THE BIRTH OF ROLAND 
 
THE 
 
 IRTH 
 OLAN 
 
 MAURICE 
 HEWLETT 
 
 RMPH PLETCHER SEYMOUR Gx 
 THE ALDERBRINK PRESS 
 CHICAGO 
 
COPYRIGHT 1911 
 
 BY 
 
 RALPH FLETCHER SEYMOUR COMPANY 
 
THE BIRTH OF ROLAND 
 
 kj- 
 
HEBlRIH OF^piAND 
 
 ILLE was the name 
 of that sister of King 
 Charlemagne who 
 secretly loved and 
 secretly wedded a 
 poor Knight of Brit- 
 tany called Milo of 
 Ayglent. These 
 two, fast married, 
 who by day could 
 be nothing to each 
 
 The Birth 
 of Roland 
 
 i 
 
The Birth other, nor so much as look each in the 
 of Roland eyes of each for assurance of their 
 plighting, used to meet by night in the 
 pine woods, and then the whole world 
 and the multitude of the starry host 
 held no other souls in bodies; but all 
 the immensity was theirs alone, and 
 for them blew the sweet night airs, 
 and to them only sang the trees their 
 sighed songs. For a season this en- 
 dured, until Gille in the course of na- 
 ture must reveal whither Nature had 
 led her. Her state made plain, the 
 great King sent for her one day, and 
 demanded of her the name of her lover. 
 She refused it, for fear of what he 
 would do to Sir Milo,her husband; and 
 when he threatened her with summary 
 death, unblenched she asked him this: 
 "Will you kill two souls at once?" He 
 knew that he dared not do that: more- 
 over he loved her soul better than his 
 
 10 
 
own, and any little thing of hers, even 
 so small a thing as her child by an 
 unknown man, was more precious to 
 him than the iron crown of his maj- 
 esty. He considered therefore for a 
 day and a night what he should do 
 with her. 
 
 The Birth 
 of Roland 
 
 ii 
 
The Birth 
 of Roland 
 
 THEN he had her stripped to the 
 smock and set upon an ox-cart 
 alone before all his peers. 
 There as she sat he loved her more 
 than ever in his life; for the tide of 
 her hair, being loosed, flowed over her 
 shoulders like water over a weir; or it 
 was as if the yellow broom should be 
 aflower upon a field of snow. And 
 Gille, being of the same great lineage 
 as he was, in spirit as high, lost noth- 
 
 12 
 
ing of her burning colour, abated no T f h p^ irtJ 
 fire in her proud eyes, but sat smiling 
 in the cart, as if it had been a litter to 
 carry her to a King's coronation; and 
 her hands were folded in her lap; and 
 all her hair was about her like a royal 
 cope. No kingly sign upon her was 
 lost to the King, in whom, neverthe- 
 less, the love he had for her was 
 chilled suddenly to cold rage. So, 
 hardening his heart, he called out in 
 the midst of the people, "Now, who 
 will drive me this cartload into the 
 waste?" Then Sir Milo of Ayglent 
 lifted up his sword by the point, cry- 
 ing out, "I will, O King/' 
 
 King Charlemagne, frowning 
 deeply, says, "By what right, Milo?" 
 Milo answered, "By the best right in 
 the world. For a priest has blessed 
 the marriage, and the child that shall 
 be born shall be lawfully thy nephew." 
 
 13 
 
The Birth The King looked terribly upon him. 
 
 of Roland Black as thunder were his brows; but 
 Milo did not blench for that. So 
 presently Charlemagne said, "Take 
 that which is yours, and go, and see 
 my face no more/' Then Milo got 
 into the cart and sat upon the bench 
 beside his lady wife; and he gathered 
 up the ropes and struck the oxen with 
 the goad, and drove away towards the 
 sunset. And King Charlemagne sat 
 alone in his royal house for seven days; 
 for of all his kindred, and passing the 
 love of any man for his kindred, he 
 loved Gille the fair. After that he 
 went warring in Saxony, and forgot 
 the shame upon his house, as a man 
 should, in work rather too hard for any 
 man to do. There gat he the ac- 
 quaintance, the love and service of 
 Ogier, the Dane, as may elsewhere be 
 related; but neither there nor else- 
 
 14 
 
where, in field, on throne, in bed, at The Birth 
 board, did he forget his fair sister of Roland 
 Gille whom beyond all people in the 
 world he loved. 
 
