lyfe with a bet­ter wyll.

IN complaynynge hym the beest kepte hym soo straytlye that he smote hym downe to the erthe vnder hym / and helde hym so fast with his nayles that all that he had holde of was in pyeces / in suche wyse that Arthur myght not remeue hym. For all that oure lorde the whiche neuer forgeteth [Page] his frendes at theyr nede / forgate not this gētyll knygh­te / nor wolde not suffre the losse of hym. For y^e beest that helde hym so straytlye / lete goo her holde that she helde with her feete / for to take hym with the [...]ethe to deuou­re hym / but whan Arthur felte his armes delyuered / he that had yet his swerde smote hym vnder the na [...]yll / the whiche was not so harde as the backe / and thrysted hym to the herte. And whan the beest felte hym wounded / in castynge a grete crye lete hym fall to the erthe. And Ar­thur that felte hym delyuered / gaue hym so many stro­kes that he slewe hym. It was not longe after that the daye came / but that recomforted hym nothynge for he myght not from one place / as he that abode but he de­the / bycause of the woundes that he had receyued. And thus as he was in daūger as ye haue herde / yet agayne he herkened towarde the forest / and apperceyued a thȳ ­ge comynge towarde hym / wherfore he thoughte better to haue ben deed than afore. Therfore he sayd / Ryghte gloryous vyrgyn Mary be myn aduocate / and that ye wyll to daye present my poore soule afore the face of thy blessyd sone. For I se will that the houre is comen that I must departe out of this worlde. That thynge appro­ched more nerer and nerer. And whan he was all moost at hym. Arthur knewe y^• it was a man clothed in whyte whiche began for to saye Kynge of Algarbe god salueth the. And whan Arthur herde hym named kynge / he ma­de the sygne of the crosse and sayd vnto hym / arte thou a thynge of the other worlde. I thynke y^• thou arte trans­mysed from god / syth that by hym thou hast salued me. For other wyse thou coude not haue knowen my name / And therfore I praye the that thou haue pyte on me / & that thou do so moche that I may be aledged of my hur­tes / [Page] and that I maye be put out of this forest wherin I haue had so moche to suffre. This man answered to hȳ Arthur thou hast not fayled for to say that I am of god For so it is. And thynke that I am comen for your aledgemente. Then he alyghted of his hors / and fatte hym downe on the erthe besyde hym / & drewe out of his pur­se a boxe of golde full of precyous oyntementes / with y^e whiche oyntement he anoynted and touched all his woū des / and gaue hym a rote for to ete. And incontyneute as he hadde tasted of it / he was as hole and safe as euer he hadde ben. Wherfore his medecyne clothed in whyte dyde bydde hym that he sholde thanke god / by whome he was sente theder. Arthur dyde so as he had cōmaunded hym / and gaue louynges to god. Thenne the whyte man made hym for to moūte vpon his hors behynde hȳ and sayd to hym that he sholde put hym out of the forest And then in goynge he sayd to hym. Kynge of Algarbe / I knowe well wherfore that thou arte departed out of thy countree. It is for to leke Olyuer of Castylle thy fe­lowe wherfore I shall tell you tydynges. Knowe that after his departynge he arry [...]ed in the realme of Englā de / whereas he hathe gouerned hym so well that by his prowesse he hathe wonne y^e onely doughter of the kynge the whiche is one of the fayrest ladyes of the worlde / but [...] fortuned to hym / for a kynge of Irlande the whiche loued hym not / bycause he had slayne his fader / hathe taken hym prosoner / and hathe put hym in a don­geon / where as he suffreth as moche mysery as ony man is possyble for to suffre. But haue no doubte of his lyfe. For he shall neuer deye vnto the tyme that thou hast casten hym out / and yf that I had to counsayll the / and y^• thou wolde byleue me / I wolde counsayll the for to goo [Page] fyrste to London / for to comforte the kynge and his dou­ghter. For thou knowest that thou resemblest Olyuer / & that it is all one thynge / wherfore Helayne shall thyn [...] that thou arte her lorde / and shall guarysshe bycause of thy comynge / and truely yf that thou haste the not thou shalte neuer se her / for she is syke vnto the dethe / go and lye with her to the ende that they byleue the better that thou arte Olyuer / but beware the well thou thynke not on vylanye / nor dys [...]onoure / for thou sholde offende to gretely. And after that thou seest her in y^• waye of helthe departe the and come vnto this forest / for thou shalte here tydynges of me here. In these deuyses he ledde hym out of the woode / and made hym descende / then Arthur sette hym on his knees / as afore a holy thynge and than k [...]d hym / but incontynent he lost the syght of hym with­out knowynge where he became.

AS Arthur foūde hym alone in his waye / he thanked god / and dyde so moche that he ca­me to the see / where as he foūde a shyp that wente in to Englande / and entred in to it / & whan he was in Englāde / the fyrst towne y^• he entred in was Brystowe / where as he was knowen for Olyuer. And incontynent the tytynges were spred all aboute. And some adressyd them vnto London / and [Page]

came and tolde the kynge. The whiche whan he knewe it / he was so replenysshed with Ioye / and his herte soo close with Ioye / that he hadde letten hymselfe fall to y^• erthe / yf some of his seruauntes had not susteyned hym but for all that they must bere hym to bedde / where as he was a space of tyme without ony knowlege. Neuer­thelesse he felle a slepe / and whan he was awaked he de­maunded of them of his chambre yf it were true that Olyuer was alyue / and yf he dyde come. They answered hym ye / wherof he was ryght gladde / and thanked god but afore he knewe not whether that they had tolde it hȳ or yf that he had dremed it. Thus as they were in these deuyses came a squyre and knocked at the chambre dore that sayd that they sholde axe the kynge yf he wolde see Olyuer / the whiche wolde come shortely / for he was not [Page] more thā a myle of. The kynge sente sone for his horses and mounted vpon hym / for to goo agaynst hym. In ly­ke wyse euery body wente in to the feldes / for to se hym that was so moche desyred. And whan Arthur apper­ceyued the people that came agaynst hym / the teres we­re in his eyen / and began for to bewayle his fe [...]owe. And dyde so moche that he approched the kynge / and whan y^• kynge apperceyued hym that he had not sene of thre ye­re before / hym semeth that it is none other but Olyuer and also to al the other of his companye / wherfore with bothe his armes abrode he ranne to hym / and beganne for to embrace hym so strongly that it was meruayl / but he myght not speke one worde to hym. And whan that he myght speke / he sayd that he was ryght welcome / & that he had done grete almesse for to retorne and comforte this realm [...] that was so replenysshed with dolour by­cause of his departynge. Arthur answered to hym. My lorde that the whiche hathe ben done / was done agaynst my wyll / nor other thynge I maye not saye / but by the pleasure of god I shall [...]yue more Ioye and lyesse vnto this realme bycause of my retornynge / than euer there was sorowe for my departyng. And am more redyer for to do you seruyce than euer I haue ben. Wherof I doo thanke god.

