After, the King and all his army mount,
And Bramimunde a prisoner is bound,3680
No harm to her, but only good he’s vowed.
So are they come, with joy and gladness out,
They pass Nerbone by force and by vigour,
Come to Burdele, that city of high valour.
Above the altar, to Saint Sevrin endowed,3685
Stands the olifant, with golden pieces bound;
All the pilgrims may see it, who thither crowd.
Passing Girunde in great ships, there abound,
Ev’n unto Blaive he’s brought his nephew down
And Oliver, his noble companioun,3690
And the Archbishop, who was so wise and proud.
In white coffers he bids them lay those counts
At Saint Romain: So rest they in that ground.
Franks them to God and to His Angels vow.
Charles canters on, by valleys and by mounts,3695
Not before Aix will he not make sojourn;
Canters so far, on th’ terrace he dismounts.
When he is come into his lofty house,
By messengers he seeks his judges out;
Saxons, Baivers, Lotherencs and Frisouns,3700
Germans he calls, and also calls Borgounds;
From Normandy, from Brittany and Poitou,
And those in France that are the sagest found.
Thereon begins the cause of Gueneloun.
CCLXVIII
That Emperour, returning out of Spain,3705
Arrived in France, in his chief seat, at Aix,
Clomb to th’ Palace, into the hall he came.
Was come to him there Aide, that fair dame;
Said to the King: “Where’s Rollanz the Captain,
Who sware to me, he’ld have me for his mate?”3710
Then upon Charles a heavy sorrow weighed,
And his eyes wept, he tore his beard again:
“Sister, dear friend, of a dead man you spake.
I’ll give you one far better in exchange,
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