Aucassin and Nicolete [13]
went back into its place. Then took she flowers, and fresh grass, and leaves green, and bound these herbs on the hurt with a strip of her smock, and he was all healed.
"Aucassin," saith she, "fair sweet love, take counsel what thou wilt do. If thy father let search this forest to-morrow, and men find me here, they will slay me, come to thee what will."
"Certes, fair sweet love, therefore should I sorrow heavily, but, an if I may, never shall they take thee."
Anon gat he on his horse, and his lady before him, kissing and clipping her, and so rode they at adventure.
Here one singeth:
Aucassin the frank, the fair, Aucassin of the yellow hair, Gentle knight, and true lover, From the forest doth he fare, Holds his love before him there, Kissing cheek, and chin, and eyes, But she spake in sober wise, "Aucassin, true love and fair, To what land do we repair?" Sweet my love, I take no care, Thou art with me everywhere! So they pass the woods and downs, Pass the villages and towns, Hills and dales and open land, Came at dawn to the sea sand, Lighted down upon the strand, Beside the sea.
Then say they, speak they, tell they the Tale:
Aucassin lighted down and his love, as ye have heard sing. He held his horse by the bridle, and his lady by the hands; so went they along the sea shore, and on the sea they saw a ship, and he called unto the sailors, and they came to him. Then held he such speech with them, that he and his lady were brought aboard that ship, and when they were on the high sea, behold a mighty wind and tyrannous arose, marvellous and great, and drave them from land to land, till they came unto a strange country, and won the haven of the castle of Torelore. Then asked they what this land might be, and men told them that it was the country of the King of Torelore. Then he asked what manner of man was he, and was there war afoot, and men said,
"Yea, and mighty!"
Therewith took he farewell of the merchants, and they commended him to God. Anon Aucassin mounted his horse, with his sword girt, and his lady before him, and rode at adventure till he was come to the castle. Then asked he where the King was, and they said that he was in childbed.
"Then where is his wife?"
And they told him she was with the host, and had led with her all the force of that country.
Now when Aucassin heard that saying, he made great marvel, and came into the castle, and lighted down, he and his lady, and his lady held his horse. Right so went he up into the castle, with his sword girt, and fared hither and thither till he came to the chamber where the King was lying.
Here one singeth:
Aucassin the courteous knight To the chamber went forthright, To the bed with linen dight Even where the King was laid. There he stood by him and said: "Fool, what mak'st thou here abed?" Quoth the King: "I am brought to bed Of a fair son, and anon When my month is over and gone, And my healing fairly done, To the Minster will I fare And will do my churching there, As my father did repair. Then will sally forth to war, Then will drive my foes afar From my countrie!"
Then speak they, say they, tell they the Tale:
When Aucassin heard the King speak on this wise, he took all the sheets that covered him, and threw them all abroad about the chamber. Then saw he behind him a cudgel, and caught it into his hand, and turned, and took the King, and beat him till he was well- nigh dead.
"Ha! fair sir," quoth the King, "what would you with me? Art thou beside thyself, that beatest me in mine own house?"
"By God's heart," quoth Aucassin, "thou ill son of an ill wench, I will slay thee if thou swear not that never shall any man in all thy land lie in of child henceforth for ever."
So he did that oath, and when he had done it,
"Sir," said Aucassin, "bring me now where thy wife is with the host."
"Sir, with good will," quoth the King.
He mounted his horse, and Aucassin gat on his own, and Nicolete abode in the Queen's chamber. Anon rode Aucassin and the King even till they came to that place where
"Aucassin," saith she, "fair sweet love, take counsel what thou wilt do. If thy father let search this forest to-morrow, and men find me here, they will slay me, come to thee what will."
"Certes, fair sweet love, therefore should I sorrow heavily, but, an if I may, never shall they take thee."
Anon gat he on his horse, and his lady before him, kissing and clipping her, and so rode they at adventure.
Here one singeth:
Aucassin the frank, the fair, Aucassin of the yellow hair, Gentle knight, and true lover, From the forest doth he fare, Holds his love before him there, Kissing cheek, and chin, and eyes, But she spake in sober wise, "Aucassin, true love and fair, To what land do we repair?" Sweet my love, I take no care, Thou art with me everywhere! So they pass the woods and downs, Pass the villages and towns, Hills and dales and open land, Came at dawn to the sea sand, Lighted down upon the strand, Beside the sea.
Then say they, speak they, tell they the Tale:
Aucassin lighted down and his love, as ye have heard sing. He held his horse by the bridle, and his lady by the hands; so went they along the sea shore, and on the sea they saw a ship, and he called unto the sailors, and they came to him. Then held he such speech with them, that he and his lady were brought aboard that ship, and when they were on the high sea, behold a mighty wind and tyrannous arose, marvellous and great, and drave them from land to land, till they came unto a strange country, and won the haven of the castle of Torelore. Then asked they what this land might be, and men told them that it was the country of the King of Torelore. Then he asked what manner of man was he, and was there war afoot, and men said,
"Yea, and mighty!"
Therewith took he farewell of the merchants, and they commended him to God. Anon Aucassin mounted his horse, with his sword girt, and his lady before him, and rode at adventure till he was come to the castle. Then asked he where the King was, and they said that he was in childbed.
"Then where is his wife?"
And they told him she was with the host, and had led with her all the force of that country.
Now when Aucassin heard that saying, he made great marvel, and came into the castle, and lighted down, he and his lady, and his lady held his horse. Right so went he up into the castle, with his sword girt, and fared hither and thither till he came to the chamber where the King was lying.
Here one singeth:
Aucassin the courteous knight To the chamber went forthright, To the bed with linen dight Even where the King was laid. There he stood by him and said: "Fool, what mak'st thou here abed?" Quoth the King: "I am brought to bed Of a fair son, and anon When my month is over and gone, And my healing fairly done, To the Minster will I fare And will do my churching there, As my father did repair. Then will sally forth to war, Then will drive my foes afar From my countrie!"
Then speak they, say they, tell they the Tale:
When Aucassin heard the King speak on this wise, he took all the sheets that covered him, and threw them all abroad about the chamber. Then saw he behind him a cudgel, and caught it into his hand, and turned, and took the King, and beat him till he was well- nigh dead.
"Ha! fair sir," quoth the King, "what would you with me? Art thou beside thyself, that beatest me in mine own house?"
"By God's heart," quoth Aucassin, "thou ill son of an ill wench, I will slay thee if thou swear not that never shall any man in all thy land lie in of child henceforth for ever."
So he did that oath, and when he had done it,
"Sir," said Aucassin, "bring me now where thy wife is with the host."
"Sir, with good will," quoth the King.
He mounted his horse, and Aucassin gat on his own, and Nicolete abode in the Queen's chamber. Anon rode Aucassin and the King even till they came to that place where