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AFter these deuyses Arthur salued the noble men that werein the kȳges companye / and generally al the other / but there came so many / that it was not possyble for them for to entre in to y^e cyte. Wherfore it was force for them for to brynge a grete and a hye chayre of Cypres / vpon the whiche Arthur mounted / to the ende that he were sene on euery syde / for to contente the people y^e better. Then it was cryed that euery body sholde retorne / & after Arthur mounted vpon horsbacke. And whan he entred in to London / none can not deuyse to you the Ioye that was made on euery syde / y^e stretes were hanged [Page] ladyes and damoyselles were at the wȳdowes / the noyse was so grete that it was meruayll for to here. And in sygne of more gretter Ioye / bothe more and lesse cryed Te deum laudamus. And whan they approched the palays Helayne that was strongly syke / herde y^t noyse where as she laye / and demaunded what it was / but none durst not tether / for fere leest that the sodayne Ioye sholde haue ben to grete. Wherfore they abode the maystres that dyde tell a ferre what it was. Whan she knewe it wher handes Ioyned vp to heuen she beganne for to than ke god in saynge. O redempt our of humayne lygnage I rendre to the graces and thankes / whan that afore my dethe I maye se hym that hathe put me in soo grete do­loure. ¶Come now dethe whan that thou wylte / for I shall abyde the Ioyously / syth that I knowe that my souerayne lorde is comen / it can not greue me. The fayre and good Helayne hadde grete talent for to see hym that she wende hadde ben her husbande / but Arthur was in grete thought how he myght demeane hym towarde y^• wyse of his felowe. For all that whan his botes were of / he wente towarde Helayne for to knowe how she dyde / And whan she sawe hym / she was a grete whyle or that she myght speke. But whan that she myghte speke / she sayd that she dydde well syth that she sawe hym in good helthe. The oure of souper came / and therfore Arthur toke leue of her / and prayed her that she wolde make gode chere / and that she wolde thynke for to make her hole The ladyes and damoyselles of the cyte of London we­re somoued to souper / & there was made a meruaylous Ioye / but yet it sholde haue bē more gretter yf it hadde not ben for Helaynes maladye. And it was defended by the kynge that none sholde werke of viij. dayes but eche [Page] [...]nenst hym made the feest as grete as they myght. Ar­thur by the counsayll of the medecyns / was excused for to lye with Helayne bycause of her maladye / wherof he was Ioyous without makynge ony semblaunt / but w^t in shorte space she gate vp and founde guaryson & helth And so moche that within a lytell tyme the physycyens gaue hym leue for to lye with her / soo as he dydde. And whan he was in bedde with her / he remeuyd not oute of his place / but the fayre Helayne dyde not so / for she that of longe tyme had not had the embrasynge of her lorde / begā for to approche / but Arthur drewe backe and sayd to her / my loue withdrawe you in to your place agayne for I haue made auowe that neuer by embracynge / nor otherwyse I shall touche your body tyll that I haue payed a pylgrymage that I haue promysed vnto saynt Iames / wherfore I praye you that ye be contente / and af­ter I shall come to you agayne / for as sone as I may I wyll paye it / and after by the grace of god we shal make good chere. Helayne herynge Arthurs wordes dyde his cōmaundement In saynge to hym that it was well reason for to holde that whiche he ha [...] promysed to god and to Saynt Iames. Then she began for to deuyse a ferre with hym / in demaundynge hym where as he had ben / Arthur badde her that she sholde not speke to hym / for she myght not knowe it / wherfore Helayne deported her at that tyme.

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IN suche estate was Arthur well the space of a mone / he in the kynge of Englandes courte the whiche made hym as good chere and honoure. as he wolde haue done to Olyuer / thynkynge that it hadde ben he / and also dyde Helayne / & all the other. And whan he sawe that Helayne had ouercomen her maladye / and that there was no more daun­ger / he came towarde y^e kynge and sayd to hym that he dyde owe a vyage to Saynt Iames / and that he muste nedes do it withouten ony companye / wherfore he pra­yed hym that he wolde be contente that he myght go alone / and that he wolde retorne agayne as shortely as he myghte. The kynge asked hym yf that he was wery of his wyfe alredy / and he answered nay. After he toke his [Page] leue of the kynge for to departe / and on the morowethe kynge prayed hym that he wolde not tary / and also that he sholde take some company w^t hym / but Arthur wol­de not do nothynge / and so departed all aloue after that he had taken his leue of the fayre Helayne / and promy­sed he [...] that he sholde retorne ryght shortly. He dyde soo moche that he arryued in the forest where as he had foū den the whyte knyght. Neuertheles he durst not entre / for fere of the wylde beestes / and therfore he abode the trouthe of his knyght there. And he was there soo longe that he apperceyued hȳ comynge. Then Arthur salued hym / and he rendred to hym his salute. Thēne he made hym to mounte vp behynde hym / and sayd to hym. My frende Arthur hast thou good wyll for to haue agayne thy felow / darest thou put the in auenture for to recouer hym. Truely layd Arthur there fs nothynge but that I wolde do it for to recouer hym. Now I shall tell y^• sayd y^• knyght / thou arte armed at all pyeces / wherfore thou ought to be the more hardyer. I aduertyse the that the kynge that holdeth Olyuer in pryson / is a good myle frō his place with a lytell company. There is from hens theder .xxxiij. myle / and there is but thre knyghtes with hȳ all a fote / but and I thought that thou durst fyght with them all foure for to gete agayne thy frende. I sholde lede the theder in a lytell space. Arthur thanked hym / and prayed hym that he wolde do so. The knyghte smote y^• hors with the sportes / and he had not so sone done it / but that in a moment he was there as the kynge was. Thē he shewed hym to Arthur and sayd. Arthur descende a­downe for yonder is thyn enemye / and yf that thou recouer Olyuer / tell hym that the knyghte clothed in whyte dothe salue hym / the whiche dyde brynge the heder.

INcontynent Arthur alyght / and toke leue of y^• knyght / the whiche vanysshed sone awaye / & Arthur dyde so moche that he approched to the kynge. And incontynent he escryed hym to the dethe / and then he sette hande to his swerde & gaue one of his knyghtes suche a stroke / that he cloue hȳ to the tethe. The seconde he smote of his harme and his sholder. The thyrde he kest downe deed. The kynge had but a shorte dager wherwith he defended hym valyaūt­lye / but in the ende he fledde / and Arthur folowed hym & gaue hȳ so grete a stroke with the platte of his swerde that he smote hym downe astonyed / & then he sayd to hȳ A fals traytour kynge / thou canst not denye but that y^• hast the kynge in thy pryson / wherfore enforce the for to rendre hym to me / or elles I make auowe to god I shal smyte of thy heed. The kȳge cryed hym mercy and sayd / O noble knyght saue my lyfe and I shall rendre hym to the agayne. Arthur promysed hȳ that he wolde saue his lyfe / so that he wolde sende hym to hym incontynente / & that he wolde promyse hym to lette them go safe. ¶The kynge promysed hym that he wolde do so. And then he departed all mate / and dyscomfyted / and he dyde so mo­che that he came in to his castell. And incontynent as he was there / he commaunded that Olyuer sholde be dra­wen out. Whan Olyuer was afore hym he sayd. Kynge I pray the that thou slee me afore that I entre in agaȳ in pryson. The kynge sayd to hym that it wente not soo / for a knyght hathe acquyted thy pryson / and I promy­sed hym to sende the to hym. Thēne he badde gyue hym [Page] newe clothes / so as it was done / and then he gaue hym leue / but at the departynge he sayd. Olyuer I se my de­the approche / syth that I delyuer the / and I haue well deserued it. Neuertheles yf prayer maye haue place. I beseche the for to pardō me. Olyuer that was more sym­pler than a mayden / sayd to hym. My frende that that ye haue done to me / hathe ben withouten cause / for all y^t I promyse you that as for me I shall neuer tell no body of the Iniurye that ye haue done to me / but & it be kno­wen by other / & that some make you warre / I wyll not helpe you. The kynge thāked hym and sayd that he wolde abyde tyll than. They mounted bothe on one hors all alone withouten other companye. And wente so moche that they founde Arthur. ¶Olyuer knewe hym sooner than Arthur dyde hym. Wherfore he set fote on groun­de and ranne to hym with stratched armes and embra­ced hȳ. Who that hadde sene the knowlege of these two faythful felowes / he sholde haue had a harde herte yf he hadde not wepte. They helde eche other embraced with out ony speche. Olyuer seynge his felowe that myghte not speke / he had his herte sofull of Ioye and pyte that he myght to nothȳge but kysse hym and colle hym. On the other syde Arthur that sawe y^e fayre face in whiche the ladyes toke theyr solace for to beholde it so pale with prysonynge where as he hadde ben in / hadde not lesse so­rowe than Olyuer. For all that he was the fyrst that spake and sayd. My ryght swete lorde & felowe / this Iour­neye hathe ben fore desyred on my partye. I gyue louynges to god that I haue founde you. A whyte knyght ha­the brought me hether / the whiche salueth you / & char­ged me to tell it you. Olyuer answered hym. Arthur my broder by your boūte & loyalte ye haue done so moche for [Page] me / that I can neuer rendre you to guerdon. I praye to god that he rendre you the rewarde / for I am not suf­fycyent for to do it.

