Pure white the horse whereon Malprimes sate;Guided his corse amid the press of Franks, Hour in, hour out, great blows he struck them back, And, ever, dead one upon others packed.
Before them all has cried out Baligant:
"Barons, long time I've fed you at my hand.
Ye see my son, who goes on Carlun's track, And with his arms so many lords attacks;Better vassal than him I'll not demand.
Go, succour him, each with his trenchant lance!"Upon that word the pagans all advance;
Grim blows they strike, the slaughter's very grand.
And marvellous and weighty the combat:
Before nor since was never such attack.
AOI.
CCXLIV
Great are the hosts; the companies in pride Come touching, all the breadth of either side;And the pagans do marvellously strike.
So many shafts, by God! in pieces lie And crumpled shields, and sarks with mail untwined!
So spattered all the earth there would you find That through the field the grass so green and fine With men's life-blood is all vermilion dyed.
That admiral rallies once more his tribe:
"Barons, strike on, shatter the Christian line."Now very keen and lasting is the fight, As never was, before or since that time;The finish none shall reach, unless he die.
AOI.
CCXLV
That admiral to all his race appeals:
"Pagans, strike on; came you not therefore here?
I promise you noble women and dear, I promise you honours and lands and fiefs."Answer pagans: "We must do well indeed."
With mighty blows they shatter all their spears;Five score thousand swords from their scabbards leap, Slaughter then, grim and sorrowful, you'd seen.
Battle he saw, that stood those hosts between.
AOI.
CCXLVI
That Emperour calls on his Franks and speaks:
"I love you, lords, in whom I well believe;So many great battles you've fought for me, Kings overthrown, and kingdoms have redeemed!
Guerdon I owe, I know it well indeed;
My lands, my wealth, my body are yours to keep.
For sons, for heirs, for brothers wreak Who in Rencesvals were slaughtered yester-eve!
Mine is the right, ye know, gainst pagan breeds."Answer the Franks: "Sire, 'tis the truth you speak."Twenty thousand beside him Charles leads, Who with one voice have sworn him fealty;In straits of death they never will him leave.
There is not one thenceforth employs his spear, But with their swords they strike in company.
The battle is straitened marvellously.
AOI.
CCXLVII
Across that field the bold Malprimes canters;Who of the Franks hath wrought there much great damage.
Naimes the Duke right haughtily regards him, And goes to strike him, like a man of valour, And of his shield breaks all the upper margin, Tears both the sides of his embroidered ha'berk, Through the carcass thrusts all his yellow banner;So dead among sev'n hundred else he casts him.
CCXLVIII
King Canabeus, brother of the admiral, Has pricked his horse with spurs in either flank;He's drawn his sword, whose hilt is of crystal, And strikes Naimun on's helmet principal;Away from it he's broken off one half, Five of the links his brand of steel hath knapped;No pennyworth the hood is after that;
Right to the flesh he slices through the cap;One piece of it he's flung upon the land.
Great was the blow; the Duke, amazed thereat, Had fallen ev'n, but aid from God he had;His charger's neck he clasped with both his hands.
Had the pagan but once renewed the attack, Then was he slain, that noble old vassal.
Came there to him, with succour, Charles of France.
AOI.
CCXLIX
Keen anguish then he suffers, that Duke Naimes, And the pagan, to strike him, hotly hastens.
"Culvert," says Charles, "You'll get now as you gave him!"With vassalage he goes to strike that pagan, Shatters his shield, against his heart he breaks it, Tears the chin-guard above his hauberk mailed;So flings him dead: his saddle shall be wasted.
CCL
Bitter great grief has Charlemagne the King, Who Duke Naimun before him sees lying, On the green grass all his clear blood shedding.
Then the Emperour to him this counsel gives:
"Fair master Naimes, canter with me to win!
The glutton's dead, that had you straitly pinned;Through his carcass my spear I thrust once in."Answers the Duke: "Sire, I believe it, this.
Great proof you'll have of valour, if I live."They 'ngage them then, true love and faith swearing;A thousand score of Franks surround them still.
Nor is there one, but slaughters, strikes and kills.
AOI.
CCLI
Then through the field cantered that admiral, Going to strike the county Guineman;Against his heart his argent shield he cracked, The folds of his hauberk apart he slashed, Two of his ribs out of his side he hacked, So flung him dead, while still his charger ran.
After, he slew Gebuin and Lorain, Richard the old, the lord of those Normans.
"Preciuse," cry pagans, "is valiant!
Baron, strike on; here have we our warrant!"AOI.
CCLII
Who then had seen those Arrabit chevaliers, From Occiant, from Argoille and from Bascle!
And well they strike and slaughter with their lances;But Franks, to escape they think it no great matter;On either side dead men to the earth fall crashing.
Till even-tide 'tis very strong, that battle;Barons of France do suffer much great damage, Grief shall be there ere the two hosts be scattered.
AOI.
CCLIII
Right well they strike, both Franks and Arrabies, Breaking the shafts of all their burnished spears.
Whoso had seen that shattering of shields, Whoso had heard those shining hauberks creak, And heard those shields on iron helmets beat, Whoso had seen fall down those chevaliers, And heard men groan, dying upon that field, Some memory of bitter pains might keep.
That battle is most hard to endure, indeed.
And the admiral calls upon Apollin And Tervagan and Mahum, prays and speaks:
"My lords and gods, I've done you much service;Your images, in gold I'll fashion each;
Against Carlun give me your warranty!"
Comes before him his dear friend Gemalfin, Evil the news he brings to him and speaks:
"Sir Baliganz, this day in shame you're steeped;For you have lost your son, even Malprime;And Canabeus, your brother, slain is he.
