WE rede in the auncient and autentike cro [...]cles y^t somtime ther was a no­ble king in lilefort, otherwise named [...]he strong yle a muche riche lande, y^t which kinge had to name Pieron. And he tooke to wife & spouse Matabrunne y^e doughter of an other king puissaūt and riche meruailously. Bi y^e reasō of which mariage was made and accorded peace betwene two mightye kinges, the which longe time before had ben aduersaries and ennemes [Page] one another by mortall warre. But as than & by y^e treatie of mariage was pacified the said discorde. How be it neuerthelesse that the said kinge Pieron him accorded to take to wife the said Macabrūe for that she had great possession of lands & other infinite richesses wherby as the story saith the mariage was made be coueiti­se and not by loue wherof many harmes grewe, and all bi y^e said macabrūe y^t wrongefully sew discorde betwen kinge Oriant, his wife and his children. The whiche possible came by godes wil for y^t the said mariage was not cordialli made as is said, or for a more meritorious welth, as sith happened to the high praise of god & his holy faithe, for finably al turned to honour by the grace of y^e hye god that often approueth them y^t he loueth sen­ding them some aduercites first. For he hath no merite towarde god to haue any swetnes if first he taste no bit­ternes of hert, as saint Paule saith. By many triblati­ons we must entre into y^e realme of god. But finally our lorde resisteth y^e peruers, in giuing his glory to y^e meke as in this story appereth. For al the punicion fel on macabrune finabli y^t had caused al y^e yll. And thei that had ben iniusly vilipēded were miraculousli exalted. and it is oftē sene y^t mariage made by couetise cōeth to no perfeccion of goodnesse. For if the cōiuntiōs be not made bi loue as god ordeined often of cometh greuous desolaciō as did of her, lyke as thistory sheweth here after

AFter the mariage of kinge Pieron & Matabrūe as y^e maner is, they had betwene thē a sonne noble & wise named Oriant, the which after y^e dyscease of his father abode w^t his mother as heir of y^e realme, whiche he succeded & gouerned peastabli w^tout to be maried

AFter that the noble kinge Oriant was gro­ [...]en in age, in force, and prudence, on a day he [...]ibered him for to go to hunt. And whan al thinges were redy and he comen in y^e Foreste he at the playe and pursuite of his Greyhoundes reised a great harte, whereate he toke so greate pleasure y^t he chased him so swifely y^t his folke might not folowe tyll returned in plaine feeld where as was hedge ne bushe [Page] And thus he left of his folke he pursued meruailously til he aproched a riuer wherin they said hart lepte for saufte, & so escaped the kinge & his houndes. Wherfore the king left him & retourned alone till vnto a foūtaine that he founde, y^e which was so clere and pleasaūt to his light that he a light from his horse for to refresshe him a litle in the same place. And there he sat downe vnder a tree, to y^e which he had reined his horse the better to so­lace & sporte him at his owne pleasure. ¶And thus as he was in consolaciō there came to him a yonge damoysel moche greuous & of noble maītene named Beatrice accompāied of a noble knight, & two squires, with .iiii damoyselles the which she helde in her seruice & famy­liarite. And there as she that in title of signorie posse­ded the saide grounde began to speake to y^e king Oriāt in repreuing him for that he was comen to hunte with in the boundes and limites of hir signourye & possession And as vnto him y^t whiche she knewe not she began to saie prudently. Faire lorde who hath moeued you to co­me hūte or take ony beastes w^tin y^t forestes of my regiō, know ye not that I am lady & possesse resse of this lōde, Damoysel said the king nay. And wo hath than said she giuen you leue or licence so to doo. I haue well apperceiued the harte y^t ye haue chaced and put to flight, & hath saued him in the riuer, but howe be it that ye had taken him yet should he not haue abiden as yours. And yet is mine intencion if it please god that ye shall recompence me or ye departe. For ye haue none acciō of right for to chase or take any beast wilde or tame in mi forestes, nor on mi groūd. And whan king Oriant had hearde y^e faire Beatrici speake thus bī reasō so right notably, he toke [Page] her in so great pleasure y^t he was sodaynly surprysed of her loue in suche wise that fro than he purposed in him selfe to take her to wife & spouse. And y^e better to many­fest & wake her haue knowledge of him he began to lift vp his visage in beholding her w^t a Ioifull chere & said Know ye faire damoysel that I wolde not thinke to do you any displeasure, but me thinke y^t I maye well come and sporte me s [...]il vnto this region & loude as soueraine lorde therof, by reason wherofre owe me homage. And to thende that ye pretende no cause of ygnoraūte wit ye (w^tout y^t I wyl hide it) y^t I am Oriant kynge of Lyle­fort. Wherby there is neyther lorde ne damoysell in all this countrey but they ben holden to yelde me tribute & homage as my vassayll and fee al subiect. But y^t not w^t ­standing if I thought to haue endēaged you of one seile ferdinge I wolde recompence it at your desyre, for y^t noble prudence, curteysy, & graciosite y^t I perceiue beynge in you, by your maintene & moderate speche. How be it that it is well in my power to make your selfe amende and repaire the iniury that ye haue doone in reprenīge and chiding me for y^t which is mine owne. But your noble, faconde, & pleasaunt behauour causeth me somwhat to refraine mi courage, & receiue your offence to marci. And whan a noble knight named Sauary y^t long time had serued the said damoysel had heard y^e right mighty king Oriant speake thus benignely he descended incontinent from his horse, & w^t his knees flexed he prostened him & did him honour & reuerence in saluinge him and said. Sir king if it please you ye shall pardon my Ladie if she haue ony thing offended you, for she had no cognycion of your riall mageste whan she reasoned with you. [Page] And she knowledgeth also y^t she hath nothinge but y^t it is at your pleasure & cōmaundement, & otherwise wold she not doo, wherfore ye shal pardon her if it please you For she hath said nothing but bi ignoraunce, and as she that right willi & with good courage wil kepe yours & hers. Than answered the kinge to him and said. Know ye noble knight that I accepte ynoughe the excuse y^t ye haue made for your noble lady. But she shall make me amendes in suche maner as she shalbe agreable, for y^e be­aute and for mosite of hir noble persone moeueth me to be her husbande, & to take her to wife and spouse, as she the which is my whole desire. Than the king begā for to speake in this maner & sayd. Gentill damoysell pleasaūt, vertuous, garnished of al beautie in whome I ha­ue totali set the loue of my herte, is it not wel your wil that I be your husbād. Pleaseth it you not to be mi wife & spouse to thende that I make you to be crowned as quene and ladi of Lilefort. May ye finde in your hert by suche maner to accomplishe my wil, that you & I might be assembled & conionct by mariage. Answere ye nowe & say your aduise. Ha sir saide she right humblye. I am not dinge ne suffisaunt y^t ye do to me suche honour, for y^e handmaiden or subgecte ought not ne maye not in any thinge compare to her prence and lorde. But sith that it pleaseth you to cōmaund me so to doo, in disparsinge to me of your grace I wer right simple & euil instruct if I refused your pleasure, & the excellent honour that ye so benignely & of your goodnesse vnto me presēt. For if it shoulde please you to marye me to y^e least knight of your noble company yet ought I to consēt of right. wherfore to you that is my lorde, & to other in comparable: I am [Page] all redy to abey & accept your good & noble wil in the honour wherto ye require me, the which w^t good hert I ot troye & graunt you. And than king Oriant tooke her by the hand and said Certes lady I pr [...]mise you on y^e faith of knighthod y^t as long as ye be on liue neuer to espouse other woman than you, & I assure you euē here y^t I shal be your husbande. And thus bi a comin accorde & by the consentement of them bothe was promised y^e saide ma­riage with one cordiall loue.

WHan the promesse was thus made the kinge incontinent made her to be led to Lylefort for to marye her. And in Maye whan the trees spryngeth and bring [Page] forthe theyr odiferaunte floures, and that the Birdes being their armonical tunes on the smal grene twiges was made the entre of y^e noble quene Beatriece into the realme of Lilefort. At the which entre all the people af­flued from all partes leding great Ioye & mirth euerech in his possibilite That is to wit, some to make fyrs and games of mirthe. Other made diuers faire misteries & tourneimentes of feates of armes. And before the same came y^e olde qeuene Matrabrune mother of y^e prue king Oriant. The which whā he sawe her come began for to smile & haue great Ioye of y^e pleasure that he had to see y^e noble beatrice his loue, which he loued merueilousli & with al his heart. wherfore he sayd to his said mother which he perceiued murmure a litel, I require you my right dere lady & mother y^t ye wyl make ioyous chere & beholde here howe I haue founde y^e moost faire ladi of y^e world, replenisshed of witte & vertues as much as ony woman liuinge. And I am aduised that neuer as longe as she liueth to haue other wedded wife, for in her is all mi pleasure. Than as heuy & angrie answered his sayd mother by a maner of enuye. Ah my sonne litel reioice I for presently I apperceiue your ygnouraunce y^t ye now wil so abate your estate, as to take a simple damoysel & you being a right puissaunt & noble king might demaū de & haue to wife y^e doughter of the moost riche & noble prince that might be found vpon the earthe, and finabli you & yours possede his realme by succession. Madame said the kinge, ye, yf it please me soo. Knowe ye that I neuer [...]oūde none that so muche pleased me, & that was to me so agreable as she is. And ye knowe y^t ther is no­thinge as to haue his pleasure in this worlde. And also [Page] mariage ought not to be made but yf y^e parties were cō tente and of good accorde. Wherfore I beseche you to take it in gree as well as I. For to morow in the mornīg if it please god I wyll that the feast and solempnite of y^e mariage be celebred as it behoueth. And eke I hope si­thit is by the wyll of god, & of good loue & assent of vs bothe y^t there may be but al welth come therto. Certainly sonne said she sith that it please the y^t it be so it cānot displease me in ani maner. But I accorde totallie to thī good wil. All these wordes saide she w^t mouthe, but not with herte, as many doone y^t be faint symulacyon make semblaunt to consent to some good werke, but thei haue an other thought and cursed wil at hert. And so had the said Matabrūe, for she ceased not to murmure in her selfe against y^e said mariage, & malignousli thought alwai to put therin som diuersite, & seperacion. But not with­standing this the feast was not deferred. For the night before the daye of weddinge for y^e honour & magnificēce of the good king Oriant and of his noble loue Beatrice were made moriskes, comedies, daunces, interludes, & al maner of Ioyous sportes in y^e kinges palais, wher­as were many great princes and knightes of renowne Pipes, taborins, dourimers, fidles, organs, psaltries, clauicordes, & mani other instrūentes there was in great nombre sowning al songes of armony. On y^e morow the king was had to the church accompanied of manie great princes ād lordes, in so great triumphe & honour y^t it may not be recited. And in likewise was apparailed y^e noble lady Beatrice & cōduited of manie noble ladies & damoysels pages w^t diuers liueraies, as well of y^e kinges as the quenes. In suche wise y^t at the conioyninge [Page] of this noble mariage was made al singuler & inestimable solimpnite in the churche. The masse done eueri mā returned to the palais royal, where they were receiued in open courte for to take theyr reiectiō. And ther were all the assestent is serued of diuers dilicates & veni [...]o [...] of wines & of al noueltees as plenteously as they coul [...] wisshe. And there presentlye for the honour of the noble king Oriant eueriche of the company efforced them to doo honour and seruice to the noble quene Beatrice, th [...] which was so pleasaunt & acceptable to all the people y^t echone praised her. And in likewise were made the sam [...] daye many other newe games, & seruice to all honours. Than after with all mirthe & sowne of trumpetes & o­ther armonious instrumentes, y^e mighti king Oriant & y^e noble quene Beatrice his wife lay together. And on y^e morowe was yet made great ioye & exultacion of al o­ther newe pastimes, In this estate lasted y^e feast & solē ­nite of the mariage long space in great haboundaūce o giftes, largesse of goods, & sumptuousnesse of seruices in suche maner that of long time had not be sene semblable feast, to the pleasure of eueri man. But the said Ma­tabrune murmured alway ī her selfe bi wicked detraccion, which she put sith in effect. And yf she made ani che­re at the said feast it was by false semblant and maner of doinge, for vniustly and wrongfully she conspired al­way some euill vpon the noble quene Beatrice.

chambre roiall she sawe a woman in the strete that bare to christning two children that an other woman had cō ceiued and borne at one time. And than familiarily she called y^e kinge of whome she was right wel beloued & saide. Sir I greatly meruai [...]e me of a thinge that I see yonder. And wherof swete loue saide the kinge. Of [...]i. children saide she that a woman hath conteyned at one time, which I see yonder borne to christning, me semeth that it is difficile for a woman to conceiue two childrē without hauing the company of two men. Sweet loue said the kinge, yes right wel, put away the opinion to your minde. For by the wil of god & after nature a woman may conceiue of one man to the nombre of .xii. chil­dren at ones, naturally fourmed, and parfite. The whyche wordes precedent is compared ful derely the forenamed quene, by the false and malignus Matabrune. And it is so often sene fortune, y^t it is better to be stil than to speake euill, wherof y^e sage saith. That a great speakīg is seldon seen pronounced, w^tout to haue any faute, wherby he saith after y^t he neuer repented him of to litle spe­che. But al thinges promised y^e king Orient and quene Beatrice loued well together. Than it happened with in a while after that tidinges came vnto y^e king y^t some of his enemies had destroied ād slaine of his folke, and all redi had conquered of his londes bi warre. And that soone ynough & easely they had moeued to entre many princes. But what tidinges so euer he had, he made no [...]emblaunt to resist against his contraries. For he was in suche wife enprised & taken in y^e loue of his wife that after the tidinges he was about .vi. moneth y^t he coulde in no wise leaue her, n [...] puruey anie thinge for the saide [Page] affaires, wherbi fina [...]l [...] his enemies came so ferforth in his landes that bi constraint he was driuen to prepaire men of warre & to liue his spouse. And consequētely he made to dissemble his chiualry to thende y^t w^tout delaie they might be redy to accōpany him in his warres against his enemies the which was doone at his cōmaūde­ment. Thā saw he y^e time that his wife approched to be deliuered, wherfore beningneli he called Matabrū his mother for to be to her as to commaūde & saide, My la­dy mother ye see that I am constreyned to depart for to go war vpon mi enemies. Ye know also that in likewise of the grace of god my wife hath conceyued & is greate with child, wherfore I pray you if it please you of your benigne grace to haue her for recommaunded in al her singuler affaires, prayinge you also y^t in mine absēce ye take and kepe her as your doughter in shewing you to be her mother, And I beleue in y^e pleasure of god that she wyll haue you in honour & reuerence as mother and o­bey you as your doughter. Ye se that she is mecke as a­doue, softe & amiable as a lambe, prudent and vertuous as is possible, wherfore I recōmaunde her to you as she that knoweth the great loue that is conioyned betwen vs two, and as to mi parte I wene that neuer man lo­ued woman more than I loue her. Ye know also y^e daū ­ger y^t might come to a woman bigge with childe as she is wherfore if bi your defaut any incōueniēt cam to her I should not be glad ne content with you. Ye haue folke of all estates at your pleasure for to cōmaund thē to do all the seruice & helpe y^t to her shal be requisit. Therfore madame I put & leue her all in your keping & solicitude Mi faire sonne said Matabrune thou knowest y^t what [Page] pleaseth thee, to me is agreable, and all thi wyl is mine wherfore thou maist well knowe that I shall kepe thy wyfe the quene as my singuler doughter, & better than mi selfe. Thou maist in likewise wit that I am she that wolde be most heauy and soroful if any harme came to her. And therfore doubt not but that I shal diligētli do thi pleasure, for I loue her with al mi hert for gracious and noble maintene that I se in her dayli encreace, ther­fore take no thought. wel madame said he, I thāke you and totally put her in your grace, wherfore in saying a­dewe I take my leaue humblie at you. Now go said she god be thi guide. And thus the king departed from the said Matabrun his mother, whose wordes were not accordaūt to her dedes, for they were al but abuse & false simulaciō, like as vntruely she shewed bi her curssednes Thā after y^e king cam to take leaue of his noble spouse and in weeping tenderly spake longe with her, & than tooke an amerous leaue of her, in kissing her benīgnely so that she fell downe in a swonne. And he tooke her vp amiably m [...]king a great lamentacion and sorowe. And at her awaking in weeping bi her were made many cō ­plaintes, the which were so prudently ordeined that al the nobles knightes & barons wepte profoundly in be­holding her for pitie that they had at herte. And than y^e kissed eche other right curtessi, taking a cardial leaue w^t out power to speake any more for sorow. Than he toke leue of her & of the other ladies & damoysells, and with out any more tarieng mounted on horse becke, for to go to his people against his enemies, where as he did ma­ny faire valiantines▪ and diuers great and noble feates of armis.

WHan the nobie kinge hade thus taken his leaue of his spouse & of many other of his frendes he went to the warre for to be fight his enemies the paynims & to susteine the faythe catholike of god, and to defende his lande. But of his noble feates of armes that he with his knightes and many other might doo in y^e sayd warre as true knightes of all mighty god, & of the vic­torie that they obtayned as nowe I shall leaue to spea­ke any ferther to thende that I may retourne to speake [Page] of the effecte of the mater And also y^e more sooner to com without prolixite to the ture cronicles and miraculou [...] histories, of the which I pretende to make singuler m [...] cion. And consequentli procede vnto y^e deduccion of this present booke conteining diuers noble feates and nota­ble vertues worthi of memorie & hie recommendaciōs as after this declared. So it happened y^t after y^e depar­ting of king Oriant & that he was out of y^e limites of lilefort with al his army & excercite, the right cursed matabrune considering the ab [...]n [...]e of her sonne begā to cō ­passe the treason & euil that she had conspired to do vnto the noble quene Beatrice. And for to come vnto her dā ­nable & cursed wil she sent for the midwife y^t was chosē and deputed to receiue of women y^e childrē y^t ben borne on erthe. The whiche midwife cam incontinēt at her sē ding. To whome Matabrune saied. Mi freende I haue sent for you for a certaine secrete that I haue to tell you & declare vnder maner of confessiō. And therfore ye shal swere & promise to me your faith that neuer to any crea­ture liuinge ye shal discouer mi secrete, & that that I intende to tell you. But if you wil cōsent & do it in keping to me faith and promisse I shall giue to you so muche golde & siluer y^t you nor none of yours shal neuer haue defaute ne need of goods. And fe [...] [...] more. I shal helpe you to mary your children and fre [...]des highlie and ho­norably, whan the olde midwife hearde the promesses that Matabrune made to her she consented to her cursed desire saying. Certainlie madame ye may alway saie & commaunde me as to your seruaunt, and I promise you mi faith that any thinge what soeuer it be neuer to do persone liuinge shall it be discouered. Therefore maye [Page] that I shall doo as if it were in confession. And verelye said Matabrun yf ye do so mi desire I shall hold to you y^t I haue promised, wherfore in trusting to your words I shal recite vnto you mi secret, & that y^t I pretēde to do Ye know & it is true how my sonne kinge Oriant hath taked the quene Beatrice that present is to his wife, y^t which was but a simple gentil womā as ye wel know And ye wote wel that he might haue had & may, one ri­cher & more noble of bloude without comparison thā she is, seinge & considering the magnifike and excellent lig­nage wherof he is spronge. But his saide wife hath so enchained & bound him ī her lines that he may neither eat, drinke ne rest, but if he be alwaie bi her, & to make short tale, whan his enemies were comen into his lōde for to endomage him for nothinge colde he leaue her, in any wise to resist thē for his defence▪ wherfore I wolde that you and I had aduised singulerly to turne his hert fro y^e loue of her, & set her in so great indignaciō of him that he may aquaint him with some other high & noble lady & mary her. Now ye se that this quene is great w^t child, wherfore more easely may we cause this diuersite & seperacion of his loue by some maner. Madame sayde y^e false olde matrone, euē as you please to deuise of this mater I accorde me to your wil, and if you seme it good I shal make her to waste & sle the childe within her bo­die, & thā I shal certifie to the king that she wolde haue it slaine. Frēd? said Matabrune I had thought another meanes more expedient & that should be of right great abominacion & horrour to y^e kinge as I shall shewe you the maner, ye se that she is meruailousli bigge, wherfore it is to be presupposed y^t she shal haue two or thre chil­dren, [Page] therfore whan it cometh to the terme of her deliueraunce that shalbe shortely ye shal come to her & bi faīt semblaunt make maner to presente & offre you al to her seruice. And whan she shalbe delyuered of her chyldren ye shal giue thē to me secretely for to trāsporte thē. And I shal ordeine as mani yōge whelpes y^t I shal make to be taken from vnder some bitche that hath newli whelped, & by this maner she shall giue her to vnderstande y^e the hath borne them, & that they ben yssued of her body wherby after we may make her, the king, and all the o­ther barons to beleue that she had the companie of some dogge the which hath engendred the said whelpes, bi y^e which we shall come to our desire without anie contra­diccion. For I haue one my faithfull seruaunte that I haue nourished of youth to whome I shall secretelye giue the thildren assone as they be borne, & at mine onlye commaundement he shal go and cast them into y^e riuer of whome shal neuer be menciō. And I promise you madame said the false olde matron that I shal doo euen as it pleaseth you to aduerte and shewe me, by so cautelus and subtill maner that the werke shall seme to be sure & notarious like as bi our entendement ye haue deuised.

