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diff --git a/23227.txt b/23227.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..979a20b --- /dev/null +++ b/23227.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1918 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Aucassin and Nicolette, by Anonymous, +Translated by Francis William Bourdillon + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Aucassin and Nicolette + translated from the Old French + + +Author: Anonymous + + + +Release Date: October 28, 2007 [eBook #23227] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AUCASSIN AND NICOLETTE*** + + + + +Transcribed from the 1908 Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co. edition by +David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org + + + + +AUCASSIN AND NICOLETTE + + +TRANSLATED FROM THE OLD FRENCH + +BY +FRANCIS WILLIAM BOURDILLON + +LONDON +KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRUBNER & CO. LTD. + +DRYDEN HOUSE, GERRARD STREET, W. +1908 + +_All rights reserved_ + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +The story of Love, that simple theme with variations _ad libitum_, _ad +infinitum_, is never old, never stale, never out-of-date. And as we +sometimes seek rest from the brilliant audacities and complex passions of +Wagner or Tschaikowsky in the tender simplicity of some ancient English +air, so we occasionally turn with relief from the wit and insight and +subtlety of our modern novelists to the old uncomplicated tales of faerie +or romance, and find them after all more moving, more tender, even more +real, than all the laboured realism of these photographic days. And here +before us is of all pretty love-stories perhaps the prettiest. Idyllic +as Daphnis and Chloe, romantic as Romeo and Juliet, tender as Undine, +remote as Cupid and Psyche, yet with perpetual touches of actual life, +and words that raise pictures; and lightened all through with a dainty +playfulness, as if Ariel himself had hovered near all the time of its +writing, and Puck now and again shot a whisper of suggestion. + +Yet it is only of late years that the charm of this story has been truly +appreciated. Composed probably in Northern France, about the close of +the twelfth century,--the time of our own Angevin kings and the most +brilliant period of Old-French literature,--it has survived only in a +single manuscript of later date, where it is found hidden among a number +of tales in verse less pleasing in subject and far less delightful in +form. There it had lain unknown till discovered by M. de Sainte-Palaye, +and printed by him in modernised French in 1752, one hundred and fifty +years ago. There is no space here to follow its fortunes since. Even +after this revival it was not till more than one hundred years later that +it began to attain to any wide recognition. And in England this +recognition has been mainly due to Mr Pater's delightful essay in his +early work "Studies in the History of the Renaissance." Since the +publication of this book in 1873, the story of Aucassin and Nicolette has +had an ever-growing train of admirers both in England and America, and +various translations have appeared on both sides of the Atlantic. It has +also been translated into several other European languages, besides +versions in modern French. + +The story, so far as the simple old-world plot is concerned, is very +probably not the original invention of whoever gave it this particular +form, any more than were the plots of Shakespeare's plays of his own +devising. It seems likely that in origin it is Arabian or Moorish, and +its birthplace not Provence but Spain. Possibly it sprung, as so much of +the best poetry and story has sprung, from the touching of two races, and +the part friction part fusion of two religions, in this case of the Moor +and the Christian. There was in 1019 a Moorish king of Cordova named +Alcazin. Turn this name into French and we have Aucassin. And to +reverse the roles of Christian and heathen is a very usual device for a +story-teller transplanting a story from another country to his own. +Though the scene is nominally laid in Provence there are a good many +signs of a Spanish origin in the places mentioned. By Carthage is meant, +not the city of Dido, but Carthagena; and thus the husband devised for +Nicolette is "one of the greatest kings in all Spain." Valence again +might originally have been not the Valence on the Rhone, but Valence le +grand, or Valentia. And it is curious to observe that Beaucaire is +closely connected with Tarascon--a bridge across the Rhone unites +them--and that this latter name nearly resembles Tarragona, a place which +in other French romances is actually called Terrascoigne. The shipwreck +which in the story takes place, impossibly, at Beaucaire, may have +originally happened, quite naturally, at Tarragona. Even the nonsense- +name, Torelore, might easily have had its rise in Torello. Again, though +it has been shown that all modern reports of the _Couvade_ as existing in +Biscay have been founded only on the ancient assertion of Strabo, it is +still remarkable that it is in this part of Europe alone that the custom +has ever been found. + +If the composer of Aucassin derived his story from such a source, it is +easy to see also whence he got the idea of the special form he has given +it; for a narrative in prose mingled with interludes of verse, though +strange to European literature, is common in Arabian. + +And yet, whatever his sources or his models, one feels that his debt to +them is trifling compared to the worth of his own work. All that he +describes he has seen with his own eyes; and all that he tells, be it +borrowed or invented, is quickened and heightened and made immortal by +his own touch upon it. + +All who can should read this story in its own language--the simple easy- +flowing Old-French, with its infantile syntax, and naive but effective +efforts at distinction and what we now call style. There are various +editions of the old French text; but the two easiest to get and also to +read are that of Professor Suchier, and my own. Those in search of +learning will always turn to Germany, and Suchier is a very learned man. +But I can honestly advise all English readers to get my edition +(Macmillan, 1897) in which the text is given as pure as I could draw it +from the fountain head, the original MS. at Paris; where the music to the +verse sections will be found printed in its proper notation; and which +contains also a literal translation, full notes, and a glossary. + +The present translation varies a good deal from that I printed with the +Old-French text. I have to some extent relaxed the restrictions I +imposed on myself there, and have given freer turns, even verging +occasionally on paraphrase, to bring out the full meaning, which it is +often possible to miss in the original, especially in the very condensed +style of the verses. These changes will, I hope, make this version easy +and pleasant to read even by those who have no leisure or no inclination +to attempt the study of the Old-French itself. + + + + +AUCASSIN & NICOLETTE + + +'TIS OF AUCASSIN AND OF NICOLETTE + + +Who would list a pleasant lay, +Pastime of the old and grey? +Of two lovers, children yet, +Aucassin and Nicolette; +Of the sorrows he went through, +Of the great things he did do, +All for his bright favoured may. +Sweet the song is, fair the say, +Full of art and full of grace. +There is none in such ill case, +Sad with sorrow, waste with care, +Sick with sadness, if he hear, +But shall in the hearing be +Whole again and glad with glee, + So sweet the story. + +_Here they speak and tell the story_. + +How Bulgarius Count of Valence made war upon Warren Count of Beaucaire. +And this war was so great, so marvellous, and so mortal, that not a day +dawned but there he was before the city, at the gates, at the walls, at +the fences, with knights a hundred and men-at-arms ten thousand on foot +and on horse; and he burned his land, laid waste his country, and slew +his liegemen. Warren, Count of Beaucaire, was an old man and feeble, who +had overlived his term. He had none to succeed him, neither son nor +daughter, save one only boy; and what he was like, I will tell you. +Aucassin was the young lord's name, and a pretty lad he was. He had +golden hair in little curls, and laughing blue eyes, a face fair of +colour and fine of curve, and a proud shapely nose. Aye, so endued was +he with good conditions that there was none bad in him, but good only. +But so overcome was he of Love, who masters all, that he refused +knighthood, abjured arms, shunned the tourney, and left undone all his +devoir. + +His father and his mother would say to him: "Son! come, take thine arms +and to horse! Fight for thy land and succour thy liegemen! If they see +thee in the midst of them, they will fight the better for their lives and +their havings and for thy land and mine!" + +"Father," said Aucassin, "to what purpose is this oration? Never God +give me ought that I ask of Him, if I take knighthood or mount horse, if +I face fight or battlefield to smite knight or be myself smitten, if you +give me not Nicolette, my sweet friend whom I love so well!" + +"My son," said his father, "it cannot be. Have done with Nicolette! She +is a slave-girl, carried captive from a foreign land. The Viscount of +this place bought her of the heathen, and brought her here. He held her +at the font, and christened her, and stood godfather to her. Some day he +will give her a young fellow to win bread for her in wedlock. What is +this to you? If you want a wife, I will give you a king's daughter or a +count's. There is never so rich a man in France but you shall have his +daughter, if you want her." + +"Alack, father!" said Aucassin. "Where now is honour on earth so high, +which Nicolette my sweet friend would not grace if it were hers? Were +she Empress of Constantinople or of Germany, were she Queen of France or +of England, there were but little in it, so noble is she and gracious and +debonair and endued with all good conditions." + +_Here they sing_. + +Aucassin was of Beaucaire; +His was the fine castle there; +But on slender Nicolette +Past man's moving is he set, +Whom his father doth refuse; +Menace did his mother use: + +"Out upon thee, foolish boy! +Nicolette is but a toy, +Castaway from Carthagen, +Bought a slave of heathen men. +If for marrying thou be, +Take a wife of high degree!" + +"Mother, I will none but her. +Hath she not the gentle air, +Grace of limb, and beauty bright? +I am snared in her delight. +If I love her 'tis but meet, + So passing sweet!" + +_Here they speak and tell the story_. + +When Warren Count of Beaucaire perceived that Aucassin his son was not to +be moved from his love of Nicolette, he betook him to the Viscount of the +place, who was his liegeman; and addressed him thus: + +"Sir Viscount, come, rid me of Nicolette your god-daughter! A curse on +the land whence ever she was fetched to this country! Now Aucassin is +lost to me, and all because of her. He refuses knighthood and leaves +undone all his devoir. Rest assured that if I can get hold of her I will +burn her in a fire; and for yourself too you may fear the worst." + +"Sir," said the Viscount, "'tis grief to me that he go to her, or come to +her, or speak to her. I had bought her with my poor pieces. I had held +her at the font, and christened her, and stood god-father to her; and I +would have given her a young fellow to win bread for her in wedlock. What +is this to Aucassin your son? But seeing your will is so and your good +pleasure, I will send her to such a land and to such a country that he +shall never set eyes on her more." + +"See you do so!" said Count Warren. "Else it might go ill with you." + +Thus they parted. Now the Viscount was a very rich man, and had a fine +palace with a garden before it. He had Nicolette put in a room there, on +an upper storey, with an old woman for company; and he had bread put +there, and meat and wine and all they needed. Then he had the door +locked, so that there was no way to get in or out. Only there was a +window of no great size which looked on the garden and gave them a little +fresh air. + +_Here they sing_. + +Nicolette is prisoner, +In a vaulted bed-chamber, +Strange of pattern and design, +Richly painted, rarely fine. +At the window-sill of stone +Leaned the maiden sad and lone. +Yellow was her shining hair, +And her eyebrow pencilled rare, +Face fine-curved and colour fair: +Never saw you lovelier. +Gazed she o'er the garden-ground, +Saw the opening roses round, +Heard the birds sing merrily; +Then she made her orphan cry: + +"Woe's me! what a wretch am I! +Caged and captive, why, ah why? +Aucassin, young lord, prithee, +Your sweetheart, am I not she? +Ay, methinks you hate not me. +For your sake I'm prisoner, +In this vaulted bed-chamber, +Where my life's a weary one. +But by God, sweet Mary's son, +Long herein I will not stay, + Can I find way!" + +_Here they speak and tell the story_. + +Nicolette was in prison, as you have harkened and heard, in the chamber. +The cry and the noise ran through all the land and through all the +country that Nicolette was lost. There are some say she is fled abroad +out of the land. Other some that Warren, Count of Beaucaire, has had her +done to death. Rejoice who might, Aucassin was not well pleased. But he +went straightway to the Viscount of the place, and thus addressed him: + +"Sir Viscount, what have you done with Nicolette, my very sweet friend, +the thing that I love best in all the world? Have you stolen and taken +her from me? Rest assured that if I die of this thing, my blood will be +required of you; and very justly, when you have gone and killed me with +your two hands. For you have stolen from me the thing that I love best +in all the world." + +"Fair sir," said the Viscount, "now let be! Nicolette is a slave-girl +whom I fetched from a foreign land and bought for money of the heathen. I +held her at the font, and christened her and stood godfather to her, and +have brought her up. One of these days I would have given her a young +fellow to win bread for her in wedlock. What is this to you? Take you +some king's daughter or some count's. Moreover, what were you profited, +think you, had you made her your concubine, or taken her to live with +you? Mighty little had you got by that, seeing that your soul would be +in Hell for ever and ever, for to Paradise you would never win!" + +"Paradise? What have I to do there? I seek not to win Paradise, so I +have Nicolette my sweet friend whom I love so well. For none go to +Paradise but I'll tell you who. Your old priests and your old cripples, +and the halt and maimed, who are down on their knees day and night, +before altars and in old crypts; these also that wear mangy old cloaks, +or go in rags and tatters, shivering and shoeless and showing their +sores, and who die of hunger and want and cold and misery. Such are they +who go to Paradise; and what have I to do with them? Hell is the place +for me. For to Hell go the fine churchmen, and the fine knights, killed +in the tourney or in some grand war, the brave soldiers and the gallant +gentlemen. With them will I go. There go also the fair gracious ladies +who have lovers two or three beside their lord. There go the gold and +the silver, the sables and ermines. There go the harpers and the +minstrels and the kings of the earth. With them will I go, so I have +Nicolette my most sweet friend with me." + +"I' faith," said the Viscount, "'tis but vain to speak of it; you will +see her no more. Aye, were you to get speech of her and it came to your +father's ears, he would burn both her and me in a fire; and for yourself +too you might fear the worst." + +"This is sore news to me," said Aucassin. And he departed from the +Viscount, sorrowful. + +_Here they sing_. + +Aucassin has turned once more +In wanhope and sorrow sore +For his love-friend bright of face. +None can help his evil case, +None a word of counsel say. +To the palace went his way; +Step by step he climbed the stair; +Entered in a chamber there. +Then he 'gan to weep alone, +And most dismally to groan, +And his lady to bemoan. + +"Nicolette, ah, gracious