THis notwithstandynge that they bothe shold haue done dyspleasure to the kynge of Irlā ­de that was there present / for all that he s [...]ynge the knowlege and loue that they shewed / demaunded theym yf that they wolde that he [Page] sholde gyue to eche of theym a good courser / but thenne they sayd naye / but and he wolde gyue to them the hors that he rode on / he sholde do them a grete pleasure / and that it sholde suffyse at that tyme for them bothe. The kynge [...]yd that he was contente / and gaue hym theym These tweyne mounted vpon hym / and Arthur rode a­fore / for he was a lytell wounded. And so they put them on the waye / and dyde soo moche that they arryued in Englande. But afore that they were there ye maye well thynke that they had dyuers wordes togyder / and eche of them demaunded of others tydynges. Whan they ca­me in to Englande Olyuer shaued his berde to be y^e mo­re gentyller But they wolde haue none other hors / but that same that they were comen on / and cōcluded to tell the trouthe of theyr aduenture / without declarynge the place of his prysonemēt / and also without gyuyng ony knowlege of whens they were / nor whome. And they of Englande were all abasshed to se these two men vpon one horse / & semblable. And sayd that Olyuer had broughte one of his brederne frō saynt Iames / but they cou­de not knowe whiche was Olyuer. Thus as [...]e may here the two felowes approched within a myle of London And soo as they deuysed Olyuer demaunded Arthur yf euer he hadde ben at London. And he sayd ye more than a monethe / by the counsayll of the whyte knyght▪ for to comforte the kynge / and the lordes of the realme / and also for to gyue helthe vnto Helayne his wyfe / the whiche at that presente tyme was syke vnto the dethe / and that he hadde made them for to byleue that he was Olyuer / Olyuer demaunded hym howe that he hadde gouerned hym towarde his wyfe. And Arthur sayd to hym that he hadde layne with her. And whā Olyuer these herde ty­dynges / [Page] he put out of remembraūce the seruyce that his felowe hadde done vnto hym / and as hastye and full of furour / he kest Arthur downe that was mounted afore hym / so rudely without more enquerȳge / that he brake one of his legges in fallynge. Then he lepte in to the sa­dell and passed forthe on his waye without [...] ret [...]nynge hym / or makynge semblaūt of ony thynge / and whan he was passed he wyst not what he sholde do for to retorne and slee hym. But he thought with in hymselfe that he sholde mysdo to gretely / seynge the loue that hadde ben afore tyme bytwene them. And also y^• grete seruyce that he had done for hym / as to haue taken hym oute of that place so full of myserye / from whiche he sholde neuer haue departed yf he had not ben. Wherfore he cōcluded y^• for all these seruyces he wolde leue hym his lyfe / but this was not but that he thought that he hadde done his wyll with his wyfe / and gaue hymselfe meruayle howe that in so noble a herte myght lodge so moche treason.

OLyuer rode longe in these thoughtes. And whan he came to the courte / and that the tydynges came to the kynge / and to Helayne that Olyuer was comen agayne / they were all abasshed / for they knewe well that in so shorte a space as he hadde bē out that he coude not haue ben there. Neuerthelesse they were ryght gladde & [Page]

Ioyous. And the kynge made hym grete chere whā he sawe hym. But with payne he [...]oude knowe hym bycause he was so lene / and demaunded hym what sykenes he had syth his departynge / and who had put hym in suche estate. For as hym semyd he sawe neuer man so sore chaunged in so shorte space. And Olyuer sayd to hym that neuer syth his departynge he had had helthe. Fayre sone sayd the Kynge ye be comen in to this countree for to helpe you. And then he demaunded hym why he hadde not ben at saynt Iames / as he had tolde them at his de­partynge. Olyuer sawe well that his felowe had made them to byleue at his departynge that he wente to saynt Iames / wherfore he sayd. My lorde my malydye hathe [Page] hathe letted me / and yf it please god / whan that I am hole I may do it better with myn ease / and with gretter company. whan it came after souper / he toke the sonest leue of the kynge that he myght / as he that hadde grete wyll for to lye with his wyfe the whiche was so [...]cellente / and that of lōge tyme he had not sene her to whome he coude none euyll wyll of ony thȳge that was happe­ned her / nor that his felowe had done. For he knowe wel that she coude not do withall / and that ygnoraunce ma­de her for to do it thynkynge that it had ben he. whan he was a bedde with his wyfe / he began for to colle her and kysse her / wherof she was all abasshed & sayd. My lorde ye haue forgeten the promesse that ye made to Saynt Iames Olyuer demaunded her what it was / and how quod she / doo ye not thynke on that ye haue layne with me more than a monethe withouten touchynge of me / and that of all that whyle I myght not haue of you one onely kysse / and ye tolde me that it myght not be tel that your vyage were done I haue herde you saye that ye haue not ben there / and therfore I praye you my dere lor­de yf that ye haue promysed ony thynge to god / that ye wyll holde it. Olyuer demaunded her of euery thynge so ferforthe / that he apperceyued the loyalte of his felowe wherefore tenderly wepynge he withdrewe hym abacke from his wyfe / and of all that nyghte he slepte not / but sayd to hymselfe that he was the moost vnhappye / that euer was borne of moder. And that the euelles and try­bulacyons that he had endured had not doone hym the hondreth parte of dyspleasure that he had at that present tyme And sayd that and his felowe had ony hurte / that he sholde neuer haue Ioye and that yf he were deed that he sholde [...]lee hymselfe / for had well deseruyd it.

REcydently he abode in that doloure and dystresse tyll it was daye / and incōtynente as it was day [...]he arose & made to sadell his hors vpon y^• whiche he mounted and dyde so moche / that he arryued in y^• place where as he had lefte Arthur / and whan he founde hȳ not he began for to serche hym on euery syde / and as he wente heder / and theder / he herde towarde the wood a voyce that con­playned hym ryght bytterly / wherfore he wente theder­warde. And whan he approched nere there / he knewe y^• it was his felowe / that with ryght grete payne had with drawen hym oute of the waye vnder a tree. And whan Olyuer sawe hym he set fote on grounde. And truely he had soo grete doloure that he myght not susteyne hȳself And I thynke yf that god had not helped hym / that he had fallen in dyspayre / and smyten hymselfe thrughe y^• body with his swerde that he hadde drawen oute. And the fyrste worde that he sayd to his felowe was suche in castynge hymselfe on his knees afore hym / with the naked swerde in his hande. ¶Alas my broder beholde this caytyfe in pyte / the whiche hathe so greuously offended t [...]e / wherfore take this swerde and slewe me / & with all my herte I pardon the / for the surplus of my lyfe shall be in dystresse and sorowe. Arthur seynge his felowe so meke hym towarde hym sayd. My ryght dere broder / & loyall felowe I praye to god that the pardon you / and I doo. And thynke that it is a thynge more possyble for to [Page] deuyde all the thynges that god hathe made / than to de­parte the loue of vs twayne / tyll the dethe. Whan Oly­uer herde hym speke so hūbly / he wolde gladly haue ben deed. And coude not tell what to do saue to wepe perfoū dely besyde hym. Wherfore Arthur prayed hym for to lo­ke how that he myght be hadde thens / for h [...] su [...]ed / & had suffred the nyghte afore so moche dolour bycause of his hurte that it was meruayll. And then Olyuer axed hym yf that he myght abyde so longe / tyll that he hadde ben at a lytell vyllage nere them for to fetche a charette / Arthur sayd ye / and prayed hȳ for to hye hym Olyuer wente and made suche dylygence y^• within a shorte spa­ce he brought one / vpon the whiche he put hym / and in this wyse he was brought to Lōdon sore syke / and Oly­uer was in it also for to bere hym companye. And made for to be gyuē hym a house / and seruauntes. After that this was done Olyuer made all the kynges physycyens and surgyens for to come / the whiche put Arthur in po­ynt. And they dyde so moche that within shorte tyme he wente aboute the chambre. Olyuer that vysyted hym of ten tolde to his wyfe how [...]uery thynge wente / and had ben / and that by the space of a moneth another man had layne with her / the whiche was all abasshed / and swore to hym that in no maner of the worlde he had not tou­ched her / not asmoche as to kysse her. The kynge in lyke wyse dyde demaunde of Olyuer what maner a man he was / that he hadde brought in suche wyse theder. And Olyuer sayd vnto hym that it was one of his good felo­wes / the whiche hadde ben nourysshed with hym sythe his yo [...]ghthe. And thenne Olyuer beganne for to recoū te vnto the kynge of Englande / the grete loyalte / and also loue that he had to hym / & in lyke wyse how y^• he had [Page] layne with his wyfe and the maner how that he had conduyted hym and after the payne / & trauayle that he had suffred for to put hym out of pryson where as he was in And of the grete valyaū [...]yses that he hade done for that cause t [...]en he recounted the pyteous guerdon & rewarde that he had gyuen hym wherefore he prayed the kynge that he wolde honoure hym as moche or more than hym selfe. For he was more worthy it than he.