WHan the time limited and ordeined of almighti god approched that the no­ble & goodly Quene Beatrice should be deliuered after y^e cours of nature, [...]he false matrone aforsaid went and delibered in her selfe to execute & put in effecte her mangnus or moste wicked purpose & the cursed treason the which bi the exhortement and coun­seile [Page] of the peruers & in grate Matabrune she had con­sented for to prepare and do against y^e said noble quene Beatrice & her poore innocent children, the whiche ne­uerthelsse were miraculousli kept & preserued fro death bi the deuine grace and proteccion of our sauiour Iesu christe, as it shalbe saide here after. And so than at the houre determined that y^e noble Beatrice felt her oppres­sion with greefe of childinge incontinent the saide false olde midwife was sent for. The whiche when she was comen by false semblaunt reasoned the noble Quene of her affaires as in suche case is accoustomed. And she de­clared to her all y^e trouth & how she felt her oppressed sore. Than the said matrone by fained blādisshinges gaue her good courage in making semblaunt to expose her al to her seruice, for y^t she knew y^t the houre approched to accomplishe her cursed intente. And forthwith was sē for matabrune y^e whiche all redy had prepaired y^e whelpes for to perfourme y^e reason. But she comen made m [...] ners of great welth to the said noble quene Beatrice. And sodainly in great paine and traiuable of bodye sh [...] childed .vi. sonnes and a faire daughter, at whose birt [...] eche of thē brought a caine of siluer about their neck [...] issuing out of their mothers wombe. In which was v [...] tuousli demonstred the pure & singuler dignite of the n [...] ble mother & her childe, and that god wolde vpon then extend his diuine grace. But the euil & detestable herts enforce thē alway to peruert & totally adnichil al good werkes. And whan Matabrune sawe the .vii. litle children borne hauing echone a chaine of siluer at necke, she made thē lightli & secreteli to be borne a side by her chā berer [Page] of her teachinge, and than toke y^e .vii. litle dogges that she had prepared, and all bloudy laide them vnder the quene in maner as they had issued of her bodye. And anone the matrone or midwife began to escrie with an high voice sayinge. Ha lady quene here is a great & meruailous mischiefe that to you is presently comen. For I haue receiued .vii. stinking dogges the which be issued of your body bi an horroure ouer detestable. Matabrun in likewise endeuored her on the other syde to approue y^e said iniury (bi her commised & purpensed) saienge, Take away lightly this infamite & make to bere this foulnesse of dogges into the feeldes, & y^t echone holde secrete this mischiefe & enorme forfaite in suche maner that for the honour & reuerence of misonne it neuer be knowen ne discouered to any y^t liueth. ¶Now it is not to be douted y^t the noble quene Beatrice to whome had be doone this iniurious treasō ne was at that houre greatly tra­uailed & vexed of her bodi so to haue childed .vii. childrē at one burthē, for a woman is often sore pained to bere one all onely. Wherfore she was as dead in her childing & apparceiued nothing of y^e said treasō that was to [...]er done. But whā she was comen againe to her selfe hauīg somwhat more vigoure than she had before, y^e false ma­tabrune began to caste an eye on her by a false & cursed regarde more mortal than of a Baselike, and repreued her of the faute y^t her selfe had made & commised arguīg her without a cause & saide. O vnhappi & miserable woman full of shamful harlotri. Here is the midwife that presently hath receiued .vii. dogges of your body, y^t whiche I haue made to be borne to y^e feldes for to hid [...]or­rour [Page] & infection of your enorme sinne. And therfore confesse here your dede & declare to vs if ye haue had cōpa­ni & habitacion with any dogge wherof this prosedeth and we shall kepe your counsaile. And whan the noble Quene heard these wordes she was so sorowfull y^t she swouned nere for anguisshe. And after that her courage was a litle renued she prayed Matabrune pitiouslye to shew her that, that she said to be issued of her bodie. And incontinent she made to shewe her y^e .vii. whelpes that she had ordeined for to doo the treason, wherof y^e noble quene wepte and sobbed profundly in bearing her culpe beholding thē in axing mercy for that she had not done. But that notwithstanding the false Matabrune alwai redargued her in approprieng the crime to her saying. vnhappi woman thou ought to be brente whan y^u haste willed to conceiue with a dogge. Ha madame said she I thought it neuer, ne y^e case neuer hapened me. And therfore I pray you giue me no more great mater of sorowe than I suffre presentli, but thanked be god mi creatour sith that it pleaseth hī to be thus. For it is yet in his might to trāsmut me or anye other that him pleaseth into some dombe beast and that, that pleaseth him ought to please vs. Than departed the false Matabrune, and the wicked matrone bi faint simulacion made semblaunte to recomfort her saying. Alas madame take not so much sorow y^t ye be not worse therfore, for if it please god we shall do in suche wise that your noble spouse king Ory­ant in no wise shal haue cognicion. And it shalbe kepte [...]o secrete that no sclaunder shall come therof. Ha swete loue saide the good quene, neuer wil the king take any [Page] consolaciō with me, for he wil charge me of this offēce without euer to pardon me, & wyll iudge me culpable of deaeh. But if it pleased his grace to assigne mi poore life in sume religiō for euer to serue god and do penaūce for my sinnes, alas I wolde take it in pacience and pray for him, and put paine to apease the yre of god which I so streatched on me, wherfore I praye you humblie that ye wil require mi lady that she will impetret his grace of the king mi faithful spouse. And thus suffred y^e good quene anguisshe on all sides. For she was betrayed of them which made maner to be sorowfull and haue compassion of her mischiefe, and of thiniuries that them self had made bi their vntrue courages.

AND after that the false olde womā had par­fet & doone their treason y^t they had enter­prised as said is Matabrune called a squire of hers named markes & said, Markes my true secretarie it behoueth that presētly ye doe me a seruice the whiche I shall declare to you. Madame said he it is wel reason y^t I obeye to you, for I ha­ue receiued mi welth & honour of your grace only, wherfore knowe y^t I shal accomplisshe w^t right good herte y^t that ye please to cōmaunde me. Now Markes said she mi freende it behoueth that to me ye be true & secret in y^t I haue to do with you, for it must not be knowen ne re­ueled to no persone y^t liueth vpon paine of your life. And also if ye hide & kepe it secrete I shal giue you goodes ynough. Lady said Markes cōmaunde what it pleaseth you, I ꝓmise you to be true & loyal. It is of trouth sayd Matabrūe y^t the quene of late hath childed .vi. sonnes & a doughter, y^t which children hath brought eche of thē a chaine of siluer about their neckes, which me semeth an euil signe & that in theyr age veril & descret thei mai be murderers or theues, wherfore I haue aduised y^t it is better to drowne thē or make thē to die in their chil­de hode than to haue a greater sclaunder at y^e last & to eschewe the sorowe y^t he might haue hadde I haue giuen her to vnderstande y^t .vii. litell dogges ben yssued of her body, y^t which I haue made to slee & cast into the feildes And I prai you on my peril and my wil to take the .vii. children & goo kyll them or caste them in some riuer, in suche wise that neuer be tidinges of them. Ladie said y^t Markes it shalbe done wholy as ye haue pleased to or­dein me, & I ꝓmise you y^t of these .vii childrē shal neuer [Page] be any nencion. And than at the commaūdement of ma­tabrune markes moūted on his horse, & toke y^t .vii. childred as he was ordeined, y^t whiche he toke & wrapped in his mantell & in a great haste transported them out of the citie of Lilefort. And whan he was bout .x. mile out of y^e said citie he entred īto a forest he was enspired w^t the grace of god for to descēd of his horse, & to behold how the poore children did. And whan he was defēded he laide them in the saide plaine vppon his mantel, and than began for to beholde them. And whan he sawe thē so faire so pleasaūt, & so wel fourmed he had great pitie at his hert, & considered in him selfe that sith y^t thei had brought those chaīes of siluer out of their mothers wō ­be that god hath chosen & ordened them to some perfec­cion of welth and excellent honour. And thus as bi loue & benignite he behelde these poore children they begane all to laugh & to beholde him sweetli. And than he was in suche wise moeued with pitie & compassion that he delibered in him selfe to do thē no harme but by him self cōmaunded thē into the holy garde proteccion & mercy of god in manere of speaking to them sayinge. Nowe I pray to god fayre children y^t he wil kepe & preserue you from al euil and encombraūce by his holi benigne grace and y^t shortly be confounded all your enemies, & the false olde witche y^t hath sent you hither for to purchace your death and distruction. Alas poore childrē it greueth me sore for to leue you here ī this place as desolate, wādred & habādoned of your blode. But I hope y^t he y^t hath wil led to creat & fourme you ī your good mothers body wil not leue you dispurueyed, and fare ye wel to god I com­maunde [Page] you children, for I shall se you neuermore. And thus amyably took the said Markes leaue of the .vii. litle chyldren the which at his departing took theym in his armes and pitiousli kissed them in weping tenderly with salt teres. And than he retourned to Lilefort ma­kinge muche sorow inwardly for them.

INcontinēt after y^t he had thus taken his lea­ue of y^e childrē he retourned to lilefort where as y^e peruers Matabrūe came to fore to meet him for to knowe tidinges of her cursed wyll sayinge. Now my freende Markes haue ye done mi cō maundement of the .vii. children as I bad you. Madam said he, know you that ye shal neuer haue tidīges of thē for I haue al to hewed their membres and casted thē in the riuer. And she said mi frende ye haue done well and I shall reknoledge the pleasure or it be longe. For that ye haue ben faithfull to me I shall contente you well. And whan my sonne kinge Oriant shalbe retourned I shal do so muche towarde him y^t he shall make to die his espouse wherof mi herte shalbe glad, and I shalbe auen­ged to my gree. And with these wordes departed matabrune and the fornamed markes one fro the other.

¶Thus leaue we to speake of thē, & returne to speake of the children y^t whiche were in the Forest dolorouslye wayling and as all dead for honger. But by the grace diuine of god ther came into that place an holie and de­uout hermite named Helias, the whiche had his habitacion in the said forest. And whan he apperceiued the .vii poore litle children there abandoned & weping for hon­ger: he had so great sorowe at his hert that he wepte for pitie and compassiō to beholde them, wherfore he toke & lapped thē tenderly in his mantel & with al their chaines at their neckes he bare thē into y^e li [...]le hous of his hermitage, & there he warmed and sustened them of his poore goodes as well as he coulde.

AFter that the good hermit had doone his possibilite to susteine & rechaufe the .vii. litle chyl­dren of the noble Quene Beatrice to him vn­knowen. He seinge the indigent puerylite of them had great feare that they should die for faute of natural foode and had none hope but only in the marcie of god. And than for them he made his praiers saying hū ­bly [Page] Souerayne god allmighty very rectour & goberna­tour of all thinges that by thy diuine grace wylled [...]o repast the childrē of Israel in deserte with manna of heuē And y^t in like wise susteined y^e good prophet Daniel in y^e pitte of Lions And that also sithen in the new testamēt hast repasted fyue thousand men besyde the women and chldren with fiue barly loues and two fisshes I supplie thee and require humbly that bithi biti, mercy ād swet­nes it pleaseth thee to repast ād susteine these .vii. poore litle children y^t whiche [...]i thi grace I haue found naked and dei [...]ge for hunger in this forest, to thend that whā thou hast nourisshed them thei may deuoutlie serue and honour the as thou knowest. And incontinent was exal­ted to y^e oraison of y^e deuoute hermit before god, for miraculously there came into his house a faire white goat, y^e wiche beningnely came nere to y^e .vii. litle childrē in presenting to them her milke, and ther she gaue them sucke naturally as their nource. And than the good hermite knewe clerely that god had vertously sent her for y^e nourisshing and sustentation of the poore litle childrē that he had foundē, wherof he thanked god greatly of his diuine sauitude. And thus this white goate gaue milke sufficiently to them and than retourned to the wood. And so longe she gaue thē souke that they began to gro and waxe somwhat stronge and folowed her in y^e wood and aboute the hermitage.

WHan the forsaid children were come to age of pue­rilete the deuoute hermite Helyas made and appropryed to eche of them a cote of leaues of the trees or of suche as he coulde get. And so they wente playing with in the forest where as thei gathered fruite to eate with theyr bread, for in that pointe were they nourisshed vn­der the grace of god, and by the dilygence of the good hermete which with good herte administred the bread of y^e almesses geuen to him. Now it happened by space of time that king Oriant their father retourned victorious [Page] out of the warre that he had agaynst his eneiems whā he left his good queene bygge of the vii chyldrē haban­doned of their bloud, And whā the false olde Matabrūe knew that the good kyng Oreant her sonne was comē she went agaynst him makinge the good mother & fay­nynge as she wolde weepe she began to saye for to accō plishe her fiers courage. A my most deare sonne ye be right hertly welcome. I am all Ioyful that ye be retourned in Ioye and health accompained of your barons But on the other parte my herte is so heauy & sorye for your wife and for that is to her hapened y^e lytle lacketh y^t it ne breaketh. And when the king hearde her speake so he was as abasshed and sayd, why madam is ther a­ny harme come to my wyfe, is she dead or how. Ha my sonne saide she nay: but the case is muche more enorme the whiche I maye not ne dare not wel reher [...]e for the horror and abhomynacion of the dead, And also I had leuer y^t an other tel it you than I for it is wel knowē of al your seruauntes Forsothe said the kinge yf [...]ny [...]uyll be happed it is more decent & conuēable y^t ye tel me t [...]ā an other w^t whom I should be āgry, Ha my chyld syth it pleaseth you so I shal tel you, but it greueth mi hert for y^e honour of you & yours Know ye y^t when ye departed fro this coūtrey I thuoght y^t your wife had conceyued a chyld of you, but she had conceiued of a dogge the whiche is a foule sine. For here is y^e midwyfe y^t hath receiued .vii. litle doges of her bodi y^e which I haue made to kyl and be casten in the feldes for to vndo the sclaun­der, wherfor ye ought to mak her die and cast in a fyre And the matron was w^t her for to approue the lye. And when y^e king heard these wordes affermed by false ton­gues [Page] he had so great sorow at his hert that none might haue more. And bi great dispite he demaunded where y^t she was. And Matabrune said y^t she was recluse in her chambre, wherout she durst not come for shame of hir vilanous dead. And than the kinge entred into a chambre w^t one of his knightes & begā inwardly discomforted to say. Alas what is happened to me. Alas what doloure is this, hath mi wife conceiued .vii. dogges. Hath she habādoned her to brute beastes she y^t I thought had be y^e honour & beaute of al ladies. Hath she betraied me that I loued more thā euer man loued womā. Am I bi her dishonoured and brought to confusion in mi realme. Why hath not god auaunced my daies where as I was vpō mine enemies. I was wel borne in an vnhappie houre for to se nowe this obprobre. Alas who shal counseil me Mi god almighti helpe me, for I require no more to approche her y^t I haue so muche loued. In this sharpe an­guishe reconforted him the knight in the beste wise that he might. But he was so inwardli disconforted that he laide him on a bedde where as he fell on slepe for sorow & melancoly. On y^t other part was the noble quene Beatrice ī an other chābre wher as she made no lesse sorow than her noble spouse. Than came to her a squier y^t long time had serued her, & declared to her al y^• maner howe king Oriāt was returned fro y^e warre, wherof she was greatlie abasshed, and axed the squier if in an [...]e wise she had ben spokē of. And he answered yea? & recited to her al how y^e peruerce Matabrune, and the false and disloy­al matrone had tolde & affermed to the noble kinge O­riant of her fait. And than she began for to make her cō ­plaint to almighti god & his glorious mother sayinge [Page] Ryght swet lady and sacred maydē mother of the sauy­our and redēptor Iesu chryst what syne myght I haue commysed towarde thy dere sonne Iesu christ that .vii. dogges bē yssued out of my bodi wherbi I haue lost the loue of my husband the moste pleasaunt & the best that euer woman myght haue chosen. Alas souerayn kinge Iesus chryst that for to washe the crimes & offences of all poore sinners hath shede wather ād bloud fro your precious fid wherof your most worthi mother receiued so great dolour at her hert I besech you y^t it wil please you to clense, wasshe, and purge me of all my sines and crimes that euer I cōmised agaynst you. And as trulye as ye cōforted your swet mother the day of your holye resurreccion, whā fyrst & before all other ye shewed you to her in body impassible and gloryfied and cōsequently to the other holy ladyes & to your most happy apostles I besech you humbly that ye wil recōfort your seruaūte inding to requir you, and to restablisshe her to the good grace and loue of her true husband and spouse to whom she neuer thought to do wrong ne offence in any maner And thus she abode heui & sorowfull in her chambre incessauntly requiringe our swete sauiour Iesu christe & the glorious Virgin Mary his right worthy mother for to impetre and get mercy.

THe kinge Oriant beinge reposed in melancoly as it is saide made me incontinent to assemble his coūsell, that is to wit Dukes, erles, knightes and other lordes of renowne, w^t the bisshop and prelate of the churche. And whan they were al assē bled in the consistory the kinge arose & began to speake in saying. Faire lordes I haue made you all to assemble in this place for to discute of a mater, y^t which to me is heui & greuous to supporte. It is of trouthe notorily y^t sith my retourning it is shewed to me & affermed y^t my wife y^t which ye know duringe mi viage hath be deliuered of .vii. litle whelpes, which she hath conceyued of a dogge, as it is presupposed, wherfore it were shame to me if euer I retourne to her by copulacion carnall. And I wil y^t bi your aduise this maner be consulted, & howe [Page] I may acheue it. And for to āswere of this mater was prefrred, y^e bisshop y^t said. Sir king vnder correccion of you & mi lordes here present I shal saie as be semeth of that, y^t is proposed hereof the quene your noble spouse y^t which is saide to haue conceiued .vii. dogges, me semeth y^t bi iustice she ought not to receiue death. And here is y^e reason wherfore. It is possible y^t in her slepe be comen to her some beast y^t hath done her this outrage without her knowledge & consent, wherfore she is in nothing culpa­ble. And fertermore your noble person hath touched oftē [...]imes to hers after y^t constitucion of the sacramēt of mariage. Wherfore me semeth vnder reuerence y^t ye ought not consēt to her death, but howbeit ye mai make her dyligently to be kept in some honest place bi maner of pry­son, & of the surplus let the iudgement to god y^t is y^e true iudge & only retribuer of good & euil, & the trouth shall finabli be knowē apartly. Of this counsel the king was somwhat consoled in his herte, for he had alwaye a cer­taine loue to his wife. But after that arose another knight hauing a fiers Lions courage sayinge there agaīst what sir wolde ye leaue this woman thus seing y^t dishonour & shame that she hath doone to you? yf she be but a loneli put ī prisō ye mai neuer mari you to another wife & bi consequence this pusaūt realme should be left with out heire of your body. Bi the which thinge considered if I were beleued she should be brent in a great fire, as it is well knowen y^t she hath ynough deserued it, & thā ye might mari a more noble lady thā she is, y^t which wold appease the sorow that he haue for this. Of this coūsel king Oriant was not ouer glad, but without shewinge great semblaunt as he that desired to saue the bodye of[Page] the good quene concluded this mater saying. Now lor­des I shal tel you in giuing you aduertēce, if it so were that she be culpable of death yet haue I vowed & agaīe warde made promesse to god that she beinge dead or aliue neuer to espouse other wife, for ony treasours or realmes that any man liuing may giue or habandon to me and thus I certifie it you. Than al the nobles and great lords of the asistence concluded with a comune accord y^t it was conuenable bi this maner y^t she helde aloneli pryson in likewise as y^e bisshop had delibered. And at their aduice y^e kinge ordeined two of his knightes that they shoulde put y^e quene his wife into some gracious prison and that she shoulde be honestly serued & administred of meate & drinke as to her noble estate apperteined and y^t they should charge her for to praye to god for hī, & to aduertise her how he had preserued & defēded her frō death And whan the cruel Matabrun had knowen the deliberacion of the bisshop she spake to him reuerentli, & gre­atly iniured him for his counseile y^t he had giuen to saue the quenes life. After that came the to knightes to y^e no­ble quene Beatrice and benignely at y^e commaundemēt of the kinge and his counseil put her in a faire chambre bi maner to holde prison and there they reueled to her al that had ben said and ordined bi the said counseyl. And how the kinge had defended her from peril, & yet more­ouer had commaunded to entreat her honistly and y^t she should praie to god for him, wherof greatly she thanked & praised god which seinge the case wherin she wend to be culpable had saued his life. And thus paciently in wepinges she abode in prison. But she recommaunded her oft to y^e kinge thanking him of his grace done to her for [Page] the offence to her imposed, wherbi she was obliged for euer to pray to god for him. And also she recōmended her humbli to god & to the glorious virgin Marie in al her nedes abiding long in that place shitte, tell that one of her sonnes named Helias deliuered her out of prison as it shalbe saide here after.