air! +Coming, going, ever fair! +In thy talk and in thy toying, +In thy jest and in thy joying, +In thy kissing, in thy coying. +I am sore distressed for thee. +Such a woe has come on me +That I trow not to win free, + Sweet sister friend!" + +_Here they speak and tell the story_. + +At the same time that Aucassin was in the chamber, bemoaning Nicolette +his friend, Bulgarius Count of Valence, who had his war to maintain, +forgat it not; but he had summoned his men, foot and horse, and advanced +to assault the castle. And the cry went up and the noise; and the +knights and men-at-arms girt on their armour, and hastened to the gates +and walls to defend the castle; while the townsfolk mounted the parapets +and hurled bolts and sharpened stakes. At the time when the assault was +fast and furious, Warren Count of Beaucaire came into the chamber where +Aucassin was weeping and bemoaning Nicolette his most sweet friend whom +he loved so well. + +"Ah, my son!" said he. "Wretch that thou art and unhappy, to see assault +made on this thy castle--none better nor more strong! Know, moreover, +that if thou lose it thou losest thine inheritance! Come now, my son, +take thine arms and to horse! Fight for thy land, and succour thy +liegemen, and get thee to the field! Though thou strike never a man nor +be thyself stricken, if they but see thee among them they will make a +better fight for their lives and their havings, and for thy land and +mine. So tall art thou and so strong, 'tis no great thing to do; and it +is thy devoir." + +"Father," said Aucassin, "to what purpose is this oration? Never God +give me ought that I ask of him, if I take knighthood or mount horse or +go to the fighting to smite knight or be myself smitten, if you give me +not Nicolette, my sweet friend, whom I love so well!" + +"Son," said his father, "that cannot be. Rather would I suffer loss of +all my inheritance, aye, of all I have, than that thou shouldst have her +to woman or to wife!" + +And he turned to go. And when Aucassin saw him departing, he called him +back. + +"Father," said Aucassin, "come hither, and I will make a fair covenant +with you!" + +"Aye, and what covenant, fair son?" + +"I will take arms and go to the fighting on such condition, that, if God +bring me again safe and sound, you will give me leave to see Nicolette my +sweet friend for such time as I may speak two words to her or three, and +once only kiss her." + +"I consent," said his father. + +So he made agreement with him, and Aucassin was well-pleased. + +_Here they sing_. + +Aucassin heard of the kiss +On returning to be his. +Hundred thousand marks pure gold +Him had made less blithe and bold. +Arms he called for, rich and rare; +They made ready for his wear. +Hauberk donned he, double-lined; +Helmet on his head did bind; +Girt his sword with hilt pure gold; +Mounted on his charger bold; +Spear and buckler then he took; +At his two feet cast a look, +In the stirrups trod they trim; +Wondrous proud he carried him. +His sweet friend--he thought on her, +To his charger clapped the spur; +Forth he springs full mettlesome; +Straightway to the gate they come + That led to battle. + +_Here they speak and tell the story_. + +Aucassin was arrayed and mounted on his horse, as you have harkened and +heard. Lord! how well it became him--the shield on his neck and the helm +on his head and the sword-belt on his left hip! And the boy was tall and +strong and comely and slim and well-grown; and the horse he bestrode was +fleet of foot and high of mettle, and the boy had put him through the +gate cleverly. Now don't you suppose that his thoughts would have been +set on taking spoil of oxen or cows or goats? that he would have struck +at some knight or been stricken in turn? Not a whit! it never once +occurred to him. But his thought was so set upon Nicolette, his sweet +friend, that he forgot the reins and all he had to do. And his horse, +feeling the spur, dashed with him through the press, and charged right +into the thick of the enemy, who laid hands on him on all sides, and made +him prisoner. They took from him shield and lance, and led him captive +then and there. They were already questioning one with another as to +what manner of death they should put him to; and when Aucassin heard it, + +"Ah, gracious Heaven!" he said, "and are these my mortal foes who hale me +here and are presently about to cut off my head? And once I have my head +cut off, nevermore shall I speak to Nicolette my sweet friend whom I love +so well. Nay, I have yet a good sword, and under me a good steed +untired. An I defend me not now for her sake, ne'er help her God if ever +again she love me!" + +The boy was tall and strong, and the horse beneath him was eager. He put +his hand to his sword and began to strike to right and to left, slashing +helmet and nose-guard, fist and wrist, and making havoc all around him as +the boar does when the dogs set on him in the forest; so that he +overthrew ten of their knights and wounded seven; and charged then and +there out of the press, and rode back full gallop, sword in hand. + +Bulgarius, Count of Valence, heard say that they were about to hang +Aucassin his enemy, and came that way. Aucassin failed not to espy him; +and gripping his sword, he smote him through the helmet so that he clave +it to the skull. He was so stunned that he fell to earth; and Aucassin +put out his hand and took him prisoner, and led him off by the nose-guard +of his helmet, and delivered him to his father. + +"Father," said Aucassin, "see here is your enemy who has made war on you +so long and done you hurt so great. Twenty years has this war lasted, +and never a man to put an end to it." + +"Fair son," said his father, "well were it you should do deeds like this, +and not gape at folly!" + +"Father," said Aucassin, "read me no lectures, but keep me my covenant!" + +"Bah! what covenant, fair son?" + +"Alack, father, have you forgotten it? By the head of me, forget it who +may, I do not mean to forget it. Rather have I laid it much to heart. +Did you not make this covenant with me, that if I took arms and went out +to the fighting, and if God brought me back safe and sound, you would let +me see Nicolette my sweet friend for such time as I might speak two words +to her or three, and once only kiss her? This covenant you made with me, +and this covenant I will have you keep with me!" + +"What, I?" said his father. "Ne'er help me Heaven if I keep this +covenant with you! and were she here now I would burn her in a fire; and +for yourself too you might fear the worst." + +"Is this the whole conclusion?" said Aucassin. + +"Aye," said his father, "so help me Heaven!" + +"I' faith," said Aucassin, "then I am very sorry that a man of your age +should be a liar.--Count of Valence, you are my prisoner." + +"Sir, it is even so," said the Count. + +"Give me your hand!" said Aucassin. + +"Sir, right willingly." + +He put his hand in his. + +"This you pledge me," said Aucassin, "that never in all your days to be +shall it be in your power to do shame to my father or to do hurt to him +or his, and you not do it!" + +"Sir," said he, "for God's sake, mock me not, but set me a ransom! You +can ask me nothing, gold or silver, war-horses or palfreys, sables or +ermines, hounds or hawks, that I will not give you." + +"How now?" said Aucassin. "Wot you not that you are my prisoner?" + +"Aye, sir," said the Count Bulgarius. + +"Ne'er help me Heaven," said Aucassin, "save you give me this pledge, if +I send not your head a-flying!" + +"I' God's name," said he, "I give you what pledge you please!" + +He gave the pledge; and Aucassin set him on a horse, and himself mounted +another, and conducted him till he was in safety. + +_Here they sing_. + +When Count Warren saw indeed +That he never will succeed +Aucassin his son to get +From bright-favoured Nicolette, +In a pris'n he had him set, +In a dungeon hid from day, +Builded all of marble grey. +Now when Aucassin came there +Sad he was--so was he ne'er. +Loud lamenting he fell on, +Thus as you shall hear anon. + +"Flow'r o' the lily, Nicolette! +Bright-faced sweetheart, Nicolette! +Sweet as cluster of the vine, +Sweet as meed in maselyn. +This I saw some yesterday, +How a pilgrim on his way-- +Limousin his land was--lay +Fevered on a bed within. +Grievous had his sickness been, +Great the fever he was in. +By his bedside Nicolette +Passing, lifted skirts and let-- +'Neath the pretty ermine frock, +'Neath the snowy linen smock-- +Just a dainty ankle show. +Lo, the sick was healed, and lo, +Found him whole as ne'er before. +From his bed he rose once more, +And to his own land did flit, +Safe and sound, whole ever whit. + +Flow'r o' the lily, Nicolette! +Coming, going, ever pleasing, +In thy talk and in thy teasing, +In thy jest and in thy joying, +In thy kisses, in thy coying! +There is none could hate thee, dear! +Yet for thy sake am I here, +In this dungeon hid from day, +Where I cry Ah, well-a-way! +Now to die behoveth me, + Sweet friend, for thee!" + +_Here they speak and tell the story_. + +Aucassin was put in prison, as you have listened and heard, and Nicolette +was elsewhere in the chamber. 