THe kynge was gretely abasshed / and sayd y^• it was one of the meruaylous hystoryes that euer he hadde herde / & sayd to Olyuer that he coude neuer do hȳ so moche honour / but that he ought to doo hym more / and also yf y^• he loued hym wel / he sholde do nothynge but that he oughte to do. For neuer broder had done for another that y^• he had done for hym / wherfore he coude not to moche deserue it. And that as touchynge his parte he wolde doo hym as moche honour as sholde be possyble to hym / and sente for his chamberlayne / and his mayster stewarde / and other gouernours / and commaunded them that suche and semblable estate as his sone Olyuer had / sholde be gyuen to Arthur. And began for to tell them all alon­ge that y^• whiche Olyuer had rehersed to hym / reserued that he made no mencyon how that Arthur hadde layne with his doughter / y^• whiche was not a thynge for to re­counte / for it was a desloyalte / but the kynge kepte hym well from tellynge of it / bycause that there was / and is many folke / y^• parauēture wolde sooner haue thoughte euyll than good / wherfore he deported hym. ¶After the kynges commaūdement all thynges were ordeyned as he had deuysed. And dyuers knyghtes and squyres we­re reteynēd of Arthurs housholde / the whiche began for to gete vp / and the kynge vysyted hym ryght often. Also dyde the fayre Helayne / that made no semblaunte of nothynge. And soo moche passed on these thynges that [Page] Arthur was heled. And whan it came y^• he myghte wal­ke aboute in the courte / and haue acquayntaunce with the noble men that remayned therin / euery body began for to loue hym / bycause of the humblenes that he was replete with. And the kynge hymself loued hym almoost as moch [...] as Olyuer his sone in lawe. And whā he sawe that he was in the grace of euery body / he forgate not y^• wronge that the kynge of Irlande hadde done to his fe­lowe / wherfore he demaunded hym on a daye yf that he hadde ony wyll for to auenge hym. And Olyuer sayd naye / and sayd that he had perdōned hym. And how quod Arthur haue ye so feble a courage that ye dare not auenge you on your enemye / by the fayth that I owe to god / it shall not abyde soo. And then all euyll contente he ca­me towarde the kynge / & tolde hym all alonge in what pryson Olyuer hadde ben in / and prayed hym y^• he wol­de gyue hym men for to auenge Olyuer / for he knewe well that Olyuer hadde no talente for to doo it. Whan y^• the kyng herde Arthur speke so / he toke it more greuously at his herte than Arthur dydde / wherfore he sayd to hym. My fayre frende lette my sone haue his wyll / for it may be that he hathe made some promesses afore that he yssued oute of pryson. Ye be well the man for to auenge hym without ony more that he medle hym therof. And then the kynge reysed vp a grete armye of y^• whiche Arthur was the chyef Capytayne / the whiche were not soo sone arryued in Irlande but that the Kynge theyr ene­mye the whiche had knowlege of theyr comynge / gaue them batayll / where as was slayne dyuers men vpon bothe sydes / but fynally the Irysshmen were dyscomfyted / and the kynge fledde / & was assyeged in one of his places / that was not well garnysshed with vytaylles / [Page] wherfore it myght not holde longe. So whan he sawe y^• he had noo more mete / and that it was force for to yelde hym / as a valyaunt man he sayd that he had leuer deye in the felde in auengynge his dethe with the cuttynge of his swerde on his enemyes / than for to yelde [...] theyr volente / and prayed the lytell folke that he had for to do well / and then armed them and made to open the gates of th fortresse in smytynge on theyr enemyes / and slew many at the fyrste bronte / but there was soo many men agaynst them that they coude not escape. And fynably the kynge and all his men were slayne. After his dethe all his realme yelded them / and were contente for to ha­ue suche a lorde as the kyng of Englande wolde assygne them.

THese thȳges done Arthur and his company retorned in to Englande / where as they we­re fested of the kynge / of Olyuer / and of all y^• other lordes. And the kynge gaue Arthur the realme of Irlande that he had [...]onquered of newe. And the Irysshemen were sent for / the whiche ca­me and dyde hym homage & feate / wherby Arthur was more puyssaunt thā afore / but this was not but that he demaunded often of Olyuer what thynge dydde meue hym y^• he made hȳ not to be knowen / for then euery mā [Page]

wolde haue made hym better chere / and the kynge wol­de haue ben ryght Ioyous / for to haue maryed his doughter so hyghlye. Notwithstandynge that it suffysed hȳ Also he tolde hym how that after his departynge his fa­der had neuer Ioye / and thought that angre hadde put hym to dethe / wherfore Olyuer wepte ryght strongely for the dethe of his fader / for hym semed yf that he were deed / that it was for his sake / & prayed hym that he wolde not as ye tell what he was / for it was yet tyme ynou­g [...] for to make them to be knowen / and that whan that it sholde please them they myght do it. Arthur that wolde all that his felowe wolde / dydde not dysobeye hym in [Page] nothynge Also Olyuer made to bere more honour vnto hym than to hymselfe / and pleased hym the moost that he myght. Truely the two loyall felowes made so many nowe thynges that all they of the realme reioysed them Al theyr thoughtes was but for to make good chere and Ioyous & that the whiche the one wolde the other wolde also / and theyr two hertes were more agreynge thā theyr semblaunce / that was all one thynge Thus as ye here they passed the tyme in Ioy / but forture that is moder of all [...]rybnlacyon had enuye of the goodnes of the­se two loyall brederen and perfyte felowes / for in a shor­te tyme all theyr laughynges and Ioyes were chaūged in to wepynges and lamentacyons / for Arthur was soo greuously syke that the physycyens iuged hym but deed but he was not so happy for to deye / at euery tyme that he wysshed it. His sekenes was without comparyson of all them that euer hadde ben sene / for in a maner of wormes descended from his braynes / the whiche ete all his face / wherby he was so strongely dysfygured / that there was neuer man more. Out of his body yssued so grete a stynke / that none myght approche hym saue Olyuer / y^• at euery thynge was aboute hym / and wolde not departe fro hym. He sente for all y^• maystres surgyens on eue­ry syde / and prayed theym yf that they coude fynde ony remedy for his fayre broder that they sholde spare for nothynge. And fynably none coude put no remedye to it / And this sykenes he [...]de Arthur so longe that he was blȳ de. Whan Olyuer sawe hym so blynde that he semed better deed than alyue / he mayde ryght grete sorowe / so moche that euery body hadde pyte on hym. Often Olyuer sayd vnto Arthur / my broder yf there be ony thyng that ye knowe that I may do for to helpe you / spare it not for [Page] vpon my fayth I wolde be the poorest man in the worl­de / so that ye had your helthe.

MY broder and faythfull felowe sayd Arthur ye doo me more good than I haue deserued wherfore I thanke you / and pray you that ye wyll pray to god for to sende dethe to me for and it were his wyll I wolde fayne be out of this myserye. ¶It happened that Olyuer slepte vpon a nyghte / and dremed that it was well possyble to fynde helthe for his felowe. And Arthur dremed in lyke wyse that it was in Olyuers power for to hele hym / and they had this vysyon foure dayes togyder / wherof Oly­uer was [...]ore ameruayled. He came to se his felowe and declared to hȳ his dreme / and his felowe sayd that dre­mes were but abusyon / notwithstandynge he tolde hym that by thre dayes he had dremed / and hym thoughte y^• a thynge sayd to hym that he myght hele hym / and none other. Olyuer sayd to hym wolde to god that it were in my power for to hele you / for and I myght do it / ye sholde be shortly hole / or elles I praye to god that he neuer gyue me his paradyse. Whā it came to the nyght and y^• Olyuer wente to bedde / he sette hym on his knees afore his bedde prayng our lorde y^t he wolde gyue hym knowlege of that vysyon / that soo often tymes had happened [Page] hym. And with this that he wolde tell hym in what maner that he myght hele his felowe. Then he layde hym downe / and he was not soo sone a slepe but that a voyce sayd to hym so hyghe that he awaked. Olyuer thy felow may not be heled tyll that he drynke of the bloo [...] of two Innocētes / sone and doughter / the whiche must be slay­ne / and theyr blode medled togyder / and thenne gyue it hym to drynke / but he must not knowe of it whā he shal drynke it / for and he knewe it he wolde not drynke it for nothynge. Whan Olyuer herde this he was al abasshed and thought for to haue resoned hym ferder forthe / but the kynge was gone and sayd nomore. Helayne had herde nothynge of all this. Upon the morowe he wēte to se his felowe as he was accustomed / and axed hym how he had done that nyght. Arthur knewe hym by his voyce / for he had lost his syght / and prayed hȳ for to approche to hym. And whan he felte hym he enbraced hym sayng My ryght swete broder ye be my dethe and my lyfe / for a voyce hathe tolde me this nyght that it is possyble for you to hele me / nor other thynge coude I not knowe. O­lyuer sayd to hym what he wolde well that it were so / & then he departed fro thens / and after that he had herde masse / he withdrewe hym aparte in to alytel chambre / and began for to thynke on that whiche he had herde on the nyghte afore / then he sette hym on his knees before an ymage of the gloryous vyrgyn Marye / the whiche he had of custome for to salue / and began for to saye thus / Ryght gloryous vyrgyn Marye I praye the that by thy pyte thou wylte counsayll this vnhappy. I haue my fe­lowe syke the whiche hathe done so moche for me that I can neuer deserue it. It hathe ben sayd to me whether it is by god or not / that who sholde sle two chyldren a sone [Page] and doughter / and that theyr blode were medled to gy­der / and that it were gyuen hym to drynke / that he shol­dehele. Ryght swete lady I haue two chyldren / a sone & a doughter of kynges blode. ¶Neuerthelesse yf that I knewe that I sholde not offende the hyghnesse of thy sone and the / I sholde slee my two chyldren / for to rendre to my broder his helthe.