FOr this time we shal leaue to speake of the noble kinge Oriant and of the noble quene Beatrice his true and faithful spouse for sōe thing right digne and worthi of memory y^t I hope to saie of their .vii. litle childrē esclaues, nourisshed, and alimented in the poore hous of the good holy and deuoute hermite named Helias. ¶After that the .vii. children were nourisshed and alaced of the saide white goate miraculously sene of god as before is rehersed. The aboue said deuoute hermite to thend that they should be acceptable to god bi y^e vertue of wasshing in the holi water sacramental made them to be baptized and christened at his good wil and pleasure. And of the said .vii. litle children there was one amonge the other the which to him was right beauteous and agreable & that pleased him muche, the which he named and called Helias after his owne name. And whan that they were in the age of theyr pleasaunt & fresshe grene yongth thei reane all about sporting and playinge in the said forest aboute the trees and floures only cladde and habitued with poore rootes made of greene leaues of the trees of the said forest, and were barefeted euerichone without ony couering vpon their heades in colde and heat, & in this estate wente they alway together the one with the other.

VPon a time it fortuned that a yoman of Ma­tabrunes hunte named Sauarie went for to chase and hunt in the said forest in the whiche dwelled y^e deuoute hermite Helias. Than al­mighti god our lorde willed y^t the sayd ye mā should finde the said children of the noble king Oriant & of the good qeuene Beatrice his wife. The which children satte vnder a tree echone hauinge a chaine of siluer as it is said, vnder y^e said tree they gathred wild appel­les & eat them w^t bread. The yomā beheld thē gladlie, & [Page] salued theym beningnely, & they answered nothing but ranne awaie before him. Than he sued & rāne after thē vnto the hermitage, the better & singulerly to knowe & consider their estate & their maner. And whan the good hermitte sawe the yoman renning after the .vii. childrē he salued him and said. Good frende I pray you for the loue of god that ye doo no harme to these poore childrē. Nay for god good father said he. But I am greatly ad­meruailed to cōsider theyr estate, & of y^e siluer chaines y^t I see aboute their neckes. My frende saide y^e good aer­mite know ye for trouthe that euen so as ye see I foūd them as yonge childrē new borne in this forest. And for to nourisshe theim miraculously came into this pleace a white goate, the which hath well susteyned and giuen theim her tetes to suke her milke y^e space of three yeres. And also to my power I haue also diligently kept them winter and somer. Faire father said the yomā god yeld you good retribucion, & than he departed fro y^e holy her­mite, in taking leaue benignely of him and of y^e .vii. chil­dren. And whan y^t yoman was retourned to Lilefort he went and salued Matabrune and to her recounted how he had founde .vii. yonge children in the forest hauinge chaines of siluer about their neckes, the whiche wer sitting vnder a tre in gatherīg of wild apples. Of whose words matabrune was greatly admeruailed, wherfore she enquired of him diligently the trouthe. And whan she vnderstode him she wist wel that thei were the .vi. sonnes & the doughter y^t the noble Quene Beatrice had borne & cōceiued of king Oriant. The which bi her wickednesse she wēde to haue made to die, but god our soueraine helper that alwaie saueth thē that he hath chose, [Page] had kept them from all harmes vnder his holy protecciō for he is y^t iust iudge stronge & pacient the which abideth the yre of his vengeaunce vnto the houre bi him ordeined And ye ought to wite y^t Matabrune was ful sorye & per­tourbed of these tidinges, wherfore she called secretly y^e said yoman & saide. Come hither my freende I wold not for no treasour but y^t I had heard these tidinges y^t thou hast brought. But if y^t wilt haue my grace & that I gyue the great goodes it behoueth thou take suche felawes w^t thee as thou wilt, and forthwith go & slea y^t .vii. children that thou hast founde in y^e forest. And if thou doo it not at mi pleasure and commaūdemēt I promise thee & be thou sure that I shal make thee dye an euil death. But if thou obey me be thou also sure that I shall rewarde thee & thi felawes in suche wyse that ye shall neuer haue need, Madame [...] the yoman I shall doo your desyre, & I promyse you to [...] them without doubt, so that ye shal know it expressely. [...]ll than said she it suffiseth, go and doo your diligence. [...] than Matabrune full of woodnesse and furoure came to [...]ur [...]es that she had first ordeyned for to bere the .vii. lit [...] [...]dren out of Lilefort & to make them die or to drowne [...] a riuer, y^t which he had not done for pitie that he had to beholde them whan he left them in y^e forest, and put out his eyen and handled him so that many wende that he had be dead.

AT the commaundement [...] the ne [...]uers Ma­tabrune her yoman or houndes man named Sauary tooke .vii. felowes strong & mighti with him for to but in execucion that, y^t vnto them was commaunded for to slea the .vii. [...]hildren of y^e noble king Oriant & his good spouse Bea­ [...]rice. And so as the sayd yoman and his felawes passed bi [...] village they sawe muche people assēbled. wherfore thei [...]ew nere. And whan they were approched Sauarie de­ [...]aunded wherfore they were so assembled. And they an­swered [Page] for to see a woman executed and brent by Iustice. And wherfore sayd Sauary, what harme hath she doone And they sayd for that she hath murdred & slaine the chil­de that she bare in her owne bely. Than sauarie departed thens, and by those wordes remenbred the execucion and the murther that he went to doo on the .vii. smal children of the king & of y^e quene, wherby he was muche efmayed and begā to refraine his courage & that which he had vndertaken to doo in saying to his felowes. My brethren & felawes here is a fayre glasse or spectacle for vs. Howe said thei? Haue ye not seen said he y^t these people go for to doo Iustice & put to death that vnhappy womā for y^t she hath murthred & slaine y^t childe that she bare in her owne body. And therfore faire frendes ye wot that my lady matabrune hath sent vs hither for to go occise & put to death vii. faire litle children the which the other daye I founde in the middes of the forest, echone of them hauinge a fa [...]e chayne of syluer at his necke, but cursed be he of God and confounded may he be that any harme shall doo to them. Beholde this womā that they go to brenne & execute for one only childe that she hath murdred and was her owne Consider we than what punicion might renne to vs for to put to death the .vii. chyldren of the whiche I haue sp [...] ken, the which to vs ne to her that commaundeth canno [...] hinder nor b [...]re any domage. Syr houndes man sayd his felowes ye spake wiseli, and we be al of the same aduis [...] They shall haue no harme sayd he: but this wee maye do for to appease & contente the insaciable iniquite of the peruerce Matabrun [...], we shall go to the .vii. chyldren & take al onely the chaines of siluer that ben at theyr neckes, & than here them to the cursed matabrune & make her to beleue [Page] that we haue slaine and put thē to death by y^e tokēs of the sayd chaines. To the which thinge accordid his fe­lawes as good & true coūceile. And thus delibered they entred into y^e forest & came vnto y^e litle hermitage where as were dwelling the said litell chyldren w^t the deuoute hermite Helias. But at that houre they ne foūde but .vi. of the said children, for the good hermite was gone to as­ke meate in the villages there aboute & hadled with him his godsonne one of the vii. children for to beare y^e breade and suche as was giuen to him in y^e countrey for fode of him and the .vii. vnknowen children. And whan the hoū des man Sauari and his felowes came nere the .vi. chil­dren abiden in the hermytage they set handes on them & tooke them for to take away the chaines of syluer y^t eche of them had at their neckes, but the poore children began to crye piteously for feare that they had. Than sayd saua­ry. Doubt you of nothinge faire children, for we shall doo you no harme if it please God. And in this saying: thei to­ke the chaines of their neckes. And as soone as their chaines were of they were al trāsmued in an instaunt in faire white swannes by the diuine grace, & began to flee in the ayre through the forest making a piteous & lamentable crye, wherof Sauary and his felowes were so afrayed y^t [...]hey fel to the erthe as in a swonne. And whan they were [...]isen in trimblinge all for feare they sayde one to another alas what haue we founde heere? veri God conforte vs, what meaneth this that those .vi. children ben transmu­ [...]ed into swannes? Ha false, disloyall, & traytresse Mata­brune by thee haue we ouer greuously offenced god. And bi thee haue we merited right greueous punicion, cursed be y^t that euer y^e sent vs hither into this forest so to cōmyt [Page] this greuous offence & euill. Departe we hence said sauarie for all to longe haue we ben here, we haue foūden but vi. of y^e children but if y^e other were here present he should haue no harme of vs ne displeasure. Returne we lightli w^t out shewing to ony of this meruaylous aduenture. But for to render answere of our commission to that cursed & peruerce Matabrūe we shal bere to her these .vi. chaines of Siluer and shal giue her to vnderstande that we haue lost one by y^e way as were tourned. And thus they ben departed out of y^e Forest & ben returned to Lylefort where as thei haue founde matabrune, to whome thei haue cer­tified to haue slaine the .vii. children, & for a witnesse they her presented the .vi. chaines that they had aboute theyr neckes. And haue geuen her to vnderstād y^t they had lost one by the waie, wherof Matabrune nighe enraged and waxed mad for angre that they had not brought al seuen and in her woodnesse repreued and thretened thē sharpli But for to haue peace they promised and offred to her to yelde & restore, the value therof, wherof she somwhat cō ­tented her, & gaue them some rewarde for their traueile. And whan Matabrūe had y^t said chaines: she sent to seke for a goldesmith to whome she cōmaunded to make a cuppe of the Chaines. And as the goldesmith had put one in the fyre to approue the Siluer: it multiplied in suche maner that it alone molten weyed as muche and more than all the .vi. together wherof the sayd goldesmyth & all his meyny had great meruayle and were all abasshed, wher­fore the sayde gyldesmith gaue the fiue other chaynes of Siluer vnto his wife for to kepe and set aparte w^t in her chambre or coffre. For the sayd onlye chayne the whiche he had so molten was suffycyente for to make two suche [Page] cuppes as y^t, that Matabrune had ordeined him to make So he forged two cuppes of y^t which he withheld one for him selfe with the .v. other Chaines of Syluer y^t he kepte tyl a certayne time ordeyned of god as ye shal heare. And than he brought the other and presented it to Matabrūe that was all admeruayled how he might haue forged a cuppe so great & materyall as it was of so lytle siluer as she semed to haue gyuen, but there as God lyste to worke nothinge abydeth impossyble to his diuyne wyll.

FOr to ensue the orygynall of that I haue entrepry­sed to wrytte I shal returne to speake of the deuoute Hermite Helyas & of his godsonne one of kyng Oryant sonnes, and of the paciente Quene Beatryce. It is to be knowen that anon after that the .vii. children were transmued into white swannes retourned into the hermitage the abouesayde hermite & his Godsonne Helias, y^t which founde not the .v. sonnes and the doughter that they had lefte there whan they departed wherof they were mer­uaylosly displeasaunte. And than they began to cal them with hye voyce within the Forest, but none aunswered. The good Hermite sought on the one syde, and hys god­sonne on the other syde on all partes of y^e Forest as longe as the day lasted, but they founde them not wherfore thei ceassed not to make great dole and sorowe all the nyght longe. And on the morowe yonge Helyas began agayne to seeke his brethern and his sister weeping and wailing dolorouslye as all discomforted through the Forest. And so longe he wente hither and thyther that he ariued nigh to a st [...]ge or ponde where as he sawe .vi fayre swannes all white swimmyng on the water, the whiche were his bretheren and syster so transmued by the wyll of god but it was vnknowen to him, how wel y^e naturallie he tooke pleasure to beholde them, wherfore he approched to thē & they came and feested him, & he gaue them bread that he had and stroked playne theyr [...] w^t his hande by nature that moeued him therto. And as it is notably re­cited in the cronycle of this present history y^e sayde yonge Helyas theyr brother went to visite them euery daye, and did bere them to eate of the bread y^t was giuen to him for goddes sake. And whan y^e hermite had apperceiued hym [Page] diuers times so goynge to the sayde stagne he demanded him why he went so diligētly theither to sporte him. And he prayed him not to be displeased, for he had founde .vi. fayre white Swannes the which made the greatest che­re that was possible to see. Now was the sayd Helias so faire bigge, and wel fourmed of bodie and membres that his godfather y^t good Hermite tooke a singuler pleasure for to beholde him, for he was as parfite in his adolence that he semed almost a mā viril in his force. He ne knew his pareyl in prudence of vnderstanding. There was not a wilde beast but he tooke lightly bi renuing. He was honest and well manered in all his gestes, and well attem­pred in his force and noble hardinesse, and all bi thintusiō of the diuine grace. For he neuer had conuersed ne haūted the worlde. And yet was he sufficientli instructe & right well learned in science & good maners in suche wise that his godfather had enterprised and was delibered for to dedie him to the seruice diuine in office of a p [...]e, til that the aungel of heauen came downe and releued to the said good and deuout hermite that God our soueray [...] Lord almight [...] [...] otherwise ordayned for as it shalbe oppressely reherc [...] here after in this present History.

DVring this time was the good quene Bea­trice incessably deteined of prison, the whi­the pacientli in her aduersite alwaie praised the name of god in praying for her spouse y^e noble king Oriant, & y^t it wolde please him for to succur her. But y^e peruerce Matabrune sought in­cessauntly the meanes & occasions that she might for to make her die. So it happed that she had in her courte a knight disloial and wicked named Makaire the which she suborned so with money y^t she made him to tell & af­ferme to king Oriant that the good quene Beatrice his wife had be knowen and habited of a dogge. wherof she had cōceyued .vii. litle whelpes, of whom after is made [Page] mencion. And that she had moreouer delibered to poysō and make the king to die and his mother Matabrun bi venim & other poyson that he said that the noble quene Beatrie [...] had ordeined to do it with all, wherto y^t good quene neuer thought, for she loued as truli her husband as euer woman loued hers, & wolde not haue done ony vntrouth to his body to haue died therfore. But y^e euyll and wicked folke paine them selfe alway to noye and do accombraunce to them y^t ben good and loued of god. And whan the noble king Oriant had heard the fals and vn­true reporte that bi this cursed knight was affermed he was merueylously sori & angry of y^e tidinges. wherfore the more stedfastly to afferme this lie the said fals Ma­kaire presented him to fight against all men that wolde say or defende the contrari of y^t he had reported, wherof the king was more angry than before and totalye dispi­ted against his wife, the which was in nothing culpa­ble of al that she was accused. So he swore god & hys othe that for these tidinges she should die, but if y^t there were ony that wolde defende her therof in champe of ba­taile. Than went there a noble squire and tolde frō ende to ende al these euil tidings to the good quene and how y^t king had sworne his oth that she shold die greuously therfore, but if there were any y^t wolde susteine her qua­rel against the forenamed Makayre, and whan y^t good quene heard these piteous tidinges litle lacked that she ne died for sorowe, wherfore al lamentably she began to complaine her sayinge. Alas I haue anguisshe on all si­des. Alas now see I well appertly y^t I am falsli betray­ed, and yet I know no man liuing that for to susteine & defende mi right wolde in any maner dispose himselfe. [Page] But I shall retourne me to my sweete Lord Iesu christ the whiche is the only piller & foūdament of all verite, and I haue hope that he wil helpe me. Alas mi God mi creatour that by your diuine wil reised y^e spirite of yōge Daniell for to returne to the Iudiement and to saue fro death the noble ladi Suzāne y^t which was publikeli led in iustice bi to fals iudges, the which with wronge and vniustly had accused her of the vice & sinne of aduoutry wherin she neuer thought, as afterward before al y^e people was notably knowen and approued the trouth by y^e good Daniel the which yelded the two Iudges al cōfu­sed. Thou knowest my soueraīe god in likewise y^e wrōg fulli and without cause I am accused to mi good & faithful spousy king Oriant. wherfore I beseche and require thee humbli that it wil plaise thee to kepe and preserue me fro shamefull death and confusion of the crime and sinne that I am accused of, wherof thou knowest me innocent and nothing worthy. And than benignely recomforted her the said Squire, & after in weeping for pitie he departed humbly from her companie. And the good quene abode alway dolorously reclused and shitte in pri­son vnto the time that god y^t which in eueri place succoureth his seruauntes diuineli had purueied and ordeined as afterwarde ye shall heare.