'Twas the summer time, the month of May, +when the days are warm and long and bright, and the nights still and +cloudless. Nicolette lay one night in her bed, and saw the moon shine +bright through a window, and heard the nightingale sing in the garden; +and she remembered Aucassin her friend, whom she loved so well. Then she +fell a-thinking of Warren Count of Beaucaire, and how he hated her to +death; and she thought within herself that she would abide there no +longer; since if she were betrayed and Count Warren knew of her, he would +put her to an evil death. She perceived that the old woman who was with +her slept. And she arose and clad her in a goodly gown that she had of +cloth-of-silk; and she took bedclothes and towels, and tied one to other +and made a rope as long as she could, and made it fast to the +window-shaft; and so got down into the garden. Then she took her dress +in one hand before, and in the other behind, and girded herself, because +of the dew she saw heavy on the grass, and went her way down the garden. +She had golden hair in little curls, and laughing blue eyes, and a face +finely curved, and a proud shapely nose, and lips more red than cherry or +rose in summertime, and small white teeth, and little breasts that +swelled beneath her clothes like two nuts of a walnut-tree. And her +waist was so fine that your two hands could have girdled her; and the +daisy-flowers snapped by her toes, and lying on the arch of her foot, +were fairly black beside her feet and ankles, so very white the girl was. + +She came to the postern, and unfastened it, and went out through the +streets of Beaucaire, keeping to the shadow, for the moon shone very +bright; and she went on till she came to the tower where her friend was. +The tower had cracks in it here and there, and she crouched against one +of the piers, and wrapped herself in her mantle, and thrust her head into +a chink in the tower, which was old and ancient, and heard Aucassin +within weeping and making very great sorrow, and lamenting for his sweet +friend whom he loved so much. And when she had listened enough to him +she began to speak. + +_Here they sing_. + +Nicolette the bright of face +Leaned her at the buttress-base, +Heard within her lover dear +Weeping and bewailing her; +Then she spake the thought in her: + +"Aucassin, most gentle knight, +High-born lording, honoured wight, +What avails you to weep so? +What your wailing, what your woe? +I may ne'er your darling be, +For your father hateth me; +All your kin thereto agree. +For your sake I'll pass the sea, +Get me to some far countrie." + +Tresses of her hair she clipped, +And within the tower slipped. +Aucassin, that lover true, +Took them and did honour due, +Fondly kissed them and caressed, +And bestowed them in his breast. +Then in tears anew he brake + For his love's sake. + +_Here they speak and tell the story_. + +When Aucassin heard Nicolette say that she would depart into another +country, he felt nothing but anger. + +"Fair sweet friend," said he, "you shall not depart, for then would you +have killed me. The first man that set eyes on you and could do so would +straightway lay hands on you and take you to be his concubine. And once +you had lived with any man but me, now dream not that I should wait to +find a knife wherewith to strike me to the heart and kill me! Nay, +verily, that were all too long to wait. Rather would I fling me just so +far as I might see a bit of wall, or a grey stone; and against that would +I dash my head so hard that my eyes should start out and all my brains be +scattered. Yet even such a death would I die rather than know you had +lived with any man but me." + +"Ah!" said she, "I trow not that you love me so well as you say; but I +love you better than you do me." + +"Alack!" said Aucassin, "fair sweet friend! That were not possible that +you should love me so well as I do you. Woman cannot love man so well as +man loves woman. For a woman's love lies in her eye, in bud of bosom or +tip of toe. But a man's love is within him, rooted in his heart, whence +it cannot go forth." + +While Aucassin and Nicolette were talking together, the town watch came +down a street. They had their swords drawn under their cloaks, for Count +Warren had given them command that if they could lay hands on her they +should kill her. And the watchman on the tower saw them coming, and +heard that they were talking of Nicolette and threatening to kill her. + +"Great Heavens!" he said, "what pity it were should they slay so fair a +maid! 'Twere a mighty good deed if I could tell her, in such wise that +they perceived it not, and she could be ware of them. For if they slay +her, then will Aucassin my young lord die; and that were great pity." + +_Here they sing_. + +Valiant was the watch on wall, +Kindly, quick of wit withal. +He struck up a roundelay +Very seasonably gay. + +"Maiden of the noble heart, +Winsome fair of form thou art; +Winsome is thy golden hair, +Blue thine eye and blithe thine air. +Well I see it by thy cheer, +Thou hast spoken with thy fere, +Who for thee lies dying here. +This I tell thee, thou give ear! +'Ware thee of the sudden foe! +Yonder seeking thee they go. +'Neath each cloak a sword I see; +Terribly they threaten thee. +Soon they'll do thee some misdeed + Save thou take heed!" {39} + +_Here they speak and tell the story_. + +"Ah!" said Nicolette; "now may thy father's soul and thy mother's be in +blessed repose, for the grace and for the courtesy with which thou hast +told me! Please God I will guard me well from them, and may God Himself +be my guard!" + +She wrapped her mantle about her in the shadow of the pier, till they had +passed. Then she took leave of Aucassin and went her way till she came +to the castle wall. There was a breach in it which had been boarded up. +On to this she climbed, and so got over between the wall and the ditch; +and looking down she saw the ditch was very deep and the sides very +sheer, and she was sore afraid. + +"Ah, gracious Heaven!" she said; "if I let myself fall I shall break my +neck; and if I abide here, I shall be taken to-morrow and burned in a +fire. Nay, I had liefer die here than be made a show to-morrow for all +the folk to stare at!" + +She crossed herself, and let herself slip down into the ditch. And when +she came to the bottom, her fair feet and her fair hands, untaught that +ought could hurt them, were bruised and torn, and the blood flowed in +full a dozen places. Nevertheless she felt neither hurt nor pain for her +great dread. And if she were troubled as to the getting in, she was far +more troubled as to the getting out. But she bethought her that it was +no good to linger there; and she found a sharpened stake which had been +thrown by those within in the defence of the castle; and with this she +made steps one above the other, and with much difficulty climbed up till +she reached the top. + +Now hard by was the forest, within two bowshots. It stretched full +thirty leagues in length and in breadth, and had wild beasts in it and +snaky things. She was