[Page] WHā Olyuer had made thus his cōplaynte to y^• vyrgyn Marye / & that he had had dyuers ymagynacyons / as well of the loue y^t he had to his chyldren / as y^• whiche he had to his felowe / he concluded for to slee his two chyldren for the loue of his felowe / saynge [...]he had­de nothynge more dere than his felowe / and that y^• loue that he loued his two chyldren with / was nothynge for to compare to that the whiche he loued his felowe with / Wherfore he departed fro his chambre / and came in to that of his two chyldren. And whan he was entred he cō maunded all the ladyes for to auoyde oute / the whiche dyde his commaundement. And whan he founde hymselfe alone he shytte the chambre dore / and bare a basyn / and a naked swerde in his hande vnto the bedde of the two chyldren the whiche slepte / and were not yet rysen / Whan he approched nere the bedde / he lyfte vp the co­uerlette / and founde them slepynge ryght swetely. The lytell sone that was of y^• aege of .v. yere awaked / and in contynente as he sawe Olyuer / nature taught hym for to make hym chere / and [...] in smylynge named hym fader The doughter that was the yonger neuer lefte slepȳge whan the sayd Olyuer sawe thē / he consydered whiche of them two he sholde slee fyrste / & bycause that the sone began for to speke to hym / he hadde soo grete pyte in his herte that he recu [...]ed abacke / & for all the worde he wol­de not haue smyten them / and then he sayd to hymselfe How many nature fayle so moche for to suffre the fader for to slee his chylde. Nor how may there be soo moche cruelte in a man for to cōsente to murdre. Alas y^• fayre & good Helayne / what pyteous tydynges shall come vnto your eeres / whan that ye shall knowe y^• I haue slayne [Page] your chyldren / what shall ye saye. Certaynly your pyte­ous herte may not endure it. And with that that ye lese your chyldren / ye shal lese your husbande also / for he dare not abyde in this realme for y^• fere of your fader that shall put hym to dethe / for he is well worthy. And certes the [...] beestes hathe more reason than I haue / vn­to whome nature dothe teche for to kepe theyr fruyte to the dethe / and truely I ought for to resemble vnto them I oughte to put me in peryll of dethe for to saue my chyldren / but thus it shall not go. And in saynge this he ap­proched to the bedde / and yet lyfte vp the couerlet agay­ne / and drewe hym by the arme and sayd. Unhappy chyldren / ye ought well for to curse your fader / and his lyf whan he hathe engendred you and put you in this worlde from whiche ye must departe. Thus saynge full dolorously with the teres descendynge a longe his face / and the swerde in his hande redy for to smyte / nature & rea­son put afore hym that it sholde be to grete dommage / & cruelte. And lyberalyte sayd to the contrary / that for to rendre helthe to his felowe he coude not do to moche / y^• whiche he byleued / and in puttynge all feres behynde / with one stroke he smote of bothe theyr hedes / and then he put the basyn vnderneth / and receyued as meche blode as he myght haue / and thenne he layde them in theyr bedde agayne / and the hedes in theyr places soo as they hadde ben alyue. He toke a maūtell with the whiche he couered it / and so bare it / in lockynge the dore after hym and toke the keye with hym / to the ende that non [...] shold entre to know what was done.

OLyuer all alone holdynge the basyn in his handes came in to y^• chambre of his felowe and made to auoyde all them that were there / and then after he toke a lytell pot [...]ull of the blode that was yet all hote / and gaue it to his felowe Arthur for to drynke / that knewe nothyn­ge what it was. And the hystorye maketh mencyon that as sone as he had tasted of it all the vermyne of his heed fell of. And with this he keste oute all the vapours of his body / in suche wyse that he felte hymselfe of all poyntes [Page] heled / saue the flesshe that was eten of his vysage was not so sone comen agayne. But Olyuer by thre or foure tymes wasshed it / and gaue hym the surplus for to drȳ ­ke so moche that he had agayne his syght and his helthe And whan Arthur felte hymselfe heled / he kneled downe for the kysse the feete of his felowe. And Olyuer that was gladde of the guaryson and helth of his felowe sayd to hym. My frende gyue thankynges to god / and after to my chyldren the whiche I haue slayne for thy helthe / And to the ende that thou byleue it the better to there y^• basyn that is yet all blody of theyr blode. Arthur herȳge and seynge this meruayll / hadde so grete abhomynacy­on / and was soo meuyd at his herte / that with payne it can be specyfyed / and sayd to hym. ¶Ha ha Olyuer how may there rest so grete cruelte and tyrannye in a mānes herte as in thyn / that hathe slayne thy two chyldren for me that am a straunge man / and nothyng of thy kynne Truely I wolde be deed / so that it hadde not happened so to the. Olyuer sayd to hym my frende I was theyr fader / and seynge that I haue put them to dethe / thou ar­te nothȳge culpable / for it was not at thy request / wherfore holde the contente. But my ryght loyall felowe there is another thynge / for it is nedefull that the departȳ ge of vs twayne be made. Wherfore I recommende my wyfe vnto the / and praye the that thou wylte comforte & helpe her. For I knowe well that she shall haue grete nede of helpe whan she shall knowe that the whiche is hap­pened. All the golde of the worlde sholde not kepe me yf the kynge knewe it. Wherfore it is force for me for to departe / and go in to suche a place where neuer tydynges shall be herde of me / and where as I maye serue god al y^• remenaunt of my lyfe for to purge my vyces & synnes [Page] whyles that Olyuer spake to his felowe / the lady that had the kepynge of the two chyldren had bē at Helayne and complayned her strongely of that / that she knewe not in what estate the chyldren were / and excused her sa­ynge that and there came ony euyll to them / that it was by the sayd Olyuer.