HOw hath god our soueraine lorde hearde & exalted the deuout praier of y^e noble Quene Beatrice, & hath sēt his holy aūgel fro heauen to tel & declare to the deuoute hermite Helias that the .vi. sonnes and a doughter which he had foūde in the forest wher y^e childrē of king Oriant, & that his good spouse Beatrice had conceiued them of him, & had childed them at on only time. But y^e peruerce Matabrūe made him to beleue bi the midwife that she had borne & conceiued .vii. dogges which were issued of her wombe. And also that y^e swannes y^t his god sōne Helias hent eueri day to feed & susteine with bread in y^e ponde wher his .v. brethern & his sister in such wise trāsmued whan Sauary Matabrūes hoūdes man and his felowes tooke awaie the chaines y^t which they had [Page] a­bout theyr neckes as he hath. And y^t he should sende his god sonne for to be fight the false Makaire that w^t wrōge and without cause had accused his good mother y^e saide quene by the enhortement of thee peruerce mattabrun y^t wolde haue made him to dye and the other .vi. children, whan she charged a seruaunt of hers for to slea or make them perisshe, but for pitte that he [...]ad to beholde thē he left them in y^e forest where as the deuoute he [...]mite foūd them. And sith Matabrun [...] good mo­ther in prison, the whiche [...] space of .xvi. yere, [...] Iustice of his enemies, and of succession of time his br [...] ­thrē & his sister should returne into their owne fourme and nature humaine as they were before. And of theim should come a great fruit. For of his lignage should des­cende Godfrey of Boulion, that for to agment the holy faith of God shal conquere the holy lande of Iherusalē. So descended the heuenly aūgel at the holy commaūdement of our lorde, & came to announce vnto the deuoute hermit al that to him was ordeined of god as is before said. And whan he had doone his message he returned & the good hermite abode alone al rauisshed in spirit. But after as al reioiced he called beningly his godsōne Helias, the whiche camē fro y^e stagne where as he had giuē bread to y^e Swannes like as he was accustomed bi na­tural inclinacion, and recited to him all that the aungel had announced to him, saying: Mi godsonne, mi frende I wist not y^t ye were of so noble a bloud as ye be, wherof I ought highly to praise and honour you as wel for the honoure y^t god hath doone to you as for your noble potē tes. And how said he godfather, what tidinges haue ye [Page] heard? wite ye mi lorde and mi frende said the good hermite that an aungell of heauen cam to me y^t anoūced & told to m [...] in goddes name that ye be sonne of y^e right noble king Oriant & of the good quene Beatrice his faithful spouse and your mother. But it behoueth that bi y^e diuine commaūdement of god to you be declared bi me all the tidings as y^e aūgel tolde me. So ye ought to know that your mother conceiued you al .vii. togither of your noble father, & sith childed of you at one only time. But the peruerce [...]ta [...]un stepdame of your noble mother bi the consentment of the [...] wife that you your .v. bre­thern, and your sister reseiued of her bodi [...]ade her to beleue that .vii. whelpes were issued of her wombe y^e whiche thei had vnfaithfulli prepaired, and so wende your said mother. For Matabrūe gaue you incontinēt to one of her seruaūts whome she charged to sle or droune you But the pitie that he had to beholde you moeued him to leue you al naked and nere dead for honger in the same place where as I first founde you. Than shorte time af­ter the said Matabrun harde some tidinges of you, and sent som [...] folke againe for to destroy you, but thei foūde as than but your .v. brethern & your sister, fro whōe thei toke the chaines of siluer that echone of thē had aboute their necke as ye haue, and forthwith bi y^e diuine wil of god thei were trāsmued into white swannes, & ben they to whome he gaue euery day bread in y^e stagne. But in time comīg they shal retourne into theyr owne nature humaine as they were afore, & shal make great fruite, but for the thinges beforesaid your father cōmaūded to put & hold your good mother in prison, y^t which hath be captiue y^e space of .xvi. whole yeres. And now againe matabrune [Page] hath so muche done bi money y^t an vntrue knight named Makaire of your fathers courte hath affermd y^t she had conseiued & habited with a dogge, & that she had willed to kill and enpoysen him and y^e said Matabrune wherfore y^e king hath sworne to make to die your good mother, if none befounde that against the said Makaire wil susteine her honour and hir quarell in campe of ba­taile. Wherfore bi me is ordeided of god that I admōest and warne you to go and vpholde her good right agaīst the forenamed Makaire and al y^e other that willinglie hath blamed her. And without doubt ye shal obteine victory and triumph against al her false enemies .v here bi she shalbe deliuered fro prison & restablisshed vnto grea­ter honour than she had before. And also there shal issue of your lignage a valiaunte and chiualrous prince that shalbe named Godfrey of Boulion, y^t whiche in his age virill shall conquere the holy londe of Iherusal [...]m, and other countreis of beyond the sea for euer to augment & encrease the right highe and puissaunt name of Iesus, & the holi faith catholike. And whā yonge Helias (wisely taught & enspired of god) heard his godfather speake in suche maner of that he had commaunded of god, he con­formed him al holy to his diuine wil, and louing he de­libered him to go see the father y^t had engedred him, and y^e good mother that had childed him, & of whose body he his .v. brethern, his sister miraculously issued. And after al these thinges premised to eschue prolixite y^t hermit & his godsōne disposed thē y^t he should go so clothed in leaues & barfoted as he was w^t a simple staffe in his hande to succour his said mother, to thend y^t more aperili y^• dyuine & vertuous miracle of god should be shewed in him [Page] and than in weping thei departed amiably. And at their departing yonge Helias ententiuely besought his god­father y^t it wolde please him diligentli to feed w^t bread the whit swannes his brethren and sister. And the good hermite promised him to do his best vntil it pleased god to dispose for them as he had ordeyned. And than yonge Helias departed and went toward the Citie of Lilefort for to accomplisshe the holy commaundement of god.

IN this time came the day that the noble king Oriant had decreed for to condēpne and make to die his good spouse Queene Beatrice by the false accusacions y^t of her vniustli had ben made So the knight sent for her to the prison for to make to expose in her presence the cryme of the whiche by the sayde Makarie she had be wrongfully accused. And whan she was led thither publykely before many noble knightes & men of councel that there were presente assembled: she began incōtinent to salue the king her husbande enclining her knees in requiringe of mercy so pytiouslye that al the noble knightes had pitye to beholde her, and in lyke wise the kinge was so sory of her estate that with greate payne myght he speake a worde he had suche sorowe at his herte. Than he cōmaunded the false Makaire to declare in her presēce the crime wherof he had accused her to him And forthwith he assured as a false murtherer began to say on high. Syr I haue tolde you & yet wyll vpholde before all here present, that I haue seen her haue compani & habitacion with a dogge, wherof she hath conceyued .vii. whelpes, the whiche sith ben yssued of her owne bodye. And more ouer she wolde haue gyuen venim to me for to haue enpoysened and made to dye you and your Mother my lady Matabrune the whiche I wolde neuer do vnto you nor to none other person. Now lady sayde the kynge to the good Beatrice his wife, ye heare how ye ben openly accused of a shamful, horrible, and vilaneous forfaite before me and my baronny, what defence wyll ye fynde. your faulte displeaseth me sore. But yf that ye wyll con­fesse the trouthe ye shall not dye, for I shall assygne your lyfe in some holy monastery of Relygyon for to doo there [Page] penaunce and satisfaccion for our synne & pray to god for you and me. And yf you confesse not your dede: I promise you that shamefully I shall make you dye, if ye fynde not any that wyl susteine your quarel agaynst him that hath accused you. Alas my lorde sayde the good queene I can­not finde ony knight ne other that for to susteine mi good right in ony maner wyll expose hym. But I promise you and swere here tofore all by the faith of gentylnesse that with great wronge and vniustly I am here before you accused. And how be it y^t it hath pleased the deuine grace to so sende me this yet I neuer cōmised ne thought for to cō mit any vilany forfaite agaynst you ne agaynst myne ho­nour. And I complayne me to god almyghty of this that I am accused in requiryng hym vengeaunce of all mine e­nemies. ¶And thus as this saide assemble was made for to condempne the good queene to death in the kynges palais, thither came the yonge Helyas sonne to kyng O­riant and of the quene Beatryce, the which hauinge a staffe in his hande was delibered in courage in in the confy­dence of god to susteyne his good mother. And whan he was comen to the gate of the palais he mette firste with a boistous churle that rigorousli axed hī what he sought there? I seche (sayd he) a false and traytrous knight nāed Makayre. And he weeninge to mocke him sayde that it was he. And Helyas than lift vp his staffe and with a free wyll hit him on y^e head that he felled him to y^e groūd. And forthwith came a sergeaūt that toke him & wenyng that he were a fole for y^t he was poorely clothed & barefoted & mocked hī that had y^e stroke, saying y^t he should not play w^t a foole. Than Helyas drew him vigorously out of the sergeauntes handes and sayde to hym. Let me go, [Page] for by the faith that I owe to god I shall neuer cease vntill I haue vengaunce of the fals Makaire that wrong­fully hath doone great iniurye vnto my mother the good queene. And amonge y^e other there was one in that place y^t whā he herde him speake so, tolde him y^t makaire was in the consistory in the hall of the palays whereas he ac­cused the queene before the kinge of certayne crimes the which him semed to be falsly imposed, & said y^t the quene was a right notable ladi & ful of vertues, & that w^t great wronge y^e same day thei wolde make her dye. And whan Helias heard him saye so he came lightly to him and en­brasing him said, Gentil frende I pray thee that it please thee to lede me to the place that y^e saiest, & he led him streight. And whan Helias entred into the consistori wher as many folke weare assembled to se y^e domayne of the noble queene Beatryce, and yet many other y^t came to see [...] Helias wolde do that semed to be a wilde mā. Than the noyse came to kinge Oryant which demaunded what it was. And it was tolde him that it was a yongling as al naked y^t axed after Makaire, & saith y^t he wil fight agaīst him & put him to death for to susteyne & defende the good quarell of the queene the which he sayth is his mother. Ha said y^e king it is thā a foole, syr sayd a knight I haue heard him speake wisely. And than y^e king made to que­stion him what he sought there. I seeke said he makayre And than one shewed him, and than he approched to him & said. Ha false traiter & vntrue knight I defie thee thou shalt abie. And therwith he gaue to Makaire suche a buffet with his fist that he felled him to y^e grounde incōtinēt and helde him so that he wolde haue cut his throte yf [...]e had any knife for to doo it withall. But he was lyghtly [Page] taken from his handes, & than he fled away al be bled w^t his owne bloud. How well y^t many noble knightes were right glad of that hie aduēture, for thei were sore displeasaunt to see him so vilaynously accuse the noble queene so pacient as was possible. And whan y^e king had seen him giue so great a stroke to Makayre w^t his fist he repreued him & saide. How art thou so hardy to do this outrage in my presence. Ha syr said he, know ye that I am come hy­ther at the only commaundement of God in likewyse as ye see, for to tel you the verite of the cause and of al y^e fait wherfore ye ben here assembled presently in this consistory. And how said the kinge. And Helias answered. Syr I shall shew you, but or I procede anye ferther I wil go enbrace and kisse mine owne mother y^t I se yonder. And incontinent he approched the good queene & in kissinge & a colling her sayd. My right dere and faithful mother be nomore sorowfull at your herte Cease your waylynges for this day. I shall yelde to you all Ioye and consolacion bi the pleasure of god, & shall shew that falsly & w^t greate wronge ye haue be betraied of thē y^t should haue kept you Than of this thinge y^e kyng was meruaylously abasshed thinking and sayinge to himselfe. Here is some token of god, & in likewise were admeruayled all they that were there present. Than Helyas perfurnisshed his purpose sayinge. My lorde my father I doo you to vnderstande for trouthe that whā ye left in y^e keeping of your mother matabrune my mother the which was bigge of chylde with me my brethren and my sister and that ye wente to warr and fight against your ennemies, your said mother Ma­tobrune conceyued suche an enuy against my mother that she accompanied with the false olde midwife by siluer suborned [Page] delibered for to do as ye shall heart. And for trouthe at the deliueraunce of her burden she chylded .vi. son­nes wherof I am one & a doughter, and also we brought from her wombe echone a faire chaine of siluer at our neckes suche as ye se me haue one. And whan we were thus borne she made to trāsport vs from this place. Than she tooke the sayd litle dogges and gaue my good mother to vnderstande that they were yssued of her bodi, the which she wende to be true for that she perceyued vs not for the great anguisshe that she had. Consequentli she had giuen charge to one of her seruaūtes for to slea vs or to drowne vs in some riuer. But whan he was in a forest he behelde vs on a plaine, & of pitie that he had to beholde vs he lefte vs there al naked and perisshing for honger without do­inge vs other harme. Sithen were we foundē by a good and deuoute hermite named Helias, the which beninegli bare vs into his hermitage within the forest wher as he dwelleth yet presently. And there he warmed and sustey­ned vs with his smal gooddes as muche as to him was possible. Than he made orayson to god that he wold puruey vs, the which at his deuoute prayer sent thither my­racuously a fayre white Gore y^t susteined and nourisshed vs w^t milke, & the good hermite fed vs w^t bread y^t was giuen him for goddes sake. And one daye amonge all other as we were al vii. litle childrē vnder a tree gathering of wilde apples in the forest the hoūdes man of Matabrun foūd vs hauing eche one a chain of siluer at our neckes of whome he made to her reporte. And she sent him agayne for to slea or make vs to die. And an other day as y^e good hermite and I were gone in prouision for to susteyne our liues the same hoūdes man came with .vii. other felowes [Page] the whiche tooke away the chaines fro my .v. brethern & my sister, the whiche incontinent by the wyll of god were transmued in faire white swannes, & ben yet presentlie in a fayre stagne or ponde in the sayd forest, where as oftē times I haue fed and giuen them bread for to eate. Sithen finably is comē the aungel of god that hath recited al to the good & deuout hermite my godfather, in making him commaundement by god that this same day he should sēd me into y^e place where as I am presēt for to saue mi faithfull mother. And for this intenciō I am come hither with courage dilibered in the confidēce of god for to susteine & defend her from scathe by naturall inclynacion, and to be fight the traitre and vntrue Makaire that bi his wickednesse wolde openly blame her. And for to make thys notabli to be verified ye may make y^e said makaire & me to be kept in prisō til ye please to sende for y^e good hermit for to witnesse the trouthe. And whan his father king Oryant hearde hī speake thus he was yet more admeruailed thā before. So he begā to speake to the noble quene his wife saying. How say ye lady, what semeth you of y^e words of this yoge man? Certainly my lorde I wot not how it is for I was at y^e houre of mi childing so sore trauailed that I had not on me onie feling. How be it I know wel that mi ladi your mother neuer loued me, wherfore yf she ha­ue doone wel yl I beleue that she shal finde it. Thus I report me to god and this yongeling that I se yonder, whiche he hath sent me for my champion & I praye you that it please you to make him be entreated as your sonne and graunt him that he requireth, desiringe aboue all to sus­teyne your noble honour and myne.

AFter these wordes the noble kynge Oryant made to with draw the queene Beatrice ho­nourably into a fayre chambre, in praysynge god his creatour as all recomforted. Than he recited to Matabrune his mother all that yonge Helias had declared wherof she blusshed all red & began to haue feare, but not w^tstandinge she wende well assuredly to haue renied al the case. How be it y^t the king made not ouer great semblaunt for that time: After con­sequentli he commaunded to inprisone and make sure the [Page] vntrue knight Makaire the which was doone at his cō maundement, for he doubted him of the great treason ād malignite cōmised vpon his noble spouse. Than after he gaue charge to .ii. noble knights to make forge armours propice and meete for yonge Helyas, the whice by the di­uine wil was so pleasaunt and hardi of courage y^e echone loued him with good hert. And whan the king had ordeyned all these things he made maner as he wolde go boūt and was meruailousli glad of these tidinges he purposed for to go to the good hermite in the forest, for to be al assured of that that his sonne had said & promised before him and his counsell. And thus is departed the noble king Oriant with diuers of his secrete knightes, and is comē in to y^e sayd for [...]st, and without makinge delay they haue so long sought that they haue found the hermitage of y^t hermite Helias. And whan y^e king sawe him he descended of his horse, and in their saluing reuerentli the king demaū ded his name. And the good hermite sayd. Syr I am brother He [...]ias, and than knew the king that it was he y^t he sought wherof he was right Ioyous, & tooke him aside me [...]eli to be confessed of him. In the which confession he declared to him all the case as the childe had said. By the which y^e good hermite in likewise declared y^e houre, the day, & the time that he had founden the .vii. childrē in the Forest & al that was happened by the selfe maner as the yonge Helias had tolde his father. And than king Oriāt knew certainlie the malice doone to y^e good Queene Be­atrice. It is not be doubted of the sorow that he made for the paine and greauous vexacion that so longe time & vniustly he had made his wife to suffre by false and traitro­us reportes. O sayde he my right faythfull lady. O my [Page] right deare and noble spouse, how may I make thee amē des how may I satisfie to thee? O false and peruerce tō ­gues much worse than deadli venim. Haue ye ben so har­dy to make strife betwene the husbunde and the wyfe. Haue ye made to lie in the bead of tribulation betwene y^e sheetes of wepynges those y^t were wont to be in all mir­th & consolation. O good lorde god I beseche thee of mer­ci, & pardon me mine ygnouraunce. Thou knowest how I haue doone it, for I my selfe haue be traied, & malignelousli deceiued by fals reporte. In this wise disconforted tooke the kinge leaue of the deuout hermite. To whome he made for to deliuer a great some of golde and siluer to the entente that he should founde and edifie a churche of religion for the honour and reuerence of the glorious virgin our lady sainct Mary, And for y^e remuneracion of his vii. children the which in suche wise myraclusly there had be nourisshed & sustented by the diuine prouidence of god. And than he retourned to his citie of Lylefort with his people for to comferme the iourney that he had ordeyned of his sonne yonge Helyas and of the fals knight Makayre, and to dispose all the mater as him semed best.

WHan the noble kinge Oriant was retourned fro the hermitage, & that he had knowen the verite of y^e. vii children he made incontinent to deliuer the noble queene Beatrice out of prison, & captiuitie, and restored her to al libertie & fraunchyse, the better to loue and honoure her without comparison more thā euer he did before, so that she might go & come where as her pleased, as innocente & not culpable of that to her was imposed, wherof right humbly she yelded graces & praisynges to god. And also for her deliueraunce made Ioye in thanking our lorde. After he made to take Matabrun & put her fast in pryson with .iiii. sergeaūtes to kepe her y^t she should not fle thēs [Page] til her case we redetermined by Iustice. Than consequētly he sent for the vntrue knight Makaire for to be at the Iourney (ordeyned by the kinge) for to fight against hys sonne yonge Helias, that god hath sent for to susteine the iust quarell of his good mother the queene Beatrice. Helyas than was wel armed by two knightes that y^e king had ordeined therto al maner of pieces of harneys right well steled. The helme of the same richeli besene as it apperteined vnto a kinges sonne, with precious deuises to him condesēt. His sheilde on his arme, & his speare in his hande the which he couched in the reest as al enspyred of god. After they gaue him a fayre armynge swearde well steeled and cuttinge. And finably they mounted him surely vpon a good & mighty courser well barded & trapped as it belongeth to suche a poynte. And on the other parte was apparrelled the false Makayre, the which was not ouer glad of that, that him behoued to doo. For he consy­dered well that he had no good cause ne iust quarel of y^t that he susteined agaynst the faithfull queene Beatrice. And moreouer y^t he sawe her all redy delyuered of pryson at her free liberte, & the false Matabrune straitely holdē in prison. But al these thinges notw^tstandinge yet made he maner to haue iuste cause in his fayte, but there is no wisdome against the wyl of god. And whan they were both redy on the one side and other, there assembled anon many knightes the which made theim to sweare that e­che of thē thought to haue good cause in that quarel dif­ferent that the one against the other wolde susteine. The which Mrekaire like as did Helias, but or he left y^e feild him selfe confessed the contrary before the kinge, y^e quene and many other noble knightes and damoyselles.

THus hath Helyas & Makayre sworne before thē that were ordeyned for to Iudge the champ of ba­tayle, & of that, that should be doone. And for to se this noble aduenture of armes there came so great mul­titude of people that they coulde not be numbred.