afraid that if she went into it, these would kill +her; and on the other hand she bethought her that if she were found there +she would be taken back to the town to be burned. + +_Here they sing_. + +Nicolette, that bright-faced may, +Up the moat had won her way, +And to waymenting did fall, +And on Jesu's name 'gan call: + +"Father, King of Majesty! +Now I wot not which way fly. +Should I to the greenwood hie, +There the wolves will me devour, +And the lions and wild boar, +Whereof yonder is great store. +Should I wait the daylight clear, +So that they should find me here, +Lighted will the fire bin +That my body shall burn in. +But, O God of Majesty! +I had liefer yet fairly +That the wolves should me devour, +And the lions and wild boar, +Than into the city fare! + I'll not go there." + +_Here they speak and tell the story_. + +Nicolette made great lamentation, as you have heard. She commended +herself to God, and went on till she came into the forest. She durst not +go deep into it, for the wild beasts and the snaky things; and she crept +into a thick bush, and sleep fell on her. She slept till the morrow at +high Prime, when the herdboys came out of the town, and drove their +beasts between the wood and the river. They drew aside to a very +beautiful spring which was at the edge of the forest, and spread out a +cloak and put their bread on it. While they were eating, Nicolette awoke +at the cry of the birds and of the herdboys, and she sprang towards them. + +"Fair children!" said she, "may the Lord help you!" + +"May God bless you!" said the one who was more ready of speech than the +others. + +"Fair children," said she, "know you Aucassin, the son of the Count +Warren of Beaucaire?" + +"Yes, we know him well." + +"So God help you, fair children," said she, "tell him that there is a +beast in this forest, and that he come to hunt it. And if he can catch +it he would not give one limb of it for a hundred marks of gold, no, not +for five hundred, nor for any wealth." + +And they gazed at her, and when they saw her so beautiful they were all +amazed. + +"What, I tell him?" said he who was more ready of speech than the others. +"Sorrow be his whoever speak of it or whoever tell him! 'Tis fantasy +that you say, since there is not so costly a beast in this forest, +neither stag nor lion nor wild boar, one of whose limbs were worth more +than two pence, or three at the most; and you speak of so great wealth! +Foul sorrow be his who believe you, or whoever tell him! You are a fay, +and we have no care for your company. So keep on your way!" + +"Ah, fair children!" said she, "this will you do! The beast has such a +medicine that Aucassin will be cured of his hurt. And I have here five +sous in my purse; take them, so you tell him! Aye, and within three days +must he hunt it, and, if in three days he find it not, never more will he +be cured of his hurt!" + +"I' faith!" said he, "the pence will we take; and if he come here we will +tell him, but we will never go to seek him." + +"I' God's name!" said she. + +Then she took leave of the herdboys, and went her way. + +_Here they sing_. + +Nicolette, that bright-faced may, +From the herdboys went her way, +And her journeying addressed +Through the leafy thick forest, +Down a path of olden day, +Till she came to a highway, +Where do seven roads divide +Through the land to wander wide. +Then she fell bethinking her +She will try her true lover +If he love her as he sware. +Flow'rs o' the lily gathered she, +Branches of the jarris-tree, +And green leaves abundantly. +And she built a bower of green; +Daintier was there never seen. +By the truth of Heaven she sware, +That should Aucassin come there, +And a little rest not take +In the bower for her sweet sake, +Ne'er shall he her lover be, + Nor his love she! + +_Here they speak and tell the story_. + +Nicolette had made the bower, as you have harkened and heard; very pretty +she made it and very dainty, and all bedecked within and without with +flowers and leaves. Then she laid her down near to the bower in a thick +bush, to see what Aucassin would do. + +And the cry and the noise went through all the land and through all the +country that Nicolette was lost. There are some say that she is fled +away; other some that the Count Warren has had her done to death. Rejoice +who might, Aucassin was not well pleased. Count Warren his father bade +take him out of prison; and summoned the knights of the land, and the +damozels, and made a very rich feast, thinking to comfort Aucassin his +son. But while the feasting was at its height, there was Aucassin leaned +against a balcony, all sorrowful and all downcast. Make merry who might, +Aucassin had no taste for it; since he saw nothing there of that he +loved. A knight looked upon him, and came to him, and accosted him: + +"Aucassin," said he, "of such sickness as yours, I too have been sick. I +will give you good counsel, if you will trust me." + +"Sir," said Aucassin, "gramercy! Good counsel should I hold dear." + +"Mount on a horse," said he, "and go by yon forest side to divert you; +there you will see the flowers and green things, and hear the birds sing. +Peradventure you shall hear a word for which you shall be the better." + +"Sir," said Aucassin, "gramercy! So will I do." + +He stole from the hall, and descended the stairs, and came to the stable +where his horse was. He bade saddle and bridle him; and setting foot in +stirrup, he mounted and rode forth out of the castle, and went on till he +came to the forest. He rode till he reached the spring, and came upon +the herdboys at the point of None. They had spread a cloak on the grass, +and were eating their bread and making very great merriment. + +_Here they sing_. + +Came the herds from every part in; +There was Esme, there was Martin; +There was Fruelin and Johnny; +Aubrey boon, and Robin bonny. +Then to speech did one address him: +"Mates, young Aucassin, God bless him! +'Struth, it is a fine young fellow! +And the girl with hair so yellow, +With the body slim and slender, +Eyes so blue and bloom so tender! +She that gave us such a penny +As shall buy us sweetmeats many, +Hunting-knife and sheath of leather, +Flute and fife to play together, +Scrannel pipe and cudgel beechen. + I pray God leech him!" {48} + +_Here they speak and tell the story_. + +When Aucassin heard the shepherd boys, he minded him of Nicolette his +most sweet friend whom he loved so well; and he bethought him that she +had been there. And he pricked his horse with the spurs, and came to the +shepherd boys. + +"Fair children, may God help you!" + +"May God bless you!" said he who was more ready of speech than the +others. + +"Fair children," said he, "say again the song that you were saying just +now!" + +"We will not say it," said he who was more ready of speech than the +others. "Sorrow be his who sings it for you, fair sir!" + +"Fair children," said Aucassin, "do you not know me?" + +"Aye, we know well that you are Aucassin, our young lord; but we are not +your men, but the Count's." + +"Fair children, you will do so, I pray you!" + +"Hear, by gog's heart!" said he. "And why should I sing for you, an it +suit me not? When there is no man in this land so rich, saving Count +Warren's self, who finding my oxen or my cows or my sheep in his pastures +or in his crops, would dare to chase them from it, for fear of having his +eyes put out. And why should I sing for you, an it suit me not?" + +"So God help you, fair children, you will do so! And take ten sous which +I have here in a purse!" + +"Sir, the pence will we take, but I will not sing to you, for I have +sworn it. But I will tell it to you, if you will." + +"I' God's name!" said Aucassin; "I had liefer telling than nothing." + +"Sir, we were here just now, between Prime and Tierce, and were eating +our bread at this spring, even as we are doing now. And a maiden came +here, the most beautiful thing in the world, so that we deemed it was a +fay, and all the wood lightened with her. And she gave us of what was +hers, so that we covenanted with her, if you came here, we would tell you +that you are to go