OLyuer thought that it sholde be a thȳge in humayne for to se his two chyldren by he­ded / wherfore he wente in to the chambre where as they were / for to haue put them in a place where neuer tydynges sholde ha­ue ben herde of them. And this wolde he do afore his de­partynge. Whā he had lyfte vp to the couerlet / he opened the wyndowe that was shytte for to se them more playnly / and then he came towarde his chyldren with y^• teres in his eyen / and in castynge his regarde on them / he ap­perceyued that they hadde lyfe / and played bothe togy­der. ¶Whan Olyuer sawe this myracle / for pure Ioye he fell in a swowne to the erthe. And whā he was arysen he enbraced and kyssed them a .M. tymes / and thēne he sayd. ¶O innumerable puyssaunce of god that no man can comprehende I rendre vnto the praysynges & thankes / of the goodnes that thou hast done to me poore syn­ner / in shewynge thy grete pyte and mercye. He toke his two chyldren in his armes and lapped them in a clothe [Page] all blody. And the fyrste that he encountred was his fe­lowe. Arthur to whome he sayd. Broder reioyse the / goo and se the kynge / and do so moche that he folowe me to the chyrche that I go to. In lyke wyse my wyfe and all them of the courte that ye may fynde. Then Olyuer passed forth [...] all alone thrughe the stretes / and he dydde soo moche that he came to the cathedrall chyrche of Poules where as he commaunded that all the belles sholde be rongen / to the ende that all manere of folke sholde come theder. He mounted on hye for to be herde of euery body And then he began for to saye whan he sawe that the kynge was comen / and that the chyrche was full of folke. Ryght puyssaunt kynge of Englande thou hast maryed thy doughter to a man vnknowen / for ye knowe that I neuer reherced to you of my lygnage / notwithstandyng thynke that my condycyons be not so hye and soo vertu­ous as they ought to be / and that apperteynethe to my lygnage / the whiche is ryall / for I am sone of a kynge and of a quene / and at this presente tyme kynge of Cas­tyll. But neuer syfh the decesse of my fader / and that the realme is fallen to me I haue not bē there But my wyll is nowe for to getheder / and make me to be crowned kȳ ge and my wyfe quene. Wherfore I beseche you noble kynge that ye wyll accompany me and youre daughter theder / for it is reason that I retorne better accōpanyed than I came forthe. Notwithstandynge that I had ta­ken leue of the ryghte puyssaunce Kynge of Algarbe / my faythfull felowe that is there. I lefte hym a lettre by the whiche I prayed hym that yf he sawe the water of a glasse that I had lefte hym chaunge his coloure / that he sholde put hym in quest after me / for I sholde than ha­ue nede of helpe. He forgate it not / for he loked so moche [Page] that he sawe it chaunge / and it was at the houre that I was taken in Irlande. Whan he apperceyued it / he that is a kynge redoubted / and regente of Castyll in abydynge of my retorne / hathe habandonned landes and possessyons / and all other thynges for my loue / and all alone without ony company put hym on the waye / and made auowe to god that he sholde neuer rest tyll that he hadde herde tydynges of me.

AFter Olyuer began for to recoūte all the ad­uentures of Arthur / as well of them of the forest / as of y^• other / and how that he hadde foughten with the kynge of Irlande / & four of his knyghtes that helde hym in pryson / & dyde so moche by force of armes that he dyde vaynquys­she hym / and slewe his men. And after sayd in this ma­ner contyne wynge by conclusyon. By the moyen of my broder & loyall felowe Arthur I am delyuered from the place where as I sholde neuer haue yssued out. And in guerdon of all these thynges I broke one of his legges. Now it is happened after all these thynges that he hath had a meruaylous sykenes / not foure houres ago. And so as I desyred some thynge y^• myght hele hym. It happened me to haue a vysyon / and was tolde to me y^t who that wolde gyue hym a drynke of the blode of two Innocentes / sone and doughter medled togyder / that he shol­de haue helthe. So it is happened for to gete hȳ helth y^t [Page] with this swerde I haue slayne my propre chyldrē / and byheded them for to rendre to hym his helthe / the whi­che he hathe / wherfore I gyue thankynges vnto our sauyour. And after that I sawe hym heled I thought for to haue departed from this realme. But yet I came in to her chambre for to se my chyldren that I had slayne / the whiche by the wyll of our lorde that hathe extended his grace / and pyteous mercy on me poore synner / hath founde them alyue / and playnge the one with the other Wherfore faders and moders that hathe chyldren / thynke in what doloure I was in whā I put them to dethe And what Ioye that I haue herde whan I se thē reuyued. Then he toke his two chyldrē and afore all the peo­ple shewed them alyue / lapped in the clothe that was all bebledde of theyr blode. Wherfore all they that were the represent / were mouyd with inwardly pyte / that with wepynges and lamētacyons they made a grete bruyte The kynge wepte for grete Ioye and pyte. The poore Helayne that sawe her chyldrē so / myghte not supporte herselfe but fell in a swowne. And whan she was comente herselfe / she came to her chyldren in shewynge to thē moderly loue / & she coude not be fulfylled with kyssyn­ge / and pyteous remuneracyon. Bryefely it was a pyte­ous thynge for to be in that chyrche / for some wepte for Ioye and the other for pyte. And whan the sorowe was a lytell aswaged the kynge al wepynge came and enbraced Olyuer saynge. ¶Noble kynge blessyd be our lorde whan he hathe gyuen me the puyssaūce for to mary my doughter so nobly / as to a kynge that is extracte of so noble a lygnage. Ye recoūte vnto vs y^• moost meruaylous tale that euer was herde in ony countree. And ye maye well ymagyne that they that shall here it after vs shall [Page] saye thus for for euermore the compaynye of you and of your broder as lōge as the worlde shall endure ought to be recounted for the not semblable that euer was herde or that shall be.

[Page] THe myracle was publysshed thrughe the real me of Englande. And after all these thynges they beganne for to make Ioyous feestes in welcomynge the kȳge of Castylle that was than knowen. And euery body sayd that the kynge was happy for to haue maryed his doughter soo And sayd that it was meruayll that he had kepte hym [...] longe close. The kynge of Englande sente for the lordes and ladyes of his countree. And helde one of the gretest feestes that euer he had made. Olyuer prayed theym all that they wolde accompanye hym in to Castylle to be at his coronacyon. And they accorded hym all / and the kynge hymselfe sayd that he wolde go with hym / and Oly­uer thanked hym. And after prayed the kynge of Algar­be his felowe that he wolde do soo moche as to goo in to Castylle for to denounce his comynge. Arthur sayd that he wolde do it gladly. He departed from Englande well accompanyed / and dyde soo moche that they arryued in Castylle / where as he tolde the comynge of the kynge / & of his wyfe the kynge of Englandes doughter. Whan y^• tydynges were denounced that, he was comē / and that Olyuer came after / euery body thanked god / and appa­raylled them for to receyue hym in the moost honoura­blest wyse that they myghte. They of the realme assem­bled them / and by counsayll ordeyned for to make feest▪ from the fyrste towne of the realme where as he sholde entre / vnto the laste that he sholde passe by. And all at y^• expence of the realme. Whan Olyuer thought that his felowe myght be well in Castyll / he made that the kȳge was contente to departe. And departed from London the fayrest / and the moost noble companye / and the best in poynt that euer was sene vpon a daye. Helayne was [Page] accompanyed of ladyes and damoyselles in suche wyse that it was grete pleasure for to beholde theym of theyr Iourneys I can not deuyse to you / but they dydde soo moche that they arryued in Spayne / where as they we­re feested of all the grete lordes that they passed by. And whan they approched nere Castylle. Arthur and all the grete lordes came agaynst them. And welcomed theym ryght gracyouslye / and Ioyously in thankynge god of theyr comynge. Then they made reuerence to theyr lor­de / & to theyr newe quene also. The whiche semed them the fayrest lady that euer they had sene. Also they salued the kynge of Englande in offrynge them to his seruyce / And whan they were entred in to the fyrst towne of the realme / the stretes were hanged / & pagentes vpon scaf­foldes / and there was soo many other playes that they wyst not y^• whiche they myght beholde. The ladyes we­re in the wyndowes soo rychely clothed that it was meruayll. And whan it came that they entred in to the prynces place / all that they had sene afore was nothynge to that y^• whiche they sawe there. They were so wel seruyd at souper that it was m [...]ruayle. And fynablye in all the townes that they passed by they founde newe thynges and alwaye better and better. From the begynnynge of the realme all the companye were at the good Olyuers expences. In that estate they came vnto the cyte of Vaudolytys / where as they founde the olde quene of Castyll Olyuers stepmoder / & Arthurs owne moder / the whi­che at the request of her sone Arthur / was comē oute of the realme and countree of Algarbe for to saye vnto the fayre Helayne that was newe quene / that she was wel­come / and to Olyuer semblably. Also in that same Cyte was the moost ryalte as in the pryncypall cyte. ¶And [Page] whan it came that they were descended at the palays / y^• quene Arthurs moder came agaynst them strongely accompanyed with [...]adyes and damoyselles / & welcomed the newe quene / & also y^• kynge of Englande her fader. And on y^• morowe Olyuer was crowned / & he layne also And at the dyner the kynge of Englande / the kynge of Casty [...] / the kynge of Algarbe / & the two other quenes were set at one table / & all .v. were crowned.