And also there was present kynge Oriāt with his good spouse Beatrice accōpanied of great lordes y^t which desi­red meruailously y^t the honour of the good queene might [Page] be susteyned in the place. Than entred the .ii. champions in to the place, & with yonge Helias that was apoynted as a kinges sonne came many great lordes of the court, & he was al asured as he that had y^e grace of god with him to whome none may noye. And on the other parte was y^e said Makaire as all heuy and malacolious of the fauour and good grace that euery man bare to him. But as al fi­ers and proude he began to say, Come, come, drawe nere my minion ye shal see this daye if your ouerwening you­th may resist agaynst me. And how be it that he wend to shewe himselfe hardy yet he said these words but for great feare that he had. And on the other parte y^e noble He­lias said. A trayter I am nowe right glad to see thee heare in this place, as I haue desyred, For I come to thee hū bly in the name of our lorde & at his commaundemēt for to susteine veritably the Iuste quarel of my good mother the which vntruely thou hast ouer muche defamed wherfore in my good confidence I hope this daye to shew agaynst thee, the strength and hie prayse of the right arme of god. Now come, come, sayde Makayre approche. So I wil said Helyas. Than with great cours of hors and the speare couched in the reest they mette with suche raundō that Helias made Makaire and his horse to foundre to the erthe. Of y^e which thinge Makayre was greatly ad­meruayled and sayde. Ha yonge sonne wyll ye shewe the might of your pleasaūt youth agaynst me, truely ye shall fele this daye that there is strength in my arme. wel wel said Helias, come nere, I am all assured of thee. And thā with cours of horse Makaire came wening to smite him al vnwars, so that by treason he made him a litle wound so y^t a litle bloud yssued. And whan the queene sawe y^t she [Page] was right sori at hert, wherfore she praied mekely vnto god & his holy mother that it wolde please them to suc­cour her poore childe, that susteyned verite, & proclamed her voyce sayinge. Souerayne god of paradise that gaue victory vnto the chyldrē of Isarael against the froward Pharaon that vniustly helde them in captiuite. I praye thee if it please thee to giue victory to my sonne, the whych it hath pleased thee to send hither for to deliuer me out of prison, & reproue the treason and falsnesse that wickedly & with wrong was propenced agaīst me as y^e knowest the trouthe. And also all the assistentes were sory for that stroke, for echone had set theyr loue on yonge Helyas but he coulde in no wise perisshe in the kepinge of god. And whan he felt him selfe so traitrously wounded he resem­bled the knight y^t taketh courage whan he seeth his blo­ud shedde. And in escrienge high he sayde to makayre. A traytre, false, & disloyall haddest y^t at this houre thought to betray me. Suffiseth it thee not to haue wylled to be­trayed mi good mother without wylling to betraye mortally her sonne. Now retourne to me, for I hope in y^e pleasure of god to mete thee in suche wise that vpon thy bodi presently by me shall be executed the insuperable right arme of god wherin is all my trust. well sayd Makayre co­me nere I defye thee. So shal I sayde Helyas in suche wise y^t it shall not nede to returne any more. And in this sayinge Helias broched his horse w^t his spurres and couched his speare in the reest with suche courage so y^t he reuersed Makaires helme to the erth & vncouered his head. And whan Helias saw that he alight of his horse & drew his swerd of armes wherw^t he gaue him suche a stroke that skantly he might remoue. And on y^e other parte came his [Page] horse against Makaires horse, y^e which by might of flyn­ging brake his reines behinde, & sith miraculously made him to fal from his horse, wherby yonge Helyas recoue­red to smite vpon him vertuously smote of his arme with his swerde to the erthe. And whan y^e false Makaire sawe him selfe sodainlye vaynquisshed he begā humblye to yelde him to Helias sayinge. Ha yonge sonne, that hast ouercome me, & I yelde me wholy to thee but I adiure the in the name of god y^t thou tel me what thou arte. I am said he Helyas sonne of king Oriant and of his good queene Beatrice that am comen hether at the cōmaundement of god for to susteine her good and iust quarel against thee & all her enemies. Ha noble kinges sonne said he I require thee take me to mercy and pardō me mine offence. A false recraūt traytre sayd Helias thou shalt not escape so. For I will se the consumacion of thi life or I leaue this feeld. Yet I pray thee said Makaire y^t it will please thee to saue my life for this houre tyl I haue tolde thee, y^e trouthe of y^e fals treasō that hath be done to thi good mother & to her children without to hide any pointe before the kyng thy noble father, the mother, and the assyste [...]tes. And also I shall name & tel where the goldesmith is that hath chaines of siluer that theuisshely & by violence were takē fro thi brothren and sister, wherby they were forthwith trā ­muted into white swannes as thou hast said. And whan Helias hearde him speake so he differred to put him streight to death to the ende that by him selfe, should be cōfessed the treason that to his mother himselfe, with his brethren and sister had be doone. And whan he called them y^t were ordeined to make reporte of them two doone in the sayd feelde.

THan they came reuerently as to him that miraculously had abtayned victory and tryumphe ouer his enemy. And he had them incontinente that they should make the kynge, the Queene and y^e knightes to approche thither and tolde [Page] them that Makayre had promised to recite the treason y^t he and Matabrune had doone to his good mother and to her children. The which thinge was incontinent repor­ted to the king, wherof he and his good quene were right Ioyous, and came nygh to the two champyons with all theyr noble barons, and chyualry. And than the king questioned diligentli w^t the sayd Makayre saying. Now Makayre be ye confused, demaūde ye mercy of your vainquissher? Alas sir said he, yea. And what sai ye more: Certainly syr I yelde me humbly vnto your sonne, and mowe I know well that a good dede is neuer vnrewarded ne an euyll vnpunisshed, and that none may resist agaynst thee will of god, But indemaundinge you pardon I shall tell you trouthe of all the treason that afore hath ben done to your noble wife and to your children, and than doo with me what it pleaseth you, for I haue well deserued y^e death That is wel sayd quoth the kinge, now say on. Sir said Makaire it is of trouthe y^e Matabrune your mother coū seyled her with me of all that she hath done. And fyrst she gaue the good quene your wife to vnderstad that she had conceyued, vii. dogges, but know ye y^t it was a lising, for she childed .vii. faire children, that is to wite .vi. sonnes & a doughter, the which brought at theyr byrth eche of thē a chaine of syluer at theyr neckes. But Matabrune sente them to be loste or slayne by one of her seruauntes named Markes, how be it he did not so, but left thē in a Foreste as your sonne hath sayd. wherof whan she was aduerty­sed & that she had ridinges of them: her self put out both the eyene of the sayd Markes so that he is yet blind. Thā the sent thither other of hir seruaūtes for to put them to death, but they found but .vi. children, to whome they did [Page] nothing but tooke away theyr chaines y^t was about their neckes wherby incontinēt thei were mued in white swā nes. And of the sayd chaines Matabrune made to make a cuppe by her goldsmith, for whōe ye may sende & know the trouthe. And of this that I charged culpable y^e good queene to haue poysoned you and your mother, I confesse here presently before you and your barōni that she neuer propenced it, but my selfe adiusted it to her at thynstyga­cion of your mother. And here I cry her mercy, & you also of the offence that I haue commised. And whan the noble kinge Oriant heard Makayre speake in this wise he began to weepe tenderly and syth benignely he came & en­braced his good spouse the noble queene Beatrice in say­ing. My loue I haue doone you great wronge, but pardō me if ye please, for I haue doone it bi ygnoraūce, whiche displeaseth me greatly. My lord said she I forgiue it you with right good herte, for I know well that ye be sorowfull of my greuous mischefe, And therwith the king and the quene went and kyssed theyr soone Helias in blessing and thankynge him of the victory and tryumphe that he had and yelded graces vnto god. And in lykewise all the knightes, squires, and ladyes with all the whole comy­nalty that there were feasted him and made Ioye and so­lempnite for so hie & sumptuous a myracle, wherby they saw the king and the quene remised and set in good loue and vnite of hert togither. Than bi the commaundement of the noble kinge Oriant the sayd fals reproued traytre Makayre was drawen to the galowes and there sham­fully hanged and strangled as a recreant knight that he was.

WHan yonge Helyas sonne of Kynge Oryant and of the good queene Beatryce had myraculously obtey­ned victory of his enmy Makayre as it is sayde, the kin­ge and the queene retorned ammerousli together into the hall of the palays with their sayd sonne. The which by his knightes was incontinent vnarmed for to refresshe him. And after w^t so great Ioy & honour he was so nobli feasted that non hath possiblite to tell it. Euery person re­ioyced them in theyr degree, Conuiues, daūces, & sports were incontinent reysed in y^e palays. Trompets, clerous & mani other instrumentes of musike were assēbled there to reioyce his company. The bisshop & y^e clergye wythal [Page] the habytauntes and burgeyses were honestly receyued. Open courte was holden to all comers, for to collaude in magnificence the sayd noble aduenture. That on the mo­row were made deuoute processions whereto all the peo­ple came in giuing graces and thankes to god of all hys diuine benifites, & at the retourninge was songe and celebred a masse solempnely by the sayd bisshop, in y^e presence of the kinge, the queene, theyr noble sonne Helyas, and al theyr cheualrye. & after masse echone were receyued better than they were before, ī suche wise that bilonge space of time was madefeest, game, and tourneimentes so that there was neuer seen such, And during this feest y^e gold­smith was sent for, to whome Macabrune had gyuen the chaynes of siluer to make a cuppe, for to know the trouth of him. The which came incontinent and brough .v. of the sayde chaynes and a cuppe of syluer that he had ouer whan he made y^e other, as it pleased god for to recouer y^e vi. children. And so freely he came to the kyng and sayde. Syr here ben .vi. chaynes of syluer & a cuppe the. which myraculously I haue had of the surplus of the cup that. your mother, Matabrune gaue me to make, & how was this doone sayd the king: wyte ye sir sayd the Goldsmith y^t your mother brought me .vi. chaynes of Syluer for to make a cuppe, suche as she deuised. But whan I began to melt▪ the first of the sayd chaynes it multiplied so by the grace of god y^t it weyed twise as muche as all y^e .vi. chaynes togither. wherfore I reserued one for paynent of the facion. And sith I haue kept reuerentlye y^e other .v. chay­nes in my coffre as precious and ful of vertue, the whych I present you here. And if in this doing I haue offended or mysse doone agaynst your riall maiestie: I offre me to [Page] make amendes. Certainli sayd the kyng ye speake wisy­ly & like a good man, & if ye haue commised oni wrong in this I forgeue you hertely. Than the king, & the queene tooke those precious chaynes and kissed them reuerentlie ī weeping and bewayling naturally theyr poore children that by so great treason were mued and conuerted into swannes. And soone vpon y^t came Markes y^t was blinde by Matabrune. and by y^e furour of her rage had both his tyne put out▪ whan the king saw him he demaunded him who hath doone it. Alas syr sayde he, your mother hath done this euill. And wherfore sayde the kinge: Alas syr sayde he, whā your .vii. children where borne she gaue me them for to drowne or make them die to the ende to make y^e queene beleue that she had whelped .vii. dogges. But whan I was ī a forest I layde them all in a playne vpon my mantell for to se them. And as I began to behold thē they began all to laugh vpon me so louinglye that for to haue lost my life I cold not haue doone them any harme but yet it greued me sore to be cōstrayned to leue them in that place all dispourueyed. And whan she wist that they were yet aliue, & that I had not fulfilled her wicked wil she herselfe by her madnesse put oute bothe mine ey [...]ne. And when Helyas heard him speke thus he had greate pitie on him. wherfore humbly he turned hym to god say­inge. Souerayne god of paradise y^t by thy diuine good­nesse and insaciable mercye enlumined and gaue syght to the poore blinde man the whiche satte in the hie way begginge for his life. I thee supplie and requyer humbly by y^e benignife y^t it wil please thee to enlumyne & g [...]ue sight to this poore blinde creature, the which hath ben cause of the saluacion of my life, by the which he hath loste hys [Page] ceyen And whan he had made his prayers he made y^e signe of the crosse vpon the eyen of the sayd Markes, y^e whi­ch incontinent after bi the grace of almighti god saw as clerely as euer he dyd, wherfore the kinge & the Queene with all y^e whole assistentes were greatli admeruayled. And incontinent they gaue laudes and thankynges vn­to our lord. with him the which was newlye enlumined of his sight. In reknowledgyng the graces and vertus. of our sauiour, and redemptour Iesu christ the which he had myraculousli shewed at the praier and supplycacion of his good knight Helyas.

NOow ye ought to wit or we procede any ferther that the same day that the Iustes were made betwene Helias & Makaire that Matabrune beinge in prison made in suche wyse to drinke them y^e king Oriant had cōmysed to keep her that she made them to slepe all dronken. And sith founde maner to escape, & with certayne of her folke she withdrew her in a castel of hers named Maubruiant to thend to kepe and preserue her from harme which she thought should come to her, for the peruerce treason and vntrouth that she had commised agaynst the kinge & his good spouse the noble queene Beatrice. wherfore y^e kyng made greuously to punysshe them that had her in keping ¶But for to returne to the subgect of the crony kill of the noble Helias knight of the swane. It is to be noted that the said Helias knight of the swanne demaūded of kyng Oriant his father that it wolde please him to giue him y^e chaines of siluer of his brethern and sister that the golde­smith had brought. The which he deliuered him w^t good herte for to dispose them at his pleasure. Than he made an othe and sware that he wolde neuer rest tyll he had so longe sought by pondes and stagnes that he had founde his .v. brethren and his sister, which were transmued in to swannes. But our lorde that consoleth his freendes in exaltinge their good will shewed greatly his vertue. For in the riuer that ranne about y^e kinges palays appe­red visibly the swannes before all the people. And whan Helias had seen them: he called diligentli y^e king and the queene his father & mother saiing. I pray you my lord & my lady that ye will lightly come and se your other notable childrē mi .v. brethrē & my sister. The which ben now [Page] presently ariued vpon y^e riuer that is about this palays. And incontinent the kynge and y^e queene descended wyth many lordes, knightes, & gentilmen, & came with great diligence vpon the water syde, for to see the aboue sayde Swannes. The king and the queene behelde them pite­ousli in weeping for sorow that they had to se theyr poore children so transmued into swannes. And whan they saw y^e good Halias come nere them they began to make a meruaylous feast and reioyced them in the water. So he ap­proched vpon the brinke, and whan they sawe him nere them: they came lightli fawning and flikering about him making him chere, and he playned louingli theyr fethers After he shewed thē y^e Chaynes of siluer, where by they set them in good ordre before him. And to fiue of them he remised the chaynes about theyr neckes, and sodeynlye they begā to retourne in theyr propre humayne forme as they were bofore, and before al miraculsly they shewed: them .iiii. fayr sonnes and a doughter. To whome diligētlie the king & the queene ranne, & naturalli kissed thē as their children, wherof euerye man had meruaile, & ioyed of y^e diuine miracle of god so notably shewed. And whan the other swanne (whose chaine was molten for to make the cuppes as afore is sayd (saw his brethren and his sis­ter retourned into theyr humaine fourmes he lept agayn all sorowfully into the riuer, & for dole y^t he had he pluc­ked almost al his fethers to the bare flesshe. And whā the good Helias saw him so dolorously demeane himselfe: he tooke him [...]o weepe for sorow, & recomforted him sayinge My dere brother my freende, haue somwhat pacience, & discomforte you not, For I shall make someeke and humble praiers vnto god almighti for you, that yet I shall se [Page] you ones a noble knight. And than the swanne began to enclyne and bowe downe his head as in thāking him and syth plunged hymselfe all togyther in the water. And for him in likewise the kinge & the queene made moche lamē tacion. But Helyas conforted them sweetly, and sayde to them that he wolde in suche wyse pray vnto our lorde for him that in shorte time he should retourne into his owne naturall fourme. And thus they ceased somwhat of theyr sorowe by the consolacion and goodly wordes of the said Helias for theyr other sonne, wherfore than they toke benignely the other .v. children and ledde them to the chur­che where they made them to be baptised. And the may­den was named Rose, of whome afterwarde descended a noble lignage and worthy of praising. And the other sonne were named and called at the fonte after the good dis­crecion of the kinge and the queene. The whiche sonnes also in lykewise were ryght noble & vertuous knyghtes and beloued of god. Than after their baptising thei were solempnely conduited and ledde into the palays, & there feasted in all Ioye as it apperteyned well. And thither cā many for to see them in laudinge and magnifienge the name of our almighty sauiour, that so miraculously shewed his great vertue.

AFter all these thinges afore sayd king Ory­ant knwledged the grace of god that was so­wen in his sonne the noble Helyas: he made to call afore him dyuers great Barons and knyghtes with his peers which were alwai with him. And they comen he made to call in present the noble Helias & said to him. My right dere & wel beloued sōne. I haue knowledged & also my lords her presēt haue sene y^t ye be fulfilled of gods grace, as notabli apereth by y^e miracles & digne faites y^t by your holi praier haue here bē shewed. wherfore I depose me presently of al my real­me constituing you king & lorde of all my landes & coun­treys, & wil y^e fro hens forwarde ye be honoured & serued [Page] and obeyed without any gaynsayinge. And in y^e witnesse of this thinge, & for to shewe that it so pleaseth me, heare is the crowne of the realme, the which in the presence of the queene your mother and all the noble assistentes I set vpon your head & giue it to you as king. My lorde sayd Helis I thanke you humbly, how well y^t I am not wor­thy ne suffisaunt to rule and gouerne one so noble and pu­iff [...]an at realme as yours is. But sith that it pleaseth you so to doo, and that it is the wyll of god in nothing wyl I gaine say you. For sothe sayd king Oriant I giue it you with all my hert. Moreouer my sonne noble kinge I doo you to wit that Matabrune my mother the which I had made to enpryson for the treason & iniury that she dyd to your mother and her children wherof ye be one, hath foūd maner to escape, & is flede for warrandise into a castell of hers called Maubruāt. So I tel you that I put her case towarde you for to do right and Iustice, suche as by you and your counceyll shall be founde & ordeyned, but I wyl not be present. wel my lorde sayd Helyas syth it pleaseth you so I promise you my faith y^t I [...]hall neuer cease tyl I haue wonne and taken the sayd castel named Maubruāt and done right Iustice vpon her that in suche maner wi­th wronge hath wylled to betray my mother and vs her chyldren. And after that the noble Helias was crowned and constituted king and lorde of the Realme of Lilefort with all honour and tryumph as afore is saide in the presence of his mother Queene Beatrice and of al the noble prynces and knyghtes of the Realme, the whiche were ryght ioyous. He made to prepaire a lytle hoste of men of warre to go with him to Maubruyant, that is to wi­te aboute. foure. thousande Crosbowe men, two .M. men [Page] of armes, al chosen folke beside fotemen that were about vi.C. And than accompanyed w^t an .C. noble knightes he departed fro Lylefort, with his people he went & besye­ged y^e castell of Maubruyant, and to make short he gaue so stronge and meruaylous assaute to al them that were within that they might nothing resist. wherfore he and his men wel armed entred their in valyauntlye without any gaynsaying And in entringe in to the sayd castell es­cried kinge Helias with an hie voyce to his people sayīg Vpon your liues kepe ye that the false Matabrune yssue not out of this place. The which vntruelye wolde haue betrayed and caused to dye my good mother and all her children. And whan Matabrune had hearde the noyse, & that she sawe the Castel taken, she fortified her within a tour with certayne of her gentylmen & damoyselles wening to holde her there in saufte. But whan kynge Hely­as knew it he came to the dore of y^e sayde toure with cer­tayne of his folke and brake it open, and founde her ther­in. And as soone as the kinge apperceyued her: he came to her with great courage & kest her to the earth saying. Ha false olde witche thou hast betrayed my mother & made vs to suffre so muche euyll. Yf it were not for the honour of god, and the bloud wherof I am comen my selfe should flea thee. And that she wist not what to saye but that they should lede her to king Oriāt her sōne. But Helias told her y^t she should neuer se him, & made to lede her downe to y^t base courte, wher as a great place was made w^t a stake and wood & coles for to brenne her as she had deserued. wherto echone besied. And whan she was so bounde at y^e stake, & that ther was no more remedi of her life she was somwhat moued with contricion, and cryed vnto kyng. [Page] Helyas in saying. Ha my sonne I cry you mercy. I knowledge and it is true that I haue wel deserued the deathe for I haue falsly betrayed your mother, & made her to vnderstāde y^t of her body were yssued .vii. whelpes, & she of trouth childed .vii. fayre children, y^e which at their birth brought eche of them a Chaine of Siluer at theyr necke but by mine vntrouthe I sent thē by on of my seruauntes for to droune or flea them, but god preserued them fro yll, And yet by my wickednesse I thought to make to die the good queene Beatryce your mother, in imposynge to her crime that she wold haue betraied her spouse king Oriāt & me, wherin she neuer thought, so is it good ryght that I die, for towarde god I haue deserued it. To whome I beseche y^t he pardon me, & that the paine y^t I shal suffre in dienge may be tourned if it please him to the satisfaccion of all my sinnes. And also I require you to pardon me for I die willingly, and I forgiue you mi death. Truly sayd kinge Helias I pardon you as to my parte, but yet shall ye die by Iustice, and I pray god forgyue you. Than was wood and drye thornes layde about her & fyre set therin and so she was brent for her demirites before al y^e people And whan the execucion was doone, the kinge with his people retourned diligently to Lilefort wher as he was honourabli receiued, & thā he went and tolde his mother what he had doone saying. Mother reioyce you, for ye be reuenged now of y^e peruerce matabrune, for I haue made her to be brente for her demerites. And the queene answered. My right dere sonne I thanke you. Iesus forgiue her soule. And thus they abode amiable in good peace wher­of all the people reioyced.