a-hunting in this forest. There is a beast there +which, could you catch it, you would not give one of its limbs for five +hundred marks of silver, nor for any wealth. For the beast has such a +medicine that if you can catch it you will be cured of your hurt. Aye, +and within three days must you have caught it, and if you have not caught +it, never more will you see it. Now hunt it an you will, or an you will +leave it; for I have well acquitted myself towards her." + +"Fair children," said Aucassin, "enough have you said; and God grant me +to find it!" + +_Here they sing_. + +Aucassin has word for word +Of his lithe-limbed lady heard; +Deep they pierced him to the quick; +From the herds he parted quick, +Struck into the greenwood thick. +Quickly stepped his gallant steed, +Bore him fairly off full speed. +Then he spake, three words he said: +"Nicolette, O lithe-limbed maid! +For your sake I thrid the glade! +Stag nor boar I now pursue, +But the sleuth I track for you! +Your bright eyes and body lithe, +Your sweet words and laughter blithe, +Wounded have my heart to death. +So God, the strong Father will, +I shall look upon you still, + Sister, sweet friend!" + +_Here they speak and tell the story_. + +Aucassin went through the forest this way and that way, and his good +steed carried him a great pace. Think not that the briars and thorns +spared him! Not a whit! Nay they tore his clothes so, that 'twere hard +work to have patched them together again; and the blood flowed from his +arms and his sides and his legs in forty places or thirty; so that one +could have followed the boy by the trace of the blood that fell upon the +grass. But he thought so much on Nicolette, his sweet friend, that he +felt neither hurt nor pain. All day long he rode through the forest, but +so it was that he never heard news of her. And, when he saw that evening +drew on, he began to weep because he found her not. + +He was riding down an old grassy road, when he looked before him in the +way and saw a boy, and I will tell you what he was like. He was tall of +stature and wonderful to see, so ugly and hideous. He had a monstrous +shock-head black as coal, and there was more than a full palm-breadth +between his two eyes; and he had great cheeks, and an immense flat nose, +with great wide nostrils, and thick lips redder than a roast, and great +ugly yellow teeth. He was shod in leggings and shoes of ox-hide, laced +with bast to above the knee; and was wrapped in a cloak which seemed +inside out either way on, and was leaning on a great club. Aucassin +sprang to meet him, and was terrified at the nearer sight of him. + +"Fair brother, may God help you!" + +"May God bless you!" said he. + +"So God help you, what do you there?" + +"What matters it to you?" said he. + +"Nothing"; said Aucassin; "I ask not for any ill reason." + +"But wherefore are you weeping," said he, "and making such sorrow? I' +faith, were I as rich a man as you are, all the world would not make me +weep!" + +"Bah! Do you know me?" said Aucassin. + +"Aye. I know well that you are Aucassin the son of the Count; and if you +tell me wherefore you are weeping I will tell you what I am doing here." + +"Certes," said Aucassin, "I will tell you right willingly. I came this +morning to hunt in this forest; and I had a white greyhound, the fairest +in the world, and I have lost it; 'tis for this I am weeping." + +"Hear him!" said he, "by the blessed heart! and you wept for a stinking +dog! Sorrow be his who ever again hold you in account! Why there is no +man in this land so rich, of whom if your father asked ten, or fifteen, +or twenty, he would not give them only too willingly, and be only too +glad. Nay, 'tis I should weep and make sorrow." + +"And wherefore you, brother?" + +"Sir, I will tell you. I was hireling to a rich farmer, and drove his +plough--four oxen there were. Three days since a great misfortune befell +me. I lost the best of my oxen, Roget, the best of my team; and I have +been in search of it ever since. I have neither eaten nor drunk these +three days past; and I dare not go into the town, as they would put me in +prison, since I have not wherewith to pay for it. Worldly goods have I +none worth ought but what you see on the body of me. I have a mother, +poor woman, who had nothing worth ought save one poor mattress, and this +they have dragged from under her back, so that she lies on the bare +straw; and for her I am troubled a deal more than for myself. For wealth +comes and goes; if I have lost now I shall gain another time, and I shall +pay for my ox when I can; nor will I ever weep for an ox. And you wept +for a dog of the dunghill! Sorrow be his who ever again hold you in +account!" + +"Certes, you are of good comfort, fair brother! Bless you for it! And +what was thine ox worth?" + +"Sir, it is twenty sous they ask me for it; I cannot abate a single +farthing." + +"Here," said Aucassin, "take these twenty which I have in my purse, and +pay for thine ox!" + +"Sir," said he, "Gramercy! And may God grant you to find that which you +seek!" + +He took leave of him; and Aucassin rode on. The night was fine and +still; and he went on till he came to the place where the seven roads +divide, and there before him he saw the bower which Nicolette had made, +bedecked within and without and over and in front with flowers, and so +pretty that prettier could not be. When Aucassin perceived it, he drew +rein all in a moment; and the light of the moon smote within it. + +"Ah, Heaven!" said Aucassin, "here has Nicolette been, my sweet friend; +and this did she make with her beautiful hands! For the sweetness of +her, and for her love, I will now alight here, and rest me there this +night through." + +He put his foot out of the stirrup to alight. His horse was big and +high; and he was thinking so much on Nicolette, his most sweet friend, +that he fell on a stone so hard that his shoulder flew out of place. He +felt that he was badly hurt; but he bestirred him the best he could, and +tied his horse up with his other hand to a thorn; and he turned over on +his side, so that he got into the bower on his back. And he looked +through a chink in the bower, and saw the stars in the sky; and he saw +one there brighter than the rest, and he began to say: + +_Here they sing_. + +"Little star, I see thee there, +That the moon draws close to her! +Nicolette is with thee there, +My love of the golden hair. +God, I trow, wants her in Heaven +To become the lamp of even. + +. . . . . +. . . . . +. . . . . {57} + +Whatsoe'er the fall might be, +Would I were aloft with thee! +Straitly I would kiss thee there. +Though a monarch's son I were, +Yet would you befit me fair, + Sister, sweet friend!" + +_Here they speak and tell the story_. + +When Nicolette heard Aucassin she came to him, for she was not far off. +She came into the bower, and threw her arms round his neck, and kissed +and caressed him. + +"Fair sweet friend, well be you met!" + +"And you, fair sweet friend, be you the well met!" + +They kissed and caressed each other, and their joy was beautiful. + +"Ah, sweet friend!" said Aucassin, "I was but now sore hurt in my +shoulder; and now I feel neither hurt nor pain since I have you!" + +She felt about, and found that he had his shoulder out of place. She +plied it so with her white hands, and achieved (as God willed, who loveth +lovers) that it came again into place. And then she took flowers and +fresh grass and green leaves, and bound them on with the lappet of her +smock, and he was quite healed. + +"Aucassin," said she, "fair sweet friend, take counsel what you will do! +If your father makes them search this forest to-morrow, and they find +me--whatever may become of you, they will kill me!" + +"Certes, fair sweet friend, I should be much grieved at that! But, an I +be able, they shall never have hold of you!" + +He mounted on his horse, and took his love in front of him, kissing and +caressing her; and they set out into the open fields. + +_Here they sing_. + +Aucassin, the boon, the blond, +High-born youth and lover fond, +Rode from out the deep forest; +In his arms his love he