[Page] AFter these thynges and that the kynge of Englande hadde ben there by the space of two monethes / he demaunded Olyuer yf that he wolde not retorne in to Englande / and he answered hym naye. And sayd that he was more at his ease in his realme that had bē so longe without a kynge / than for to retorne in to Englande. Then the kynge concluded to departe / and Olyuer conueyed hym out of his realme. And whan it came that they sholde take leue the kynge of Englande sayd to hym. My sone and my frende Olyuer I recōmaunde vnto you my doughter your wyfe / and I pray you yf that I haue ne­de that ye wyll forgete not me. And Olyuer sayd to hȳnaye / and that as often and as many tymes as he shol­de haue to do with hym that he sholde fynde hym redy. And so they toke leue / and the kynge of Englande wen­te towarde Englande / & the kynge of Castylle retorned / in to his coūtree / where as he founde his broder Arthur kynge of Algarbe / y^• whiche wolde retorne in to his coū tree / and ledde agayne his moder that tooke leue of the kynge without makynge ony mencyon of ony thynge y^• had happened afore. And whan he founde hymselfe alo­ne / and was delyuered of all straunge men / he vysyted his realme / and made his ordynaunces soo fayre and so good that euery body was contente. He with helde dy­uers lordes of the realme of Castylle of his courte / with some of Englande that were abyden with hym. And as he had ben there a whyle he was knowē of all the noble men / that loued hym as theyr lyfe. They were all reioy­sed of the two fayre chyldren that they had / the whiche dyde encr [...]ase in aege / in condycyons / and in beaute that it was meruayll. And whan it came to the knowlege of [Page] them of the countree of the fayre myracle that had hap­pened / all the worlde was abasshed how he had / had the courage for to [...]lee them / for they knewe wel as to there garde of the myracle that the puyssaūce of god is so gre­te that none can comprehended it. Thus as ye here the kynge of Castylle lyued in Ioye with his fayre and good spou [...]e / resours of all his sykenesses and aduētures / and aledgynge of all his dolours. Euery body loued and dreded hym so moche that neuer kynge of Castylle was soo obeyed of his subgectes. It happened on a somer da [...]e aboute foure a cloke that the daye was fayre and clere / and as the kynge of Castylle slepte with his wyfe / a thȳ ge came and knocked at the chambre dore soo meruayl­lous strokes that it hadde almoost broken the dore. The kynge awaked and demaūded what it was. That same thynge answered open the dore & thou shalte se / or elles I shall breke it. Whan the kynge herde hym speke soo he put on his sherte / and toke his naked swerde in his han­de and came and opened the dore. It was not soo soone open but that he knewe that it was his knyght / that at his nede had alwaye socoured and seruyd hym. And yet he was clothed in the whyte gowne that he hadde at the houre that he departed fro hym. Whan the kynge sawe hym he toke hym in his armes and sayd. My frende ye be welcome. And he answered / welcome or yll come / yet am I comen / and not for to tell you ony thynge that is pleasaūt. The kynge sayd that he coude saye nothynge that sholde dysplease hym / for he had good remēbraun­ce of the promesse that he had made to hym / and was re­dy for to holde it.

THey entred bothe in to y^• chambre where as they founde Helayne a bedde / that was all a basshed whā she sawe the knyght clothed in whyte entre in to the chambre. ¶The kynge badde her aryse / soo as she dydde / and whan Oly. [Page] she was redy / the knyght prayed the kynge that he wol­de kepe his promesse / and that he wolde kepe his fayth / The kynge Olyuer hadde then all the thynges redy and apparaylled. For it was of longe tyme purueyed in abydynge the whyte knyght / and had departed all these thȳ ges [...] wayne / and began for to saye vnto the knyghte in this maner. My frende I shall begynne at the Iewel les of my wyfe without the clothynge that hathe ben es­tymed a mylyon of golde / lo there the keye take the whi­che that ye wyll / for all his departed in halfe / & my trea­soure in lyke wyse ye shall chese the whiche halfe that ye wyll. After the mouable goodes of my hous that I am serued with / I thynke that ye haue but lytell to do with them / saue the vessell. And that vpon his fayth he hadde departed in two all that he hadde wonne and moore to / for the moost parte of his treasour proceded of the real­me of Castylle / and that and he had euer ony thynge of that of Englande / he sholde be lorde of the Iust halfe as he hadde promysed hym. The knyght sayd that he was not contente and sayd to hym. ¶Kynge ye leye to me of that whiche ye saye / for ye do not departe it so to me as ye haue promysed. Haue ye not wōne wyfe and chyldren The kynge sayd ye. Then sayd the knyghte I oughte to haue parte. ¶Whan the kynge vnderstode hym he set hym on his knees / & prayed hym with Ioyned handes that he wolde leue hym his chyldren / and that he wolde gyue hym the halfe of his realme and with that y^• resy­due of his treasoure. In lyke wyse the poore Helyayne in grete humylite with the teres in her eyen prayed hym y^• he wolde haue pyte on her / and on her burdē / and that he were contente for to take that the whiche her husbande dyde ossre hym / by suche moyē y^• the chyldren sholde [Page] abyde to them. The knyght sayd to hym. Dame I wyll do nothynge for you nor for none other. And yf that ye wyll not do it / it is well in my power for to make you recompence it full derely. Then the kynge commaunded the moder for to fetche her chyldrē / the whiche she dyde and founde them a bedde and made them t [...]ary [...] / and clothed them / and then broughte them. Whan the kyn­ge sawe them he demaunded the knyght yf that he wol­de be contente for his realme & his treasoure for to ren­dre to hym his chyldren / yf prayer myght haue ony pla­ce. The knyght sayd naye. Now sayd y^• kynge syth that it gothe thus / chese whiche that ye loue best. The knyght layd that he wolde haue the sone / bycause that he knewe that he loued hym best. The kynge all wepȳge toke his sone by the hand [...] and gaue hym to the knyght saynge / My sone and my chylde I recommaunde the in to the garde of our lorde / the pleasure of thy yongthe hathe ly­tell endured me. Who that than had sene the poore He­layne take leue of her chylde / he sholde haue had a harde herte yf that he had not wepte / and Helayne wepte ha­boundauntly saynge. Chylde ryall wherfore haue I borne the whan that I must be consentyng of thy p [...]rdyccyon O ryght noble realmes of Englande and of Castylle to daye ye shall lese your kynge and lorde. After this the knyght wolde haue halfe of the fayre Helayne / the which thynge Olyuer coude not vnderstande how it myght be but yf that he sholde slee her / wherfore he cōmytted the dede to the knyght. And then the knyght answered vn­to hym that he was noo murderer of ladyes / and alsoo y^• it was no reason that he sholde paye hym with his han­de / for he knewe well that he must paye hym hymsel [...]e y^• the whiche he had promysed hym / and then sayd / yf that [Page] thou hye the not it shall mysthynke vs bothe. Whan Olyuer sawe that he myght haue none other thynge / he ca­me towarde his wyfe & set hym on his knees in praynge her that she wolde pardon hym her dethe. The good he­layne sayd that she wolde pardon hym with good herte and then she embrased hym in saynge. Ryght noble kynge the dyfference is grete of the Ioyous acquayntaunce that we had fyrste togyder / at the tyme that ye were cal­led Olyuer. Hathe ryghte dolourous departȳge that todaye shall be made of vs two. After that she hadde sayd these wordes / she made her orysons to god and to the virgyn Mary / in cryenge mercy to god for all her synnes / & that he wolde put her soule in the glorye of paradyse / & that yf her lorde had done ony synne for to slee her / that he wolde pardon hym. And whan she had ended her prayers and sayd her orysons / she came towarde her lorde and husbande / and kyssed hym with the teres descendynge from her eyen / and sayd that she was redy for to aby­de the dethe. Wherfore she toke leue of hym / and of her two chyldren / and sette her vpon her knees with her hā des ioyned towarde heuen / in recommaundynge her vnto god. As she that abode but the stroke of dethe. Whan the kynge sawe her in that estate as a man halfe oute of [...]is wytte approched and in lyftynge vp his swerde wolde haue [...]louen her in two py [...]ces.