AFter certayne tyme that the victoryous kynge Helyas had posseded y^e Realme of Lyleforte in good peace and tranquilite of Iustice it happe­ned on a day as he was in his palais loking towarde y^e riuer y^t he apperceiued y^t swāe one of his brethrē y^t was not yet tourned into his fourme humaine, for that his chaine was moltē for to make matabrune a cup as it is sayd. And y^e sayd swāne was in the water before a ship the which he had led to y^e wharfe as abiding king Helias [Page] And whā Helias saw hī: he said in hī selfe. Here is a signification y^t god sendeth to me for to shew to me y^t I ought to go by y^e guyding of this swāne into some countrey for to haue honour & consolacion, vnder the bounte and magneficence of his holy and excellēt name. And in this good purpose inspired of the holi goste he assēbled his brethren and his syster, and came to kynge Oryant his father and queene Beatrice his mother, & in y^e presence of all his parentes he sayd. My right deare & honoured father, & you also my sweet mother w^t all my brothren & sister & freen­des here present. It is now needfull & conuenient that I take leue at you. For here bi within y^e riuer is mi brother the swanne that commeth to f [...]tche me in a shippe that he ledeth and gideth to the wharfe in abiding me. wherfore know ye my lorde my father y^t I render to you y^e crowne riall the which it pleased you to gyue me. And I remitte whole into your handes the Realme of Lilefort. And thꝰ humbly I take leue of you in leuing this noble countrey for to go at the commaundement of our lorde bi y^e condu­tinge of my brother. For I haue stedfast hope in me y^t our lord hath doone all for the best, and that he wyl leue him yet in the fourme of a swanne for to guyde and leade me surely to some good porte where as I maye to his digne wyll doo some vertuous fruyte. And thus wil I go with him, & to Iesu christ I commaunde you. And in this say­ing: he went and kissed the kyng and y^e queene his father and mother, his brethren & his syster. The which wepte so tenderly that it was pitie for to se them.

ANd whan Helyas had thus mekelye taken his leaue of all his parentes and freendes he made to bere his armures and armes of ho­noure into the shyppe, with hys target & his bright sheelde, of whiche as it is writen the telde was of Syluer and there on a double Crosse [Page] of golde. Than after the noble kinge Oriant came & pre­sented to his sonne an horne, and said. My right dere and welbeloued sōne, here is an horne y^t I gyue you, y^e which ye shal keep yf it please you, for my sake. And be ye sure y^t it hath suche vertue y^t what man soeuer bloweth it loude may not haue anoy ne domage at y^e pleasure of god. And I beseche god humbly that he giue you Ioyful going and honour at your retourning, ād saufte in your viage. And thus as Helias was yet in the palays with the kyng the swane kest three or foure meruaylous cryes as by maner to call his brother, wherof the king & the queene withall them y^t were there were greatli abasshed. So descēded anon the sayd Helyas with his parentes and frendes, the which came to conuey him vnto the brinke of the water. And whan the swanne sawe hem he flickered and regoy­sed as in making maner to mete the saide Helyas. And there euery man blessed the sayd swanne saying. It is do­mage of this poore child y^t hath lost his fourme humain the which god sende him. But yet was not the time cōen ordeined of god that he should turne in his humanite, for a more greater welth that should ensue after. And there was the kinge and the quene with their children wepīg profoundeli for pitie that they had to beholde their noble bloude so transfigured into a swane. Thā entred Helias into a shyp taking general leaue of all his freendes. The which retourned weping & sorowing for y^e good Helias the noble knight of the swanne, that went at his aduētures in straunge countreis at the good commaūdement of god, and the guiding of y^e swanne. So the swāne put him [...] y^e [...], the which he made to scoure vpon the wa­ter in suche wi [...]t that they were anon ferre fro Lyleforte [Page] And thus conduited the swanne from ryuer to ryuer the noble Helyas tyl vnt [...] y^e place ordeyned of god for to giue him a wife, of whome should yssue a fayre doughter that should bere three sonnes, by whome should be gratli exalted the fayth of our lorde Iesu christ. Of the which y^e first was Godfrey of Boulyon, the which sithen conquered & posseded the realme of the holy lande of Ierusalem. The seconde was his brother Baudwyne the which succeded him in the sayde realme. And the thyrde was theyr bro­ther Eustace the which was a right noble knight. But that not withstanding yet was he not a kinge as y^e two first were for that he sucked another nourice than his mother bicause the child cried. And the mother was maruailous angry, as hereafter shalbe shewed in folowinge by ordre the true cronycle.

TO come alwaye to the effecte of the noble Crony­cle the which I haue begon to treate to the veri­te of that which is wryten in many other notable hystoryes. I shall leue a lytle to speake of the noble Hely­as knyght of the swanne that is fletinge on the wate [...] co­mynge to the eytye of Nimaye before the emperour and by diuine prouydence to susteyne the right [...] good d [...] chesse of Boulyon, as after it is sayde.

¶It is so that the ryght noble emperour of almayne na­med Otton first of that name, y^t had vnder him the land of Dardaine, of Lyege, & of Nammur, helde his syege of Iustice & the court of his parliament in y^e citie of Nimay And thither al they that were oppressed, or domaged cāe to axe right of themperour, that was a verie iust iudge & good Iusticier. So than the erle of Frankebourke made to apere the duchesse of Boulyon before him, vniustlye to vsurpe the duchy bi false giuing to vnderstande. And at a d [...]y set appered y^e erle demaundaunt in mater of nouel­te on the on parte, & the duchesse of Boulyon defendresse on the other parte. The whiche had brought her dough­ter w^t her y^t was a faire damaisel. And whā y^e coūsel was [Page] comen and assembled afore y^e emperour, the erle made to plede his cause. In the which plea he made iniuriously to pose and put in faite that the said duchesse had made to enpaysen her husband, the which was his brother. And the her said husband about y^e space of .iii. yeres was in straū ge countreys without retourning home. During y^e whi­che time and in his abscence she had conceyued & borne a doughter, y^e which for the sayde cause he wolde say that she was not of legitime mariage. And moreouer that the londe and duchi of Boulias was comen of his father. By the which he wolde say & promise by his pleding that y^e duchesse might not of right possede ne holde y^e said duchy as dowayresse of her husbande, ne her doughter in lyke­wise as heire of the said duke, for she was not ligitime as he said before, & that he offred to proue it, tēdaunt to the ende to take and holde in his hande the said duchy of bouliō as a successour & seul heritier of his brother (in his life husband to the said duchesse) and duke of Boulion. Than after the pledynge of the sayd demaūdaunt, y^e duchesse defended her cause to the best she might, denienge al that he had proposed agaynst her & her doughter, whose honour he had hurte in protesting of theniuries. Certes ladi said themperour, here is an iniurious mater & that wil cause your death if ye pouruei not, seing that he offreth him to proue it, if it be not let by your opposites. Sir sayd y^e erle to thende y^t ye seme it not to be true here is mi gauge for to susteyne it to the vtteraunce, and befight it to the death that it is as I haue said. wherfore she is culpable to die & not to possede the said duchy. Now ladi said themperour ye haue heard y^e offer that he maketh you, which semeth me way of right, wherbi I cānot refuse him his demaūd [Page] And therfore make diligence to seeke a knight for to sighte and susteyne your quarell, by the which ye may denye that which hath be now proposed by your aduerse party And yf ye thinke that ye may finde ony y^t will take thys charge for you: I shall gladly giue you space and delaye to pouruey you. Than the good lady as al abasshed loked aboute her if there were ony present that in her need wolde helpe her. But none wolde medle seynge the case to her imposed. Wherfore she committed her to God prayinge him humbly to succour her, & reproue thiniury that wic­kedly to her was imposed by the sayd erle.

FOr to retourne to the myraculous history of y^e ryght noble and valiaunt Helyas knyght of the swanne, y^e which hath be somwhat interrupt for to recite this that afore is sayde seruinge to the matter folowynge. It is to be noted that so as the erle of Franckebourcke and y^e du­chesse of Boulyon were so pledynge before the emperour of Almayne in his parliament at the Towne and cytie of Nymaie for the matter aforesayd, approched thyther the the good Helyas guided by the swanne the which began to blowe hyghly his horne that his father kyng Oriant had gyuen hym, in suche maner that they that were in y^e parlyment with the Emperour were all admeruailed to heare a sowne so lowde. Than in continent they looked out at the windowes and sawe the swanne come ledinge a shyppe, within the which was the noble Helias knight of the swanne, well garnysshed of spere, swerde & armu­res as belongeth to a knight. And whan the Emperoure sawe him arme he had great meruayle. For he appercei­ued the swanne that retourned with the shyp incontinēt that the noble Helias was out with his armoures, wherfore he sent for him. And in this wise behelde him y^e noble Clarysse duchesse of Boulion. The which to this purpose tolde a dreame to her doughter, wherof she hadde visyon the night before saiynge. Truly doughter I wene y^t our Lorde this daye wyll helpe and succoure me by his diui­ne grace. For this nighte me thought in my dreame that I pleaded agaynste the Erle of Frankenbourke that by his Treason accused me of crime of death wherbi I was condempned too be brente in a fyre. But there ca­me a Swanne fleynge that broughte me water that put out the sayde fyre. And of this water yssued a byg fishe [Page] the which fructified in suche wyse that echone lyued therwith til into Ierusalem & all the countrey. wherby I beleue at the pleasure of god that the swanne whiche hath guyded this noble knight hither shalbe cause to delyuer me of the crime wherof I am falsely accused. And thus as the Duchesse of Boulyon deuised with her doughter thy ther came the good knight Helias, which at the commaū dement of the emperour aryued in the halle where as he helde his parliament. And there reuerently he salued the saide emperour. And the emperour againwarde receiued him muche honestly, in demaunding him of his tidinges and how he was theither comē. Syr sayd Helias I am a poore knyght aduenturous for to serue you trulye whan ye shall haue any need of my simple saruice. Than sayd y^e emperour. My freend I thanke you, and ye be welcome. And sith you seke aduentures in feates of armes and chyualry ye maye finde them here without goinge ferther. And for to declare you al the case. Here is this noble ladi duchesse of Boulyon with her doughter, the which y^e erle of Frankebourke her present hath accused her of a cryme ynough to make her die, & also to disheryte her doughter of the sayde Duchy of Boulion, yf she finde not some chā ­pion or noble knight that wolde defende her ryght a ga­ynst the sayde Erle afore named, y^e which hath casten his guage for to susteyne publikely against any defendaunte that which he hath proposed. And now ye haue hearde y^e case, y^e which should be a fayre aduenture, yf ye would sus­teyne it. And I shall saue her in restablysshynge vnto her her heritage, & also ye shall haue her doughter in maria­ge, which ye se so gracious & a right fayre mayden. And whan the good Helyas had hearde thēperour he behelde [Page] the duchesse the whiche semed him moche beninge and of noble mayntene. Also he considered the beaute & gracous countenaunce of her doughter, y^e which to him was mer­uayiously pleasaunt and agreable to beholde. Than he demaunded of themperour that it wolde please him to giue him leaue to speake a litle secretly with y^e duchesse of bou­lion. which he graūted gladly, wherfore he thanked him And than Helias tooke her by y^e hande and drew her somwhat a parte, & sayd to her. Fayre ladye it behoueth yf it please you that ye tell to me and swere y^e trouth of this y^t I shal demaūde of you. And this same dai bi the pleasure of god I shall be your faithfull seruaunt. Alas noble kny­ght said she. I promyse you by the liuinge god and on the faith of gentilnesse that I shall tel you al y^e trouth of that ye shal are me. Now madame said he by y^e othe y^t he haue here made, be ye not in any thinge culpable of this cryme wherof ye be presentlye accused? Bi mi trouth my freend sayd she, naye. And I beseche god that he neuer doo me a­nye grace to my body and soule if I euer thought of that wherof I am falsly and without cause accused. And truly madame sayde he than haue ye founde a champion of me for to susteyne and defende your ryght in suche wyse that by the pleasure of god that it veray berite this daye your enemy shalbe ouercome.

WHan the noble knight of the swanne had interrougued and questioned the duchesse of Boulyon he came streyght to the Emperoure and fayde. Syr make hym to come hyther that iniustly accuseth thys noble Ladye, for to disherite or make her dye, for I am redye for to de­fende her. And with these wordes yssued the Erle saying My freende what demaunde ye? Ye shewe you muche o­ [...]r wenynge to me [...]le you of a thynge that toucheth you [Page] not. Vassall sayd Helias here is my gloue that I deliuer you, in suchewise that the honour of god and for this la­dyes sake ye shal se what an aduenturous knight can do And the erle receyued his guage. So was the bataile accorded incontinent by the emperour, the which receyued theyr othes, demaunded whan they wolde fight. Than Helias required themperour that it wolde please him to ordeyne it presently, the which he graunte. And the erle for shame durst not refuse him. Than forthwith the feeld was prepayred, the listes dressed, and the champions su­rely armed as behoued in such a case. Incontinent the noble Helias tooke his speare, his swearde, and his sheelde of Syluer with a double crosse of Golde, the which he set vpon his left arme. And on the other parte the erle was mounted on his hors. And syth they came into the feelde arayed for them. And there was present the emperour w^t his counseyl and the duchesse of Boulion with her doughter, accompayned of many lordes and ladyes. And whan the duchesse and her doughter saw cominge Helias their noble champion, they praied god that he wolde kepe him fro harme, and giue him victory ouer his enemy after the ryght of that he iustly defended. So incontinent was or­deyned the batayle of the two knightes, the which with cours of horse came rinning one agaynst the other the speres in the reste, and encountred so rudely that both theyr speres shiuered all in peeces. And than they drewe theyr swerdes wherwith they smote togither so longe that the erle might scarce doo any more. But the noble Helias had alwaye good courage as he that had set all his truste in god, and that with iust title susteined charitabli the right of the noble duchesse of Baulion. Than the erle demaun­ded [Page] of the noble Helyas that it wolde please him to gyue him trewes for to speake with him, the which he graun­ted. Certes free knight sayd y^e erle yf it wolde please you to apease this batayle & that I may winne y^t y^t I demaū de I shall giue you my doughter in mariage, and ye shal haue my londe of Dardayne that is a noble and fruitfull countrey. And than answered Helias. Traytre wenest y^u to make me of thy consorce. wyt thou y^t I wolde soner let me to be hewen in al my membres than I wolde commit treason as thou hast doone, & therfore speake nomore of it. For of me getest thou no merci for this dede. And I promife thee that this dai bi the pleasure of god which hath sent me hither I shall deliuer y^e noble duchesse of thy treason, and I shal espouse her doughter maugre thy wicked wyll. Now defende the against me. Than Helias appro­ched the said erle & smote him so couragiousli w^t his swerde that he frusshed al his helme wherw^t the erle fel backewarde vpon his horse. Than the erle thought to reuete him selfe and came to Helias, the which he smote so hard vpō his right arme that he made y^e swerde flee out of his hande. And whan Helias sawe that he was dystytute of his swerde, he descended lightli from his horse, and came & seased y^e erle by the body, & valiauntly by force kest him to the erthe. And wolde he or not be arached his shield fro his necke. And sith by strength of his handes he deseased him of his swearde maugre his tethe. And whan the erle felte him so dispourueyed he began to yelde him to Hely­as saying. A knight saue my life and I shal giue thee my landes. Ha false traytour sayd Helyas y^u shalt not escape so. For I wil haue whol victori of the for to vēge y^e noble duchesse & her doughter y^t y^u hast sclaūdred. And therwith [Page] he lift vp the swerde y^t he had takē fro the erle, and gaue him suche a stroke y^t his helme went of and than he cut of his head & so he dyed mischeuousli. And than the duchesse and her doughter gaue laudes and graces to God of the victorye of theyr enemy which they saw vain quysshed by the grace of god, which had sent the noble knyght to be their helper.

THan after that y^e noble Helias had victorious ye conquered y^e erle of Frankebourke his enemi: he came benigneli and salued the emperour Otton which receiued him benignely as a prue & noble knight. After he sa [...]ued Clarysse the noble duchesse of Boulyon, y^e which thanked hym reuerently of that he had doone for her, for he had saued her life, and the heritage of her noble douchy. Than Helias tooke the duchesses doughter bi y^e hand & enbraced and kissed her benignely in saying. Mi­loue ye ought wel to be mi wife, for I haue frelie bought you, and saued your honour in champ of batayle. And [...]he mayden answered humbly. Certaynly noble knyght my mother and I ben beholden to god & you of the right happy iurney that this daye we haue by you receyued. wher­fore at the good pleasure of mi mother I yelde me totalli to you, as it hath ben promised. And forthwith the empe­rour came to y^e duchesse saying. Ladi I yelde to you your londe & duchy of Boulyon playnle and peasybly, & resta­blysshe you in honour without any culpe of cr [...]me as the trouthe is seen. Certes sayde the duchesse I thanke you highly. But as to the regarde of my londe & duchi of boulion I giue it freely to this valiaunt knight that notabli hath conquered it. And also I gyue him my doughter in mariage the which from bensforth with him shalbe sayd and called lady. For I wyll shortly go & yelde me a nune or religiouse in some nonery, as I haue auowed to god y^e which this day hath succoured me by so noble a knight. And whan the Emperour called to him Helias the noble knight of the swane, vnto whome he declared publikely and openly before all that he was duke of Boulyon, and that him behoued to wedde y^e doughter of the noble dame [Page] Clarisse lyke as he had promised. wherto benignely con­sented the said Helias. And thus by consentement of both parties was in continent made apparaile for the morow to make the feast and solempnite of the spousayles.

And al that night til on y^e morow echone were delibered to sporte and Ioye. Knights and gentilmen reioyced thē of this maruaylous aduenture. Ladies and domoyselles daūced with them in al games and merye cheres, and in suche wise that it should be to longe for to tel al y^e games daunces, and turneymentes that were doone at the sayd feast. And on the morow was reuerently celebred the mariage in the churche where as came many great Lordes ladies, and other estates. And after was y^e feaste made in themperours halle, where as euery man to his poore re­ioyced with al his hert. Trumpetes, clerons, tabourins and other minstralsi was there in that place assembled to make mirth melodiously. And to make shorte there was the greatest triumphe that euer was seen. Thā at nyght the good Helias duke of Boulion lai with his spouse the which night she conceyued of him a daughter that at her baptisme was named Ydian, of whome yssued the prue & worthy prince Godfrey of Boulion, and sith his two brethren Baudwin and Eustace. The which were to noble and valiaūt knightes as theyr dedes shewed afterward And thus appereth that the noble Helyas knyght of the Swanne conquered and wanne victoriousli the duchi of Boulion with the swearde. And after that the feaste and [...]ylempnite of the weddinge had lasted about .xv. dayes, the sayd Helias duke of Boulion and his noble wife dys­posed them to go into their coūtrei with their estate. So the said new duke tooke leaue of themperour in sweringe [Page] and promisinge to him homage of y^e sayd duchi as it was of right, and in thankinge him honourablye he departed from him and fro al his noble barons and knyghtes for to go to Boulyon. But in goinge he founde many of the parentes and frendes of the foresayd erle of Frankebourke, the which assayled him on the way weening to auēge his death. But he shewed him so valiaunt and knightli y^t they were not y^e most strōgest, for he & his folke had pas­sage at their owne pleasure whither his enemies wolde or not And triūphantli he came vnto y^e said place of boulion wher as he was honourabli receiued with great ioye & exultation. After he helde on a dai opē court to al cōers In which were receiued honourably al the noble barons and lordes of the countrey, and this time hanging wax­ed great with childe the noble duchesse his wife in suche maner that at y^e ende of .ix. moneths she childed of a faire doughter. The which was honestlye baptysed in greate company of diuers noble lordes and damoyselles. And she was named Ydain at the fonte, the which sithe was mother of the prue and valiaunt prince Godfrey of Bou­lyon, and of his brethren Baudwin and Eustace. And during the childebed of the noble duchesse were made many notable conuiues and mery pastimes. Then afterwarde grew and sprainge the saide mayden by the wyll of God that she was in pleasaunt age of flouringe youthe. And vpon a day as the duchesse wente in sportynge with her husbande the good Helyas, she demaunded of him pryue­lie of what countrey he was, & what freendes he had. but he sayd nothing, & defended her neuer to speake therof, or he wolde go his way and neuer dwel with her any more [Page] So she helde her stil for that time, & they abode the spa [...] of .vii. yere liuing in loue & cordialite one w^t the other.

And in this time durynge the auncient Duchesse mother of the good Helias wife was yelded in religion, lyke as she had promised and vowed to god.