pressed, +'Fore him on the saddle-bow; +Kisses her on eyes and brow, +On her mouth and on her chin. +Then to him did she begin: + +"Aucassin, fair lover sweet, +To what land are we to fleet?" + +"Sweet my sweetheart, what know I? +Nought to me 'tis where we fly, +In greenwood or utter way, +So I am with you alway!" + +So they pass by dale and down, +By the burgh and by the town, +At daybreak the sea did reach, +And alighted on the beach + 'Longside the strand. + +_Here they speak and tell the story_. + +Aucassin had alighted, he and his love together, as you have harkened and +heard. He held his horse by the bridle and his love by the hand, and +they began to go along the shore; and they went on till Aucassin descried +some merchants who were in a ship sailing near the shore. He beckoned to +them and they came to him; and he dealt with them so that they took him +into their ship. And when they were on the high sea a storm arose, great +and wonderful, which carried them from land to land, till they arrived at +a foreign land, and entered the port of the castle of Torelore. Then +they asked what land it was; and they told them that it was the land of +the king of Torelore. Then he asked, Who was he, and was there war? And +they told him: + +"Yes, great war." + +He took leave of the merchants, and they commended him to God. He +mounted his horse, with his sword girt, and his love before him, and went +on till he came to the castle. He asked where the king was, and they +told him that he lay in child-bed. + +"And where then is his wife?" + +And they told him that she was with the army, and had taken thither all +the folk of the land. And when Aucassin heard it, he thought it a very +strange thing; and he came to the palace, and alighted, he and his love +together. And she held his horse, and he went up to the palace, with his +sword girt; and went on till he came to the room where the king lay a- +bed. + +_Here they sing_. + +Aucassin the room ent'red, +He the courteous, the high-bred, +And went straight up to the bed, +On the which the king was laid. +Right in front of him he stayed, +And so spake, hear what he said: +"Go to, fool! What dost thou there?" +Quoth the king: "A son I bear. +Soon as is my month fulfilled, +And I am quite whole and healed, +Then shall I the mass go hear, +As my ancestor did ere, +And my great war to maintain +'Gainst mine enemies again. + I will not leave it!" {62} + +_Here they speak and tell the story_. + +When Aucassin heard the king speak thus, he took all the clothes which +were on him, and flung them down the room. He saw behind him a stick. He +took it, and turned and struck him, and beat him so that he was like to +have killed him. + +"Ah, fair sir!" said the king, "what is it you ask of me? Have you your +wits distraught, you who beat me in my own house?" + +"By the heart of God," said Aucassin, "you whoreson knave, I will kill +you unless you give me your word that never more shall any man in your +land lie in child-bed!" + +He gave him his word; and when he had given it, + +"Sir," said Aucassin, "now take me where your wife is with the army!" + +"Sir, right willingly!" said the king. + +He mounted a horse, and Aucassin mounted his; and Nicolette remained in +the queen's chambers. And the king and Aucassin rode till they came +where the queen was; and they found it a battle of crab-apples roasted, +and eggs, and fresh cheeses. And Aucassin began to gaze at them, and he +wondered very hard. + +_Here they sing_. + +Aucassin has stayed him so, +Elbow-propped on saddle-bow, +And began a-gazing at +This tremendous pitched combat. +They had brought with them thereto +Store of cheeses enow new, +Wild crab-apples roasted through, +And of great field-mushrooms too. +He who best disturbs the fords +Is proclaimed the chief of lords. +Aucassin, the gallant knight, +'Gan a-gazing at the sight, + And fell a-laughing. + +_Here they speak and tell the story_. + +When Aucassin saw this strange thing, he came to the king and accosted +him: + +"Sir," said Aucassin, "are these your enemies?" + +"Yes, sir," said the king. + +"And would you that I should avenge you of them?" + +"Yes," said he, "willingly." + +And Aucassin put his hand to his sword, and dashed in among them, and +began to strike to right and to left, and killed many of them. And when +the king saw that he was killing them he took him by the bridle, and +said, + +"Ah, fair sir! Do not kill them so!" + +"How?" said Aucassin. "Do you not wish that I should avenge you?" + +"Sir," said the king, "you have done it overmuch. It is not our custom +to kill one another." + +The other side turned to flight; and the king and Aucassin returned to +the Castle of Torelore. And the people of the country bade the king +drive Aucassin out of his land, and keep Nicolette for his son, since she +seemed in sooth a lady of high degree. And when Nicolette heard it she +was not well-pleased; and she began to say, + +_Here they sing_. + +"King of Torelore!" she said, +Nicolette the lovely maid, +"Fool I seem in your folk's sight! +When my sweet friend clips me tight, +Smooth and soft for his delight, +Then am I at such a school, +Ball nor dance nor gay carole, +Harp nor viol nor cithole, +Nor the pleasures of _nimpole_, {66} + Were ought beside it!" + +_Here they speak and tell the story_. + +Aucassin was at the Castle of Torelore, and Nicolette his love, in great +content and in great delight, for he had with him Nicolette, his sweet +friend whom he loved so well. While he was in such content and in such +delight, a fleet of Saracens came by sea and attacked the castle and took +it by storm. They took the stuff, and led away men-captives and women- +captives. They took Nicolette and Aucassin, and bound Aucassin hand and +foot and threw him into one ship, and Nicolette into another. And there +arose a storm at sea which parted them. The ship in which Aucassin was +went drifting over the sea till it arrived at the Castle of Beaucaire. +And when the people of the country ran to the wrecking of it, they found +Aucassin, and recognised him. When the men of Beaucaire saw their young +lord, they made great joy of him; for Aucassin had stayed at the Castle +of Torelore full three years, and his father and mother were dead. They +brought him to the Castle of Beaucaire, and all became his liegemen. And +he held his land in peace. + +_Here they sing_. + +Aucassin did thus repair +To his city of Beaucaire; +All the kingdom and countrie +Held in great tranquillity. +Swore he by God's majesty, +Sorer far is his regret +For bright-favoured Nicolette +Than his kinsfolk every one, +Though they all were dead and gone. +"Sweet my sweetheart, bright of cheer, +You to seek I know not where! +Never God made that countrie, +Overland or oversea, +If I thought to light on thee, + I'd not fly thither!" + +_Here they speak and tell the story_. + +Now we will leave Aucassin, and tell of Nicolette. The ship in which +Nicolette was, was the king of Carthage's, and he was her father, and she +had twelve brothers, all princes or kings. When they saw Nicolette so +beautiful, they did her very great honour, and made rejoicing over her; +and much they questioned of her who she was; for in sooth she seemed a +very noble lady and of high degree. But she could not tell them who she +was; for she had been carried captive as a little child. + +They sailed till they came beneath the city of Carthage. And when +Nicolette saw the walls of the castle, and the country, she recognised +that it was there she had been brought up and carried captive as a little +child; yet she was not such a little child but that she knew well that +she had been daughter to the king of Carthage, and that she had been +brought up in the city. + +_Here they sing_. + +Nicolette, the wise, the brave, +Won to land from off the wave; +Sees the wharves, the city walls, +And the palaces and halls; +Then she cries, "Ah! woe is me! +Ah, woe worth my high degree! +King's daughter of Carthagen, +To the Amiral akin! +Here me holds a salvage horde! +Aucassin, my gentle lord, +Wise and worshipful and free, +Your sweet love constraineth me, +Calleth