 Now Sir Milo drove his wife in the 
 cart into his own country in Brittany, 
 but not to any town, burgh or castle 
 which might have called him lord. 
 Lord though he might be called of 
 them, all the land knew the great King 
 for overlord; nor might any harbour- 
 age be found in all broad France for a 
 man proscribed. Rather, he turned 
 his oxen s heads towards the wilder- 
 ness and took her deeply within the 
 enchanted forest of Broceliande, and 
 hid her in a cave hard by an open 
 lawn. Little recked she for that. She 
 made no complaint, nor asked of him 
 miracles, neither asserted any right of 
 King's daughter or woman with child. 
 No, but she turned him, rather, a smil- 
 
 15 
 
The Birth 
 of Roland 
 
 ing face, and put into his failing heart 
 great store out of her own. Indeed, 
 she comforted him, who ought to have 
 claimed all comfort and touched his 
 cheek with her hand when he seemed 
 weary and inclined to be mopish. So, 
 when he looked down to see what it 
 was that she needed, he found her 
 brave eyes upon him full of trust, and 
 saw her mouth ready to be kissed. 
 
 16 
 
What man could be sorrowful having The Birth 
 such delight close at hand, or feel him- of Roland 
 self poor with such treasure in his cart? 
 Thus do brave women hourly for the 
 men they love, but thus do not men. 
 Now, there in Broceliande, under the 
 green leaves, a child was born, and 
 christened by his own father, and had 
 the name of Baldwin. That was the 
 first born of Gille, King Charlemagne's 
 sister; and after him, for two full years 
 she had no child. 
 
 17 
 
The Birth 
 of Roland 
 
 OW,when the 
 child Baldwin 
 was two years 
 old, and it was 
 M i ds u m men 
 Night Gille the 
 fair was alone 
 with him in Bro- 
 celiande. It was 
 dark in the forest 
 
 II 
 
and quite still; and in the cave it was 
 dark where Gille sat alone by the 
 couch of her son. Sir Milo was gone 
 away these two days or more, as had 
 become his custom every quarter of 
 the year, seeking to learn the where- 
 abouts of King Charlemagne, his wife's 
 brother and lord, whether he was in 
 Saxony or elsewhere in Paganry, or 
 come back to France. For two or 
 three days he had been gone, and could 
 not be back for as many more. For 
 him adventure in the world, for her 
 waiting at home. This also is the 
 pleasure of men and the lot of women. 
 Now the large stars shone out above 
 the trees like the lamps of a town afar 
 off; in the leaves whispered the night 
 wind; she heard the owls cry, the foxes 
 bark. Then presently she lifted her 
 head and looked sharply aside, as he 
 does who listens intently. She heard 
 
 20 
 
a horse come at a walking pace through Th « Birth 
 the forest breaking dead wood and ofRoland 
 brushing through undergrowth on his 
 way. She thought "Here is my lord 
 come back before the time;" and her 
 heart beat for the pleasure of him. So 
 then she stooped down, to be sure that 
 her son slept and rising quickly fetched 
 meat bread and a skin of wine. These 
 set in order, she went out into the 
 night to meet him, and presently made 
 out before her a horse like a great 
 ghost, and upon the saddle of him the 
 rider, a hood over his head, in his hand 
 a tall spear. Much she marvelled at 
 the sight, saying to herself, "Thus went 
 not out my Lord Milo, but returns 
 with a spear against his thigh. And 
 his horse, which was a bay, is now a 
 white horse. It must be that he has 
 fought with some strange knight and 
 prevailed against him, to take away his 
 