ON a daye as the Duchesse of Boulion laye in bed with her husband Helyas there toke her a meruaylous wyll to aske agayne of hym of what folke he was comen. The which nota­bly he had defended her, or y^t he wolde go his way. But as a woman that is lyght herte & wyll sooner doo the contrary to y^t her husbande commaūdeth her thā otherwise. It hapened on a night as thei were to gether she was not at her ease because she durst not say and fulfil her wil. But at the last she was hardi ynough, so that she sayd. Certainly my lorde I wolde fayne knowe of what place ye be come, & who ben your parentes and freendes, as otherwhyle I haue asked? wherfore I wolde fayne y^t it wolde please you to tell me. And whan y^e noble Helias heard her sai so he was greatli angri at his hert. And in anger sayd. Certes ye shall know nothing. And I swere & promise you by my faith y^t to morow erlye I shall departe fro this countrey. And at Boulion shal ye se me neuer more. And I shall go streyght to Nimaie & take leaue at themperour & of you in the presence of all his barons.

And whā the duchesse vnderstode him: she began to wepe tenderli, & sith arose from her bed and came and complained to her folke saying. Alas, alas my lordes and ladies now haue I loste the company of my good and faythfull frend, by mine ouermuche speaking, and could not hyde my courage. And anon after she came to the bedde of her doughter Ydain that her father loued derely, & tolde her therof. And than she adressed her to her fathers bedd weeping piteously saying. Alas mi lorde my father haue pitie on my good mother and me. Alas wyll ye leue vs: Virgin Mary helpe, shall I abide orpheline in mi yonge [Page] dais. Alas father leue vs not for gods sake regarde your bloud, and take pitie theron. And than the noble duke y^t was meruaylously sorye recomforted her sayinge. Fayre doughter make not suche sorow, for I shal wel pouruey your mother and you yf god wyl, or that I departe. Thā in the morning Helias arose and tenderly weping he wēt and harde masse deuoutly as he was accustomed. And after masse he sayd to his knights and familiers. Lords I require & pray you charitably that ye wil guide my wife your lady and my doughter vnto y^e citie of Nimaie wheras themperour is, to the ende y^t I may take leaue of hym honourably as apperteineth, and that I may commaūde also to hī mine affaire in these parties, for I shal neuer retorne, The noble knightes accorded gladly his demaūd And yet he said agayne. My frendes I you recommaūde that ye be alway redy to kepe and defende this noble coū trey of Boulyon and the honour of my wife your duchesse a of my doughter. And so they promised him to do at his good wyl. Now my lordes sayd he I thanke you al, prayinge you y^t ye holde me faith as ye haue promised. More ouer my lordes and frendes the houre is comen y^t I must departe fro this place, for anon ye shal se come nere y^e swā ne the which by the wyl of god shal lede his shyppe for to guide me to Nimaie. And as they spake thus together y^e swanne ariued myraculously as he had sayd, & kest a meruaylous crye in callyng his brother Helias. And than he tooke leaue mekeli of al his knightes, gentilmen and damoyselles y^t wept tenderly y^e departīg of theyr good lord with y^e noble duchesse & her doughter that it was piti to se them. And semblably al the Citezins wept a wailed y^e abscence & departing of theyr noble duke, that so swetlie [Page] had susteined thē in good peace & liberte w^tout to vex ro trouble them with oni subsides or tailies, but for to take them from grefe had anulled al false vsages and set good customes & fredomes wherfore they wende neuer to recouer suche a nother. Than entred Helyas into the shippe, where as he and the swanne feasted them ioyusle as bre­thren, for the houre approched y^t he should returne to his fourme humayne. And so they left Bulion and drewe to­ward Nimaie to go to thēperour as the noble Helias had proposed to do for to put his wife and his doughter in his saufgarde with theyr noble countree of Boulion.

INcontinent after that y^e noble Helyas was de­parted fro Boulyon, the duchesse his wyfe and her doughter Ydain companyed of many noble knightes and damoyselles prepared them for to go to Nymaie before the Emperour. And whan they were comen into his palais she fell downe before him we pynge and complaynynge her of her good husbande that wolde leue her, saying. Alas noble emperour I pray you yf it please you haue pitie on me and on my poore dough­ter, for if it be not by your meane and benignite I shal lese this day the noble knight that here in your presence toke me to wife and spouse. How lady sayd the Emperour is your husband dead? Alas syr sayd she, nay, but he will re­tourne into the countrey fro thens he came whan he ary­ued here in this place for to succour me, as echone saw cle­rely. For the swanne that ye saw is retourned with his shyppe to fetche him, and he is gone with him. It must be than said the emperoure that ye haue doone him some of­fence, wherof he is angre with you. Than the sayd duch­esse tolde and recyted to hym howe and what maner she had trespassed his commaundement, wherfore he repre­ued hyr, sayinge that she had not well doone.

¶And thus as they spake together: cam Helias that by the guiding of his brother the swanne ariued nigh to the palays of themperour. wherfore he began to sowne hys vertuous horne, as he had doone whan he ariued first.

And whan the Emperour had heard him he meruailed & sayd to the duchesse that he had heard her husband. Alas said she I know well that he wolde come hither. But it is to take leaue at you, without euer to retorne but if ye moeue him by your high sapience.

ATt these wordes ariued Helias before themperour, the which he salued humbly. And the emperour receyued him benignely in saienge Noble duke ye be right welcom. Sir said he pardon me, for I haue forsaken my duchi, and neuer wyll I possede any thinge of it, for it behoueth me [Page] singulerly to retourne to the countre fro whens I fyrst departed by the wyll of god. But this not wythstandyng & all stryle premysed right affectuously I recommaūd you my wife. And semblably my noble doughter the which presentli I giue you as your doughter. And I pray you y^t it please you of your benignite to be her good father & frē de & to mary her whā time shall come at your good discrecion. Al redy of your grace & bounte ye haue be meane of the cause of our mariage, so againe I require you to kepe theyr honour, and maintene them vnder your safgarde in the fraunchise of your countrei, and noble duchy of Boliō for I wyl neuer retourne. A noble duke mi dere freend, yf ye haue made any othe therof as ye say, it is not of necessite to holde vowes against charite. For ye shal soner haue pardon to breake your othe that is not lawful than to ac­complisshe it. If ought be misdoone, & so shortly to leaue your wife is agaīst god & charite, ye haue also your faire doughter Ydian that ye se wepe so piteousli before you of whome ye should haue pitie. Certis sir said Helias me behoueth to go lightli into an other region by the commaū dement of god y^t calleth me for an other welth. wherfore I pray you pardon me for I may abide no longer. yonder is the swanne that abideth. My freende sayd the empe­rour, sith it is the wyll of god I wyll not gaynsay it. And than he came nete to his wyfe and his daughter y^e which he kissed tenderly weeping, so that he left them as al in a swonne before thēperour, or whome he toke hūbli leaue in recommaūding thē againe to his good grace. And he promised so to do, and to mary his doughter nobly with­out fayle. And so departed the noble Helias, and went towarde y^e riuer where as his brother abode hī in likenesse of [Page] a swanne For he kepe the shyppe al way tyl that his brother were returned. And whā he was comen the swanne reioyced for to see him So she departed with greate dilygence fleting alway fro riuer to riuer tyl they came into y^e countrei of Lilefort that was the londe of theyr natiuite

VPpon a day as the noble kynge Oryant sat at the table, and his noble spouse the good quene Beatrice w^t their .iiii. sonnes and their dough­ter, there ariued theyr two other noble sonnes Helyas & his brother the swanne that had guided hī in his viage as it is said. And whā Helias knewe the place of Lilefort he begā ioyously to blow his horne vpon the riuer, in suche maner y^t the voice therof came to his father. The which incontinent arose fro the table as all reioyced saying. My wife & ye al mi children haue ye Ioye & mirthe at harte, for here is mi sone Helias. Thā diligently they arose and went to the windowes of y^e pa­lays. And in beholding to the riuer they apparceyued the noble Helyas the which al redy yssued out of the shyppe. And anon there ran to mete him his foure brethren with theyr sister for to welcome him. And there they enbraced & kissed him for Ioy that they had to se him, & after ioy­ously he went w^t them into the palais before his father & his mother, wher as was made so goodly meting that it is not possible to tel. For incontinent his father and his mother kissed and enbraced him wepinge for Ioy y^t they had to receiue him for the noble vertues and miraculous dedes y^e god had shewed in him. The one feasted him, the other reioyced him. They were allrauisshed for to se him and whan thei had wel receiued hī, his mother axed him beni g [...]ly. Swet sone where haue ye be? It is now wel nere .viii. yeres y^t we haue hot sene you. Mother sayde he ye shal knowe it a nother time if it please god. And wher is sayd she my sonne the swanne that led you in a shyp. Certes mad [...] sayd he, he is retourned into the water. Certaynly said the noble queene, me semed this [...]ight in [Page] my slept that the swanne shoulde be turned to his owne fourme humayne, yf that we had the two cuppes that the goldsmith forged of his chaine, & make to be made of thē ii. chalices. And than set the chalyces vpon two aulters in the church. And betwene the aulters make a bedde ād lay the swanne therin, & after make to say two masses by two good & deuoute preestes vpon the sayd aulters and consacre in the chalyces. Than y^t eche of vs dispose our conscience wel & deuoutly so y^t we were worthy to praye our sauiour Iesu christ. And I beleue that he will streche his vertues ouer him, & he shall retourne to his fourme humayne. Than kyng Oriant and Helias helde her coū ­seyll good.

THan incontinent thei sent for the goldesmith that had forged the two cuppes of the chayne of siluer And he comen to y^e kinge made to deliuer to him y^e two cuppes for to make two chalices, as it had ben ordeined. And for to make it short were wel and duli ordeined two aulters and a bedde as it was sayd. Than came the noble Helias to the water side wher he foūd his brother the swann, & made maner to call him. And familierly he came to him, and folowed him as his good and faythful brother. And in likewise as afore time he had conduited the sayde Helyes, so Helyas conduted him to the churche before the crucifix [...] And in the presence of the kynge, the queene, theyr chyldren and other lordes he was layde in the bedde betwene the two aulters, where as were de­uoutly sayd two masses, which al they aboue sayd heard wel and deuoutly being mekely prosterned on both their knees prayinge almighty god that by his diuine bounte it wolde please him to show his vertue. So it happened that the time ordayned of god was accōplysshed that the swanne should retourne in his fourme humayne. Ryght so as the preestes consacred the body of our Lorde at the masse the swanne retourned into his propre fourme and was a man. And thus transmued he arose fro the bedde Ioyning his handes, and eseried saying. Lordes I thāke you humblye. Iesu by his grace yelde you the deuoute prayers that ye haue made for me, for bi his mercy I am deliuered & put fro great payne. And than wente he & mekely kissed the king his father, his mother. & after al his brethren & his sister. Than after y^e masse were the belles solempnely rongen, and Te deum songe for Ioye in than­king god of his deuine vertues. After that wer made processions [Page] and praysinges to god. And at the retournynge was baptized the sayd childe, and named Emery. The whiche sith was a noble knight. And at the comyng fro the chyrche the tables were arayed in the kings palaice where as echone were honourabli receiued with greate Ioye for loue of y^e deuine aduenture so clerely shewed to­fore all. And thus the noble kinge Oriant and the good queene Beatrice finabli recouered all their children bi y^e grace of god, wherfore fro than forthon they liued holyly and deuoutly in our lorde.

WHan the good and worthy knight of the swanne named Helyas had sith his retourninge abiden a space of tyme in Lylefort with his father and mother in the company of his fyue brethren and his sister the which he loued of a synguler, fylyall, and fraternall loue, he dispo­sed him selfe to go into y^e hermitage where he had be nourisshed with his godfather the good deuoute hermit He­lyas, the which was disceased in our lorde.

And in that place his father king Oriant had doo make a religion for the honour of god and memorye of his .vii. children, as it is sayd before. So the sayd noble knight Helias assembled his parentes and frendes, and to them recoūted al the aduentures that to him were hapned sith his departinge. And how he had espoused the noble du­chesse of Boulyon, the which had conceyued of hym a fa­yre doughter named Ydain. And whan he had tolde to them as it is sayde, he shewed them his courage and that that he had intencion to doo saying. My lorde mi father and you mi lady my mother, my brethrē my sister. and al my freendes. I wyll here in generall recommaūde you to god, and say farewell, for to go amende my lyfe and yelde me religyous. For seynge the graces and diuine benefy­ces that god hath pleased to shew for vs, it behoueth to his diuine wyll that I take payne to saue my soule and praye for al my freendes. wherfore humbly I recōmaūd you your subiects that ye treate them amyably without to oppresse them with ony greuousnesse. And my brethrē and frendes I pray and require you all that knightly ye kepe and defende alway your countrey as good and valiaunt knightes. And in these wordes sayinge there was none that durst gayn say hym for the loue of god the whi­che [Page] in all theyr anguysshes had succoured them, but begā all to weepe dorolorusly for the departing of the good Helias. The which all thinge, promised tooke his leaue of them benignely, & kyssed them al at his parting louyng­ly in weepynge, and thus he departed from them with a simple staffe in his hande. Syth as a good and deuoute knight he came to the place of the sayd hermitage that he had chosen for to saue his soule. And there he was mekli receiued of the other religious men y^t his father y^e kynge Oriant had there founded. After that he made to edyfye and buylde in that place a castel semblable & like to that of Boulyon. The which whan it was ended he made in lyke wyse to name Boulion, and y^e forest that was about it dirdayne. Than in the sayd castell of Boulyon he ordeyned certaine markettes & fayres, the which he made s [...]e and quite of all customes & imposicions to all marchauntes goynge, cominge, and soiournyng at the sayd fayres in that place of Boulion, for the augmentacion and pro­fyte of the sayd relygyon. In suche wise that he ordeyned xxx. religious men for to singe and ministre the deuine seruice in the sayd relygyon. And there he abode relygyous obseruinge the rule that there was constituted, and vsed his dayes in our lorde Iesu christe.

WHan fayre Ydain doughter of Helyas the noble kni­ght of the swanne was at the wyll of god comen to the age of .xiii. yeres. Otton the puissaunte Emperour, of Almayne maryed her to the noble Erle of Bouleyn na­med Eustace. And the feast was made in the emperours palays at Nymaie. And theyther came manye great lordes and noble knightes, gentilmen, and damoiselles, the whiche were well receyued. And amonge the other lay­dyes was the noble duchesse of Boulion mothe of Ydain The which in weepe piteously bewayled her good spou­se the noble Helyas. Than was the feast greate, and the wedding honourably solempnised as themperour wolde for the loue of Helyas. And the night comen the sayd erle of Boleyn lay with his spouse fayre Ydaine. The which [Page] c [...]ceyued of him the prue knight Godfrey of Boulyon. And he same night in her slepe she thought that she found in her bed three fayre children. The which she elacted & gaue to souke of her owne milke in so great habundaūce that they were well and substauncially nourysshed. And than her semed that the two fyrst had eche of thē a crowne of fine golde vpon theyr heades, but the crowne of the thyrde was broken by cause another womā than his mother had geuen him souke of her milke. And at this point the noble ydain a waked of her dreame. Thā harde she y^e voyce of an aungell that god had sent her sayinge. ydayn god sēdeth the greeting. Know thou for trouth that thou shalt conceyue of thy husbande three male childrē which thou shalt nourisshe w^t thine owne milke. And god shall giue them his blessid benediction. For they shall cōquere the realme of the holy lande of Ierusalem, and shall dely­uer the holy sepulcre of our lorde Iesu christ out of the puissaunce and captiuite of the vnbeleuinge Sarazins. And therfore gouerne them well. And whan the good ydaine had hearde these tidinges she thanked and praysed our souerayne lorde god of his good aduertising [...], and of the grace y^t he did to her. And thus by three yeres folowing she conceyued and childed three fayre sonnes. That is to wit the fyrst Godfrey of Boulion, the seconde Baudwin and the thrde Eustace. The whiche she loued and nouris­shed diligently. But in a solempnite of penthecost ariued at Boulion the bysshop of Liege, the duke of Brabant, y^e duke of Fryse, the erle of Flaundres, the erle of Nāmei & many other great prynces and mighti barons. The whiche were there assembled for to make a certayne parlya­ment touching y^e preuysyon of some affayres y^e was to do [Page] in the countre. So that the countesse was at the masse y^e right solempnely was songen before the sayd princes. B. the whiche she left yonge, Eustace somwhat to longe fro the breste, wherfore he begā to weepe so fast that a womā beinge one of the nourices ranne diligently for to apease him, and gaue him her pappe for to souke, And whan his mother the countesse retourned for to visite him she foūde the sayd nourice the whiche gaue him to souke of her milke. wherfore she was so greatly angred and displeased y^t she sayd. Ha woman euyll aduysed what haue ye present­ly doone. Now shall my sonne Eustace lese his noble dig­nite for to haue taken of your mylke, wherfore I oughte well to hate you Alas madme sayd the nourice for god­des loue pardon me, for certaynli I wende to haue doone well because he wept so fast to thende to haue stylled him So the sayd countesse abode all the day by her three children without ani meate or drink for the displeasure that she had of that an other woman than she had giuen souke to her chylde. And after dyner the erle of Boulyon led all the princes, lordes, and barons afore named into his se­crete chambre for to shewe vnto them his three faire son­nes, Godfrey Baudwin, and Eustace. And whan y^t they saw the noble countesse besyde her three children they sa­lued her and them right benignely. And in lykewyse on her sede she receyued and fested them with her speche as muche as to her was possible, and to thē shewed her .iii. chyldren, but for to make thē any welcoming she wolde notons arise. wherfore her husbande the erle was for displeased, but he conueyed eche of them to his loging with out makyng ony semblaunt therof. Than he returned a­gayne to her al angry for to blame her therof and sayde. [Page] wyt ye lady y^t ye haue greatly angred me, whan ye day­ned not ones to aryse before so high and notable princes, before whome a quene of ony realme should wel haue ry­sen for to salue them. A my lorde sayd she be not discontēt with me yf ye please. For by the honour of your thre son­nes I may preaise mi selfe as muche as any queene how noble that she be. How so said the erle. Certaynlye my lorde sayd she all the worlde ought well to honour and praise me for theyr dignitees. For they shal yet venge ones more the death of our sauiour Iesu christ. And shall con­quere the realme of the holy lande of Ierusalem, wherby they shall delyuer the holy sepulcre of our lorde fro y^e handes of the misbeleuinge sarazyns, the whiche there is no kynge that dare vndertake. what sayd the erle I trowe that ye dreme: And of trouthe who that shoulde here you say and preferre suche wordes wold saye that ye had not good mynde. Ha my lorde sayd she, holde not for a vayne thing this that I tell you. For this hath tolde me and announced the aungell of our lorde god by holy prophecy. And at these wordes her husbande the erle of Boulein regarded her no more. But that he sayd, god giue that it be so as ye haue sayde.

