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 the Queen was, and lo! men were warring with baked apples, and with eggs, and with fresh cheeses, and Aucassin began to look on them, and made great marvel.
Here one singeth:
Aucassin his horse doth stay, From the saddle watched the fray, All the stour and fierce array;Right fresh cheeses carried they, Apples baked, and mushrooms grey, Whoso splasheth most the ford He is master called and lord.
Aucassin doth gaze awhile, Then began to laugh and smile And made game.
Then speak they, say they, tell they the Tale:
When Aucassin beheld these marvels, he came to the King, and said, "Sir, be these thine enemies?""Yea, Sir," quoth the King.
"And will ye that I should avenge you of them?""Yea," quoth he, "with all my heart."
Then Aucassin put hand to sword, and hurled among them, and began to smite to the right hand and the left, and slew many of them. And when the King saw that he slew them, he caught at his bridle and said,"Ha! fair sir, slay them not in such wise.""How," quoth Aucassin, "will ye not that I should avenge you of them?""Sir," quoth the King, "overmuch already hast thou avenged me. It is nowise our custom to slay each other."Anon turned they and fled. Then the King and Aucassin betook them again to the castle of Torelore, and the folk of that land counselled the King to put Aucassin forth, and keep Nicolete for his son's wife, for that she seemed a lady high of lineage. And Nicolete heard them, and had no joy of it, so began to say:
Here singeth one:
Thus she spake the bright of brow:
"Lord of Torelore and king, Thy folk deem me a light thing, When my love doth me embrace, Fair he finds me, in good case, Then am I in such derray, Neither harp, nor lyre, nor lay, Dance nor game, nor rebeck play Were so sweet."Then speak they, say they, tell they the Tale:
Aucassin dwelt in the castle of Torelore, in great ease and great delight, for that he had with him Nicolete his sweet love, whom he loved so well. Now while he was in such pleasure and such delight, came a troop of Saracens by sea, and laid siege to the castle and took it by main strength. Anon took they the substance that was therein and carried off the men and maidens captives. They seized Nicolete and Aucassin, and bound Aucassin hand and foot, and cast him into one ship, and Nicolete into another. Then rose there a mighty wind over sea, and scattered the ships. Now that ship wherein was Aucassin, went wandering on the sea, till it came to the castle of Biaucaire, and the folk of the country ran together to wreck her, and there found they Aucassin, and they knew him again.
So when they of Biaucaire saw their damoiseau, they made great joy of him, for Aucassin had dwelt full three years in the castle of Torelore, and his father and mother were dead. So the people took him to the castle of Biaucaire, and there were they all his men.
And he held the land in peace.
Here singeth one:
Lo ye, Aucassin hath gone To Biaucaire that is his own, Dwelleth there in joy and ease And the kingdom is at peace.
Swears he by the Majesty Of our Lord that is most high, Rather would he they should die All his kin and parentry, So that Nicolete were nigh.