 21 
 
horse and spear/' So then, nothing 
 doubt in g, she runs on and takes the 
 horse by the bridle, and lifts up her 
 face to be kissed, saying, low and glad, 
 "Welcome to my lord/' He, without 
 word said, stoops toward her and 
 touches her hair. The horse is teth- 
 ered; she takes the rider's hand and 
 leads him to the mouth of the cave. 
 There she disarms him, and marks, by 
 the feeling of it, how fine the harness 
 that he wears, and marvels greatly that 
 he will not suffer his hood to be taken 
 from him, nor say a word to her. So 
 falls she to also to be silent, and to 
 tremble also; for she knows without 
 speech that he has come back with love 
 for her in his heart, and tells herself 
 that this night she will get a child. 
 Then she leads him into the dark cave 
 and plies him with meat and drink, 
 and kneels beside him ministering in 
 
 22 
 
the dark. Little says she, and he noth- The Birth 
 ing, but he embraces her with his arm. of Roland 
 and gives her kisses now and then, 
 After he has done with food and drink 
 he takes her in both his arms, and she 
 needs nothing that he cannot give her. 
 So they go to bed, and towards morn- 
 ing she sleeps; and waking finds his 
 place empty, her husband gone again 
 on his horse. But she is comforted 
 with the thought that love for her 
 called him home out of the middle of 
 his affairs, and is well content to wait 
 his pleasure when he shall come again. 
 He comes not home again for three 
 days, but then brings news that the 
 King, her brother, is back in France 
 with much spoil from Saxony and a 
 kingdom to add to his other kingdoms. 
 Nothing has he to say of his silent 
 visit; nor spear nor fine harness brings 
 he back again. Gille thinks to herself, 
 
 23 
 
The Birth "He has again fought and has suffered 
 overthrow. Best were that I say noth- 
 ing/' But she finds anon that she is 
 with child and tells him of it. Little 
 or nothing says Sir Milo, whose mis- 
 fortunes have made him glum. 
 
 In the springtime of the year the 
 child was born, and named by herself 
 Roland. 
 
 24 
 
The Birth 
 of Roland 
 
 HIS second child 
 of hers Gille 
 suckled for two 
 years; for she said, 
 "It never fortuned 
 a woman to bring 
 into the world so 
 fair a child, not 
 since the mild 
 Mother of Chris- 
 tianity bare her 
 
 III 
 
The Birth Son, who is the Saviour of men. And 
 oland it was written of him, 'Blessed the 
 womb that bare thee, and the paps 
 that gave thee suck/ So now might it 
 be said of me in after time, that I 
 nourished a frere in Christendom, and 
 so it shall be that he shall eat and drink 
 of me so long as my force endures/' 
 And it was so; and the child grew up 
 to be as strong as Baldwin, his elder 
 brother, and much more beautiful. 
 Baldwin favoured his father, being dark 
 and heavy-faced as he was, slow in his 
 motions of mind and body, and delib- 
 erate; but Roland was wholly after the 
 mould of his mother, as fair and fierce 
 as she, with hair of her golden colour, 
 and complexion of fire. His eyes were 
 colour of blue flowers, his cheeks were 
 of flame, and his mouth very red; he 
 had small hands and feet, a deep chest 
 and narrow hips; his little ears were 
 
 26 
 
set far back on his head. He was flat The Birth 
 in the arms and buttocks; the calves of Roland 
 of his legs were as hard as a man's 
 saddle. The two boys loved each other 
 well; but as time went on it was so 
 that the will of the younger outvailed 
 the will of the elder, and was the law 
 between them. 
 