[Page] WHan y^• knyght sawe this pyteous aduenture / he lete not y^• swerde auale a downe / for he withelde his arme & sayd / abyde kynge that I maye speke to you / & to you quene / here me speke. Then the began for to say & demaunde the kynge / yf that he had no remembr [...]unce of a knyght that was named syr Iohan Talbot the whiche was deed in his company in the sentence of cursyn­ge. And yf that he remembred hym not how that he pa­yed the dette to the purgeys / and made hym to be bury­ed. The kynge answered ye. And I tell the sayd the knyghte that I am that same knyghte / and that same that serued the at the torneyment of Englande / and bycause that thou hast done me pleasure / I rendre to the all thy moneye / and all hooly thy fynaunce that thou haste gy­uen me. And in lykewyse I rendre to the thy sone / and quyte the in lyke wyse the halfe of thy wyfe / that whiche I haue done hathe ben for to assaye the and thy fraūchyle. To the surplus I shall tell the wherfore at the fyrste daye of the torneyment I clothed y^• in blacke / that was sygnefyaunce of y^• obscur [...]te that I was in. The secōde daye that was in rede / sygnefyed my paynes in purga­torye. The last daye in whyte / sygnefyed my saluacyon / for so as y^• whyte is vyrgyn / for it was neuer soylled by steynynge / wherby it is pure and clene. In lyke wyse I am so at this presente tyme / for by the and by the cause / I am aledged of all my doloure / and now I go in to the holy glorye of paradyse / to se y^• presence of my creatoure that is the reioysynge of the saued / wherfore I take leue of the / for there as I go thou mayst not come yet / but be thou sure that I shall praye for the. Then he vanysshed awaye / and in theyr presence he mounted in to heuen [Page] gloryously in castynge the beames of his clerenes vpon the wyndowe that the kynge and the quene lened vpon The whiche in a lytell whyle was oute of theyr syghte. ¶Then they fette them vpon theyr knees in rendrynge graces to theyr creatour / and after that they had made they [...]ryso [...]s in thākynge god / they began for to make the one to the other ryght pyteous acquayntaunce / soo moche and by suche maner as yf the quene had ben ary­sen from dethe at that s [...]ame houre. The kyng of Castyll that neuer had receyued one goodnes / but that he had­de receyued ten euylles agaynst it / lyued in Ioye w^t his ryght welbeloued wyfe / and had neuer dyspleasure af­ter that / [...]aue all Ioyes vnto the houre of his dethe. He­layne was strongely seke for the fere that she had hadde d [...]rynge the whiche maladye Arthur came in to Castyll for to se Olyuer / to whome Olyuer made ryghte grete chere / and sone after that Helayne gate vp / the whiche was cause of more gretter Ioye / and all Ioye & myrthe was in the realme of Castylle / there was no spekynge of nothynge saue to make good chere. The sone and y^• dou­ghter of the kynge were alredy grete / in so moche that y^• doughter was redy for to be maryed. Wherfore the kynge sayd vpō a daye to the kynge of Algarbe / my broder I haue but one felowe in all the worlde / and that is you For ye may wel auaunte you that ye be parsonere of the goodes that god hathe gyuen me. And therfore as vnto my broder I wyll tell vnto you myn aduyse. Fynably ye be to mary & as yet hathe no wyfe / wherfore I am gre­tely ameruaylled that ye haue abydē soo longe. I haue two chyldren a sone and a doughter / and by my fayth yf that I thoughte that ye were contente for to mary you / I wolde gyue you my doughter in maryage / and therto [Page] reloke and my doughter dothe please you / & yf that ye thynke that she is for you. I gyue her to you. Or yf that it semeth you better elles where take it. Ye maye saye he repryuely your wyll / for y^• loue that I haue to you ma­keth me for to saye thus to you.

[Page] ANd whan that Arthur Kynge of Algarbe herde, the kynge of Castylle speke so humbly he thanked hym in saynge y^• he dyde to hym more honoure than apperteyned to hȳ / and syth that it was his pleasure for to gyue hȳ his do [...]ghter / that he sholde be ryght vngracyous for to refuse her. Whan the kynge of Castylle vnderstode that his felowe hadde grete wyll for to atteyne to this maryage / he sente incontynent after all the noble mē of his countree. And whan they were all assembled he made y^• spousaylles of Arthur and his doughter so grete and so plenteous of all goodes / that it coude be noo more. And this feest endured a longe tyme. In the whiche whyle tydynges came in to Castylle that the kyng of Chyppres was assyeged of the infydeles / and requyred the kynge of castylle of helpe and socoure / and also all the other crysten prynces. Whan this tydynges came to the knowlege of the yonge prynce the kynges sone / he made a requeste to his fader that he wolde gyue hȳ leue and ayde for to goo to the whiche he accorded / and gaue hym a grete armye but he retorned neuer after agayne / as treateth more at longe the cronycles of Castylle. For after that he hadde delyuered the realme of Chyppres of theyr enemyes / he wente in to Turky where as he conquered dyuers real­mes that he made for to be Crystenned. And yf that he had not deyed yonge / he had ben a man for to haue con­quered the moost parte of the worlde. The kynge of Al­garbe ledde his wyfe in to his countree. And thre yere after his departynge / a ryght greuous maladye toke y^• Kynge of Castylle by the wyll of oure lorde that of these thynges dysposeth at his pleasure / and was so syke that Helayne his wyfe / as she that abode not but his dethe [Page] sente for the kynge of Algarbe / the whiche was not so sone arryued / but that the kynge of Castyll passed oute of this worlde in grete wepynges and lamentacyons of all his subgectes and frendes / and generally of his mē and all them that knewe hym. And whan the tydynges were pronoūced to Helayne / maulgre all them that k [...]te her she came to se her lorde that was deed / & whan she was entred in to the chambre and that she approched the bo­dy / she escryed on hye. A ryght puyssaunt kynge how I se thy fayre face pale / by the dethe anguysshous / and thy furyous armes affebled / and in saynge this she lete her selfe fall vpon the body / and she arose neuer after / for of doloure her herte dyde breke and deyed. Wherby the do­loure was redoubled. ¶The poore kynge of Algarbe demeaned so grete dole that it was pyte for to se. And ma­de innumerable lamc̄tacyons so moche that it sholde be to longe to recounte it. In lyke wyse the quene of Algar became for to see her fader & her moder that were deed / & she made so grete dole that with grete payn she myght be comforted. Bothe the deed bodyes were buryed in one tombe / the whiche was ryght pyteous to beholde.

SOne after that the grete dole had bē in Cas­tylle / Olyuers sone that atte y^• tyme was theyr kȳge was enprysonned by some [...]ra­syns in y^• marches of Turky / but that was not but that a [...]ore his prysonynge he had bē [Page] crowned of thre realmes that he had conquered / and by cause that there was no moo apperteynynge heyres in castyll than y^• quene of Algarbe Arthurs wyfe / they made her quene / and crowned her husbande kynge of the countree / in doynge to hym fayth and homage. ¶Aly­tell whyle after came tydynges to the kynge of Castylle and of Algarbe / that the Kynge of Englande grandfa­der of his wyfe was decessed. And that the Duke of Glo­cestre that was cousyn germayne to the Kynge of En­glande / had made hym to be crowned kynge of the real­me. Wherfore he sente in to Englande for to knowe and it were by the consente of the noble men of the countree And for to knowe yf that he sholde not be receyued for kynge as reason wolde. It was answered to hym nay [...] / wherfore he assembled a grete cōpany of folke / and w^t grete puyssaunce came and descended in Englande / and dyde so moche by force of armes / after dyuers grete ba­taylles / that he that sayd hym kynge was taken and put in pryson / where as he neuer yssued oute after. After he made hym to be crowned kynge as reason wolde / and y^• Englysshemen receyued hym for theyr lorde / and soo he was kynge of Englande / of Castylle / and of Algarbe / & also he was kynge of one of y^e realmes of Irlande. The surplus of his dayes he lyued in grete prosperyte and encreasynge of all goodes. He had thre chyldrē of his wyfe two sones and one doughter / that after his decesse they helde his lordshyppes. The eldest was kynge of Englande and of Irlande / and the other kynge of Castylle / and his doughter was maryed to the kynge of Portyngale / and he had with her the realme of Algarbe / that yet ap­perteyneth to hym. The two sones gouerned well & wysely theyr realmes. And were redoubted / and full dere [Page] holden of theyr subgectes and neyghbours. After / the dethe of the Kynge theyr fader / and of the quene theyr moder. The surplus of theyr dayes they lyued holyly in seruynge god and the gloryous vyrgyn Marye. Then they passed out of this worlde ryght gloryously / god for his holy grace haue mercy on theyr soules. And gy [...]e gode lyfe and longe / and encreasynge of all goodnes vnto all them that this hystorye shall rede or here redde / and that wryteth it or maketh it to be wryten / and also to all them that shall se it. Amē.