. Page, esquire, and knight : a book of chivalry . THE BATTLE OF RONCEVAL I Of the council of Charlemagne The Emperor sits in an orchard wide,Roland and Oliver by his side;With them many a gallant lance,Full fifteen thousand of gentle a throne of beaten goldThe lord of ample France behold;White his hair and beard were seen,Fair of body, and proud of mien. It was the custom of Charlemagne to takecounsel of his peers and knights in all mattersof weight. Seven years he had waged waragainst the Saracens in Spain, and one cityafter another had fallen before him until onlyone remained un
. Page, esquire, and knight : a book of chivalry . THE BATTLE OF RONCEVAL I Of the council of Charlemagne The Emperor sits in an orchard wide,Roland and Oliver by his side;With them many a gallant lance,Full fifteen thousand of gentle a throne of beaten goldThe lord of ample France behold;White his hair and beard were seen,Fair of body, and proud of mien. It was the custom of Charlemagne to takecounsel of his peers and knights in all mattersof weight. Seven years he had waged waragainst the Saracens in Spain, and one cityafter another had fallen before him until onlyone remained unconquered, the strongholdof Saragossa, and there Marsilius, the Mos-lem king, had taken refuge. Now messen-gers had come from Marsilius, bearing olive 103. io4 CHARLEMAGNES COUNCIL 105 branches of peace, with the promise that ifCharlemagne and his army would withdrawfrom Spain, the king would follow him toFrance and there offer to him his fealty, em-bracing Christianity as his religion from thatday. King Charlemagne had listened tothese fair promises and held his peace, forhe was never hasty of speech, and the nextmorning he had called a council of hisknights in the orchard to consult with themin this matter. He told them of the proposalof the envoys, and of the rich treasures ofgold and silver, and of the noble hostageswhich the heathen king offered as token thathis words were true. Yet, he added, as he ended his words,H I know not what may lie in his heart. Scarcely had he finished when CountRoland came forward and faced his eye flashed with anger. w Believe not this Marsilius, he Full seven long years we have warred inSpain, and he hath ever been a traitor. Dostthou not remember the time when he sent 106 PAGE, ESQUIR
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublisherbosto, bookyear1910