BY the holy wyll and commaundement of god y^e good coūtesse of Boleyne ydaine was nourisshinge diligently of her three children Godfrei Baudwyn, and Eustace. And in thys doynge helde her compani her good mother the noble duchesse of Boulyon, the whiche of times deuysed w^t her of her good husband Helias. For whom she had sent many messagers squyres and other in diuers coūtreys and regyons to the ende that they might finde him, or in ony maner beare ty­dinges of him as she right for desired. And amonge the messagers that sought him one her squyre named Ponce ariued in Ierusalem, for to knowe and diligently enquy­red [Page] if the sayd Helias had enterprysed the viage of y^e holi sepulcre for his remissyon. And in suche wyse that he was the space of .xv. dayes within Ierusalem and in y^e pylgrymages and deuoute places cyrcumiacētes accustomed to be doone in y^e said holy vyage, So he came into a church, at the entrynge wherof he founde an abbot of a churche, clothed after the Frenche facion of his religion. whome he demaunded of whens he was. And he sayd. Mi frende I am of the Countrey of Gaule not f [...]rre fro Boulyon, & am abbot of Saincteron named Girarde. And thā in likewise the abbot demaunded of whens he was. My lorde sayde Ponce th [...] noble squire I am of Boulyon proprely My frende said the abbot, you be right wel founde. Glad am I of your coming, & sith it pleaseth god thus we two together shall retourne into our coūtrey. Than the good abbot Gyrarde of Saincteron ledde the squyre Ponce to his lodging where as he feasted him greatlie. And there they deuised one with another of theyr affaires. ¶And it it to be noted that at that same time wer assembled in Ierusalem many princes and great Lordes, Sarazins and painims of Turkie. As the sowdan of perse. The kynge Dorbrye, Abrahā of Damas. The king of Dortaine. Dodekin of Thabarie. The kinge of Anthyoche. Solyment of Nikes. The king Feliston. The kynge of Scabon. Dodequin of damas. king Mabrū of Oliferne, & Corborant his sonne. the which were cōmē al thither at y^e cōmaūde­mēt of king Corbadas, y^t in theyr presēce & durīg his life wolde giue his realme of Ierusalē to Cornumaraūt his sonne and crowne him king therof. The which was .xv. yere olde. And the sayd new kynge was crowned by the [Page] consentment of the sayd princes resygned fro the father to the sonne in great feast and solempnite within Ierusa­lem like as thei were accustomed to do after theyr gestes and ceremonies. And it is for to be knowen that the sayd Cornumeraunt the new kyng of Ierusalem founde ma­ner and space for to speake to the abbot of Saincteron y^e whiche for that time was in y^e cite of Ierusalē of whome he enquired diligentli of the state of the princes of Gaule and of theyr maner of doing, The which abbot told and cited vnto him trouthe, wherefore greatlye he praysed & loued him. Than all wisely the sayd abbot of Sainteron demaunded of him familiarly the saufconduyt and acquite for the countreys and landes of beyonde the sea for him and y^e sayd squire Ponce the more sureli to retourne into theyr countries. The which the king Cornumeraūt him graunted benignly, in presentinge to him larglye of his goodes for the wisedome and the honour of spekinge that he had founde in him. And after theyr saufconduyte made they tooke reuerently leaue of the king and on the next day in the morning they departed fro the holy citye of Ierusalem and sith came vnto the port of Iaffe other­wise named Ioppen. And fro thens mounted vpon y^e sea and after by valeis and mountaynes they wente tyl thei ariued within Rome.

AFter that Gyrarde the abbot of Saincteron, and the squyre Ponce had doone theyr deuocions within the cite of Ierusalem they depar­ted diligently for to retourne into theyr coun­trey. And euen as they were in the feeldes al­mighti god (y^t alwai doth for y^e best) wolde y^t they should be wandred of theyr way. And in such wise they were fro their way in a place inhabitable that thei wist not what to thinke, So it happened that after mani trauailes paines, and labaurs they ariued nigh to the sayd castell of Boulyon that the good Helyas had newly made to edifie after the fourme and construccion of the other Boulion towarde Dardayne. wherfore Ponce sayd to the abbot. [Page] Certes my lorde heare is Boulyon, we ben in our coun­trey. In our countrey sayd y^e abbot I trow y^t it lacketh a great dele. Certainly my lorde sayd ponce, yet is this ca­stel like & of the same fourme of it named Boulyon, and I beleue that he that made it had intecion so to doo. And after al these wordes bicause the night came on, they went and lodged them in a vyllage nigh ynough to the said castell. And in theyr lodgis they sent for the curat of the vyllage for to wit of him in what place and in what country they were ariued. Truly lordes sayd the curat, you haue passed the greatest forest of Dardeyne and ben presently ariued nigh to the castell of Boulyon. Now sayd the ab­bot we ben of the countrey y^t ye name, & it is well .CC. le­ges fro hens. It is trouth my lorde said y^e curate, I haue be in the countrey y^t he speake of. But for to declare you y^e trouth the Castell y^t ye haue seen is called Boulyon le re­staure, that is to sai restored, for that a noble & vertuous knight named Helias sonne to the mighty king Oryant and of the quene Beatryce his spouse went in a ship vpon the guyding of a swanne, that so led him bi aduenture to Nimaie, were as he wanne a champ of batayle agaynste the erle of Fraokebourke, wherbi the emperour made to giue him in maryage the duchesse of boulyon whereof ye speake. In suche wyse that he was about .viii. yere there & than after he retourned into his realwe of Lilefort by y^e leding of the swanne aforesayd. And at his commyng he did doo make this castel & named it boulyon as the other & the forest about it dardayne. And whā ponce herad him speake so he wist wel that he should haue certaine tidīgs of y^t he desired, wherof he thanked our lord, & than w^tout making semblaunt he said to the curate. Good syr y^e king [Page] and the queene y^t ye say to be father & mother of y^e knyght ben they now abydyng in the castel: Certes syr sayd he ye For thei loued so muche the said Helyas theyr sonne that they haue lefte Lilefort & ben comen to dwell here for the loue of him And the noble knight sayd Ponce y^t ye speake of is he dead: Nay forsoth sayd ther curate, & it is not .vi. dayes sith I saw him. But for to declare you y^e verite, he hath bē during his youth of so good lyfe that almyghtye god hath doone & shewed mani fayre vertues & diuine miracles at his holy prayer & orayson wherby he hath mad him religious. And is now in a deuote religion y^t his fa­ther hath edified for the honour of god & in y^e cōmemora­cion of him & his brethren, where as he prayeth god and doth penaunce for to saue his soule. Veryly sayd y^e squire I am all reioyced in this y^t ye say. wherfore sayd y^e curat? For I was sayd he seruaunt to the sayd Helias that was duke of boulion, and am yet seruaunt to the duchesse hys wife, the whiche hath sent me īto many countries for to seche him & thanked be god I haue heard of him. And so-Ponce abode mery there al night. And on the morne the abbot & he wēt to the sayde castell. wherin at comyng fro the masse they met king Oriant. the queene, theyr .v. sonnes & theyr doughter. And whan Emeri the last transmued sonne of the king saw them & had knowē theyr habite he came to them & made them chere asking thē of whens thei were. And Ponce said▪ My lord we ben of Bouliō in y^e lond of Dardein. And what do you in these parties said Emery. Syr sayd Ponce, it is longe syth I cesedret to go ī many coūtreys & regions, as wel on this side as beyonde y^e se for to finde a noble knight y^t a swāne quided & ledde out of boulyon, whan he left his wife the noble duchesse [Page] of Boulyon, whose seruaūt I am. And whan Emery hearde him he begā to laugh, Certes my frēde it is my brother Helias. My lorde sayd Ponce, lyueth he yet: Yea truly my frende sayd Emery, & ye shall se him if god wyl or ye passe this country. I pray you therof sayd Ponce. Than Emery called the king, the quene, his brethren, & his sister and say. Certaynly if ye wil heare any tidinges of the duchesse of Boulyon my brothers wife, and of Y­dan his noble doughter, here bē to notable lordes, that bē of the same countrei. And forthw^t thei came to Ponce, the which recyted to them the contency of the noble duchesse of Boulion y^t was meruailously soroful for that her good husbād Helias had left her. And of her noble doughter Ydaine, of whome he tolde them to haue receyued certayne tidinges y^t she was maried to the mighti erle of Boulein Than sayd the king & the queene, wolde god y^t they were here. And therw^t they enbraced & kissed y^e abbot & ponce. And than he led them into the castel, wher they were feasted & serued of the king sonnes & other barons. In y^e whiche chere they soiourned a whole day in visiting all y^e places of the castell. And on the morow the noble Emery led the abbot of Sainterō and the good squire Ponce to the place where as his brother Helias was relygious. And there his brother Emery foūde him kneeling on his knees before the high aulter in the churche. So he salued hī humbli. And reuerenli he yelded him his salute in saying Fayre brother Emeri, what is ther of new: Brother said Emery. Here ben two notable lordes that I bring you. The which wil tell you tidinges of your wife y^e duchesse of Boulyon & of your doughter ydain, y^t is maryed to the erle of Boleyn. Thā Helias knew ponce for he had afore [Page] seen him. wherfore humbly he came and enbraced and kissed him sayinge. My freende ye be welcome, tell me yf it please you some tidinges of my wyfe, and of my doughter ydain. And than he tolde him how she had sent him into many countrees, & of his aduentures syth his departing And than he asked him if he wold retourne into his countree of Boulion. Certes sayd Helias, nay. For neuer by y^e will of god shall I departe fro this regyon where as I pretende to saue my soule be his holy & worthy grace. certes my lorde said he, I am right glade to see you, & also mi ladi shal be greatli reioysed for to here of you. My frend sayde Helyas ye shall recommaunde me singulerli to her good grace. & also to my doughter ydain. Of whom I am right ioyous y^t she is honourabli maried with y^e noble erle of Boulion. And than in weeping he tooke the abbot of Sainteron bi the hande & with Ponce ledde him to se al the places of his religiō. Than with his brother Emery he made them good chere and fested them greatly and af­ter all these thinges the squire Pōce prayed him humbli of his good plesure to geue him some true token, wher­by the duchesse myght notably knowe that he had doone his deuoyre to fynde him. And Helias sayd. My frend ye speake wysely. And for a tokē of me ye shall bere her this rynge. The which or now she gaue me ryght amerously. Than after the good Helyas gaue greate gyites to y^e ab­bot & to Ponce. And with them he sent to his wife & his [...]oughter ydain greate treasoures and mani fayre giftes Than tooke they leue humbly of the sayd Helias & with his brother Emery thei retourned to the castel of boulion restaure, where they were agayne honourably receyued. And than kyng Oryant and y^e quene his wife prepared [Page] ryche & sumtuous giftes. The whiche they sent to theyr doughter the noble duchesse of Boulyon, and also to her doughter the noble countesse of Boleon, in recommaun­ding them singulerly to theyr good grace. Thā the abbot of saincteron and the squyre Ponce tooke reuerētly theyr leue of the noble king Oriant, and of the queene his wife and of al theyr courte, and departed fro thē for to retourn into theyr countrey, in the place of Boulyon ī Dardayn [...]

VPon a daye of the feast of the ascencyon of our lorde Iesu chryst as y^e erle of Boulyō, his wife ydain, and the noble Duchesse her mother w^t many other lordes and damoyselles were syt­ting at the table & helde court plenayre by maner of consolacion, ariued Ponce the noble squyre at the castell of Boulyon, the whiche led a mule charged w^t dyuers giftes & riche presentes & came into the halle wheras was the feast aforesayd. And incontinent y^t the noble duchesse apperceyued him she arose fro the table, & cam [...] tenderly enbracing him and sayde. My freende Ponce ye be right welcome. Haue ye foūde my husbande or can ye ony tidinges of him. Cyrtes madame sayde Ponce. yea? By the same tooken that here is his rynge that he gaue me to beare to you. And whan she saw the rynge she was al reioyced, and kisse it mo than an .C. times, in weeping & bewayl [...]ng piteously the abscence of her good and faythful husbande Helyas, and than sayde. Truley Ponce my freende this is a good tooken that ye haue founde him. Madame said he highli I haue also brought a mule charged w^t many notable giftes and riche presentes that he & his mighty parentes haue sent to you. and to my ladi the countesse ydain your noble doughter. For I doo you no­tably to wit that he is sonne of the ryght puyssant and redoubted king of Lylefort named Oriant, and of the illu­stred and noble quene Beatrice his wife And eke he hath fiue noble brethren and all valyaunt knightes. And he hath also a fayre sister, & shortly he is of right great kine of these wordes was greatly inioyed y^e duchesse his wi [...]e his doughter & the noble erle, ī such wyse y^t they wept for ioye y^t they had at theyr hertes to here suche good tidin­ges. [Page] Than the sayd Ponce recited to them that he was religious in a fayre abbai that his father and he had made to constyt [...]e and edifie for the honour of god. And how he had sene all with the abbot of Sainteron, in retourning fro the holy cite of Ierusalem. where vpon saythe the cro [...]icle & gest of this myraculous history that whā y^e noble duchesse of Boulyon knew & vnderstoode that her good husbande helias was yolden religious, she made incon­tinent to prepare her estate. And w^t her doughter ydayn she set her on the way with the sayd Ponce, which they tooke for to guyde thē to the religion where he had found the good Helyas Than tooke thei leaue of the noble erle of Bolyon in recommaunding him his three sonnes Godfrey, Baudwin, and Eustace. the which were all redy in age adolescent. And after they departed fro Boulyon and trauayled so longe by mountaynes and valees that they came to the place of religion where as the noble Helias was yolden religious Than the noble duchesse his wife w^t her doughter ydain demaūded so muche after him that they came and found him lieng in a bedde ryght sore sicke And god knoweth than in what ioye they beheld eche o­ther The wife be wept her husbande, y^e doughter bewayled her father. And he on y^e other side wept tenderly to se there his wife and his doughter, so that all they that be­helde them wept for sorow and pitie. And after that they had bē there a space of time, the good Helias was so sike a weyke of paynes and trauayles that he had susteyned in his yough that holili and deuoutli he desceased in our lorde Iesu Chryst, the which called hym to be with hym for to rewarde him for y^e paynes and greuous, vexacions that he had suffred and wyllyngli borne at his holi & dyuine [Page] commaundemēt and to geue him space in the glory pardurable with the happi sainetes of the realme of paradyse, And whan the duchesse saw her husbande dead, she was so sorowfull at her hert that she disceased with him in our lorde. wherfore her noble doughter, ydain and all the lordes and dāoyselles y^t were comē w^t her made suche sorow y^e pitie was to see. And after al thinges all the religious of the sayd abbay assembled them & honestly with great reuerence they buried y^e noble Helias and his wife in one tombe before the high aulter of the churche. And theyr seruyce was well and deuoutly doone as it apperteined to theyr estate. Thā the noble ydain departed & gaue muche of her goodes to the sayd abbaye for the honour of god and for the loue of her father and mother the which there were engraued. & so departed fro y^e place with her folke, & retourned into her countrey and duchy of bonlion where as she founde Eustace her noble husbāde. To whō she recited in weeping how her good father and mother were discesed in our lorde, and bothe buried togither bi y^• diuine wyll. And whā the sayd Eustace her husbād heard these tidinges he was muche sorowfull and dolen at his herte. And he wyth hys wyfe and all hys housholde dyd beare the doole as lōge as it was expedient for such a noble prince.

AFter that y^e noble ydain duchesse of Boulyon was retourned into her countrei she kept syngulerly her three sonnes Godfrey, Baudwin & Eustace. whiche she made to be instructe by a wyse mayster. And she herselfe endoctryned. them in all good maners & honeste of life sayinge Alwai aboue all thinges giue laude and glorye to god ī all your workes, and sayd. My childre ye ought to knowe y^t ye be extract & issued of a lignage as noble and vertuous as is possible to be. That is to wete of the noble knight of the [Page] swanne sonne of the puyssaunt king Oryant & of y^e good queene Beatryce his spouse. And ye haue .v. kīges and a queene of your excellēt and illustryous parent. The whyche all myraculously & by y^e announcement of an aungel haue ben producte in valoure and you also in lykewyse. And therfore than my fayre children abide alway in the feare and loue of god our souerayne protectour in giuing him laude and honour. Be swet, soft, and curteys to your subgectes without oppressyng or domaginge them in ani wyse yf ye be able and possible to reedifie the churches of god, and offre willingly your owne bodies insacrifice in susteyning the holy faythe catholyke. Keepe and defende Iustly your coūtre. Bere and susteyne the right of poore widowes and orphelins. Distribute & deele of your gooddes to the nedy, conforte the sorowfull, and thinke for to saue your soules for to haue y^e grace of god. And I pro­myse you my chyldrē that yf ye gouerne you thus ye shal prospere in this worlde and haue heauen at your ende. And in this maner where bi theyr good mother ydain deuoutly introduct and taught these three yong sonnes godfrey, Bauwyn and Eustace the, whiche were al way to­gether in theyr youthe, often times to remembre the good and helthfull doctrine that she had giuen them. And sem­blably also they were bi theyr notable scole maister suffy­ciently enstructe in scyence and in all good maners.

ANd whan in ther adolescence they were som­what comen to the age of strengthe, they beg ī to practyse them in shootinge with theyr bow and arbelstre, to playe with the swerde and Buckeler, to runne, to Iust, to play with a poll axe, And to wrastle. And began to bere harneys, to ronne horses & to approue thē as desyringe to be good and faythful knightes to susteyne the faith of god. And thus thei grew al three in strength and height meruaylously & in such wyse that of theyr age was none found like to them they were fayre and well fourmed of bodye, wyse, curteys, and well taught. Th [...]y serued god gladli, they made them to be beloued of great & small And echone honoured thē echone gaue them benediccion, and also they gate grace of great Princes and noble Lordes. And whan Godfrye the [Page] first borne was comen to the age of .xv. yeres accomplis­shed his good mother Ydain made to dispose and put him in poynt as to him well apperteined for to go to Nimaie to themperour for to receyue the ordre of knight hode, & sayd to him. My fayre sonne Godfres ye be the eldest of your brethren and are of age competent for to be knight, wherfore here is a robe of honour the which I haue diligently prepaired for you to receyue the noble degree and vertuous title. Your squires & pages ben wel appointed of liuerayes to you apperteyning, & all they of yours al­so. wherfore ye shall go into the citie of Nimaie to them­perour the which hath good knowledge of you bycause of your graunt father the noble and vertuous knyght of the swanne, and my good mother his wyfe, whose soul [...]s god pardō. And so of hī you shalbe made knight in giuīg you the swearde of honour. And your two brethren shall go with you for to beare you company. And than answe­red Godfrey My right deary lady & mother I hertelye thāke you whā you procure me suche honour. And I am al redy to departe & go towarde thēperour at your good commaundement. Now go than my sonne your case is al redy. And than departed Godfrey of Boulyon mounted vpon a horse of price accompanied of his two brethren, & of many noble and gentill knightes, squires, and pages. The which haue riden so longe y^t they came to Nimaye. And incontinent the good Godfrey came and pe [...]ented hem tofore the emperour, in saluinge him debonayrlye. And he receiued him gladly and al his company w^t good hert saying. Right noble chylde, and my deare frende, ye be right hertli welcōe. I know you to be extract & issued of the moste noble and illustrious Helias knyght of the [Page] swāne. Therfore for the loue of him and of your mother his doughter, the which I haue maried and conioyned ī my noble palays bi theyr good consentement wherfore bi the pleasure of god I shal adube you knight or ye depar­te fro me. Syr sayd Godfrey, I thanke you humbly. And than the noble emperour made to prepare and ordeyne a sol [...]mpne feast for the loue of Godfrey of Boulyon. Than incontinent after the feast wree ordeyned Iustes, tourne mētes and mani other games and noble feates of armes In the whichy the noble Godfrei shewed him right prue and valiaunt, in suche wise that by the sayde Emperour he was made and ordeyned knight with ryght great honour and Ioye. And whan the feast was passed Godfrey retourned honourabli to Bouliō with his brethren baudwin and Eustace. The which sith ī theyr age were mad [...] noble knightes as theyr brother Godfrey. And thus the [...] aryued at Boulyon w^t theyr company, where they wer [...] receiued with great Ioye and honour. Than certayne t [...] me after theyr noble father Eustace duke of Boulion an [...] erle of Boleyn disceased in our lorde. The whiche by hi [...] grace & mercy haue him into his infinite glory with th [...] holy saynctes and blessed company of heuen. And thus a­bode the saide Godfrey duke of Boulion, as y^e first borne of his brethren. And he was so good & so prue to right & gouerne the welth publyke, and so polytike ī keping his countrey that he was beloued of euery person. Than began soone after to approche y^e time that our Lorde God had ordeyned for to put and reduce the realme of y^e holy lande of Ierusalem into the hādes of prue and noble godfrey of Boulyon. In the which time chosen of god and by his good enhortement should be vnyed & congregeed the [Page] princes of christendom for to passe ouer the sea and susteyne the fayth of god Iesu christe agaynst the misbeleuinge paynims As it is writen and recited in the cronicles and faytes of the sayd Godfrey and his brethren. And al by y^e wil of god y^e whiche exalteth his freendes in this worlde and after theyr bodely death bringeth them to y^e life euerlastinge of heauen. To the whiche bring vs, the father, y^e sonne and the holy gost. Amen.