me and troubleth me! +Grant me God the Heavenly +Yet to hold you in embrace, +And that you should kiss my face +And my mouth and all my cheer, + My liege lord dear!" + +_Here they speak and tell the story_. + +When the king of Carthage heard Nicolette speak thus, he threw his arms +round her neck. + +"Fair sweet friend," said he, "tell me who you are! Be not afraid of +me!" + +"Sir," said she, "I am daughter to the king of Carthage, and was carried +captive as a little child, full fifteen years ago." + +When they heard her speak thus, they knew well that she said truly; and +they made very great rejoicing over her, and brought her to the palace +with great honour, as a king's daughter. A lord they wished to give her, +a king of Paynim; but she had no care to wed. And when she had been +there full three days or four, she considered with herself by what device +she might go to seek Aucassin. She procured a viol and learned to play +on it; till one day they wished to marry her to a king, a rich Paynim. +Then she stole away in the night, and came to the seaport, and harboured +her at the house of a poor woman on the seashore. + +And she took a herb, and smeared her head and face with it, so that she +was all black and stained. And she got a coat made, and cloak and shirt +and breeches, and attired herself in minstrel guise; and she took her +viol, and went to a mariner, and so dealt with him that he took her in +his ship. They set their sail, and sailed over the high sea till they +arrived at the land of Provence. And Nicolette went forth, and took her +viol, and went playing through the country, till she came to the Castle +of Beaucaire, where Aucassin was. + +_Here they sing_. + +At Beaucaire beneath the tower +Aucassin was one fair hour. +Here he sat him on a stair; +Round him his proud barons were; +Saw the flower and green herb spring, +Heard the song-bird sweetly sing; +Of his love he thought anew, +Nicolette the maiden true, +Whom he loved so long a day; +Then to tears and sighs gave way. +Look you, Nicolette below +Draws her viol, draws her bow; +Now she speaks, her tale tells so: +"List to me, proud lords arow, +Those aloft and those alow! +Would it please you hear a word +Of Aucassin, a proud lord, +And of Nicolette the bold? +Long their love did last and hold +Till he sought her in the wold. +Then, from Torelore's stronghold, +They were haled by heathen horde. +Of Aucassin we've no word. +Nicolette the maiden bold +Is at Carthage the stronghold, +Whom her father dear doth hold +Who of yonder land is lord. +Husband they would her award, +Felon king of heathenesse. +Nicolette cares not for this, +For she loves a lording lad, +Aucassin to name he had. +By God and His name she vows +Never lord will she espouse, +If she have not her true love + She's so fain of." + +_Here they speak and tell the story_. + +When Aucassin heard Nicolette speak thus, he was very glad, and he took +her on one side, and asked her, + +"Fair sweet comrade," said Aucassin, "know you ought of this Nicolette, +of whom you have sung?" + +"Sir, yes! I know of her as the noblest creature and the gentlest and +wisest that ever was born. And she is daughter to the king of Carthage, +who took her when Aucassin was taken, and carried her to the city of +Carthage, when he knew surely that she was his daughter, and made very +great rejoicing over her. And every day they wish to give her for lord +one of the highest kings in all Spain. But she would rather let herself +be hanged or drowned than she would take any of them, were he ever so +rich." + +"Ah, fair sweet comrade," said the Count Aucassin, "if you would go back +to that land, and would tell her to come and speak to me, I would give +you of my wealth as much as you should dare ask or take. Know, moreover, +that for the love of her I will take no wife, were she of ever so high +degree, but I wait for her; nor will I ever have any wife save her. And +had I known where to find her I should not now have to seek her." + +"Sir," said she, "if you would do this, I would go to seek her, for your +sake, and for hers, whom I love much." + +He sware to her; and then he bade give her twenty pounds. And as she +took leave of him, he fell weeping for the sweetness of Nicolette. And +when she saw him weeping, + +"Sir," said she, "be not afraid! Since within a little while I will +bring her to you in this town, so that you shall see her." + +And when Aucassin heard it he was very glad. And she took leave of him, +and went into the town to the house of the Viscountess; for the Viscount +her godfather was dead. She harboured her there; and spoke with her till +she confessed her affair to her, and the Viscountess recognised her, and +knew surely that it was Nicolette, and that she had brought her up. And +she made her be washed and bathed, and sojourn there a full eight days. +And she took a plant which was called Celandine and anointed herself with +it, and she was as beautiful as she had ever been at any time. And she +clad herself in rich silk stuffs, of which the lady had good store, and +she sat her down in the room on a quilted coverlet of cloth-of-silk, and +called the lady, and told her to go for Aucassin her friend. And she did +so. And when she came to the palace she found Aucassin weeping and +lamenting for Nicolette his love, because she tarried so long. And the +lady accosted him and said: + +"Aucassin, now make no more lament, but come away with me, and I will +show you the thing in the world you love best, for it is Nicolette, your +sweet friend, who from far land is come to seek you." And Aucassin was +glad. + +_Here they sing_. + +Now when Aucassin did hear +Of his bright-of-favour fere, +That she had arrived the shore, +Glad was he, he ne'er was more. +With the dame he went his way, +Till the house made stop nor stay. +To the chamber went they in +Where sat Nicolette within. +When she saw her lover there, +Glad she was, so was she ne'er. +Towards him to her feet leapt she. +Aucassin, when he did see, +Both his arms to her he holds, +Gently to his bosom folds, +Kisses her on eyes and face. +So they left him the night's space, +Till the morrow's morning-tide +Aucassin took her to bride, +Made her Lady of Beaucaire. +Many days they then did fare, +And their pleasure did enjoy. +Now has Aucassin his joy, +Nicolette too the same way. +Here endeth our song-and-say; + I know no further. + +PRINTED BY +TURNBULL AND SPEARS, +EDINBURGH + + + + +Footnotes: + + +{39} The device of the warder is to give his warning in the guise of an +_Aubade_, as if he were merely singing for his own amusement. The +_Aubade_, or Watch-song, was a favourite lyrical form in Southern France. +It was originally a dialogue between the lover, the lady, and the +watchman who played sentinel, and warned them that the Dawn was coming. + +{48} This piece of verse is remarkable for the evident intention of +playfulness in it. All the lines end in a diminutive termination, and +all the proper names also; Esmeret, Martinet, Fruelin, Johanet, Aubriet, +Aucassinet. It seemed impossible to preserve this playfulness in any +direct way, without sacrifice of literal rendering and without changing +the proper names. I have tried to give a little of it by the use of +dissyllabic rhymes. + +{57} Three lines are torn away in the original MS. + +{62} The custom of a husband taking to his bed when his wife has borne a +child is a curious superstition well-known to ethnologists and folk-lore +students. The convenient name of _Couvade_, though originally applied to +this custom by a mistake, has now become recognised, and it seems best to +retain it. + +{66} It is unknown what the game of _Nimpole_ or _Nypollete_ was. But +elsewhere it is coupled with games played on a board, _jeux de tables_, +as if of the same nature as draughts or chess. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AUCASSIN AND NICOLETTE*** + + +******* This file should be named 23227.txt or 23227.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/3/2/2/23227 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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