 Now when Roland was six years 
 old there came into the forest of Bro- 
 celiande the wise Duke Naimes of 
 Bavier with thirty esquires, seeking the 
 whereabouts of the King s sister. For 
 King Charles himself had sent him, 
 saying, "Ride you east and ride you 
 west, but by all means find her, and 
 prevail upon her to come with you to 
 Laon, and to me, she and all that she 
 has." So Duke Naimes rode east and 
 west, and quartered all the woodland 
 places, and rode deeply among the 
 trees; and this he did for two and 
 
 27 
 
TheBirth twenty days. Anon, as he and his 
 company dipped down a valley of rocks 
 among stems of the silver birch, and 
 forded a certain river, and began to 
 climb the ridge that was on the other 
 side, the Duke Naimes reined in his 
 courser, and "Ha, Christ," he said, 
 "whom have we here above us?" Then 
 they all looked up, and saw, and he 
 also saw, two naked boys stand upon 
 the ridge with clubs in their right 
 hands, one black-haired and swarthy, 
 the other shining like a gold-haired 
 seraph, his body like the rose of dawn. 
 They stood clear against the morning 
 sky, as it might be two angels guard- 
 ing the gates of Paradise. Then said 
 Naimes, the wise duke, "Prick on, sirs. 
 Here have we whom we seek." So he 
 gathered up his reins and mounted the 
 ridge, his company behind him; and 
 they came up against the two boys, 
 
 28 
 
Roland namely, and his elder brother. The Birth 
 
 Now must Duke Naimes do one of of R° land 
 two things. Either must he ride them 
 down, or again draw rein. It was the 
 latter he did, and his esquires also, and 
 sat still and looked at Roland, saying 
 after a while, "Fair son, let me pass 
 on my road/' 
 
 But Roland said, "No passage/' and 
 the Duke again, "How is that then?" 
 Then said Roland, "Good sir, because 
 we stand in the way;" whereupon he, 
 "By my head, the best reason in the 
 world. Yet if I had thy leave to pass, 
 what then?" 
 
 Says Roland, "You have it not;" 
 and Baldwin nodded his head, and re- 
 peated after his brother, "That is the 
 case: you have it not." 
 
 Duke Naimes looked from one lad 
 to the other, wondering how he had 
 best deal with the pair of them. 
 
 29 
 
The Birth By and by says he, "Look you, fair 
 of Roland sons, I am come ambassador from the 
 side of the King to your lady mother. 
 You will not deny me the privilege of 
 envoy. If I am sent by a King I may 
 surely look upon a King s sister. Or 
 do you tell your father, Sir Milo, that 
 Naimes of Bavier is on his borders, 
 and so be contented with what he 
 says, as I will be/' Then the two lads 
 consulted together, and afterwards 
 Roland spake to the Duke. 
 
 "Sir/' he said, "the truth of the mat- 
 ter is that our father is not here, but 
 is away on his affairs, leaving our 
 mother in charge of us. Consequently, 
 as you perceive, we stand upon strict- 
 ness." 
 
 "I do perceive/' said Duke Naimes. 
 "Nevertheless I also stand upon strict- 
 ness, considering myself as an ambas- 
 sador/' So said, he held Roland with 
 
 30 
 
a keen eye and waited to see what he The Birth 
 would say or do. Roland, frowning, of R° land 
 pondered the matter. 
 
 Then he said, "Sir, if it be so, as you 
 report, that you come from the King, 
 my uncle, I think that I will take you 
 before my mother. But these lords of 
 yours must await you here/' 
 
 "It shall be as you decree, fair son/' 
 said Duke Naimes. "Yet these are my 
 esquires, and claim no such title as you 
 give them/' Roland, angry at the 
 mistake he had made, grew red. 
 Nevertheless he put his hand to the 
 bridle-rein, saying to his brother Bald- 
 win, "Lead with me/' And so he did; 
 and in this fashion the great Duke 
 Naimes of Bavier was led before the 
 King s sister, having no other escort 
 than two mother-naked boys. She, 
 too, though she was barefoot and bare- 
 headed, received him as a queen upon 
 
 31 
 
The Birth tne degrees of her throne might greet 
 
 of Roland a pompous embassage. 
 
 But when Gille had heard the pro- 
 posal that he made her on the part of 
 the King, her brother, she gave him 
 clear refusal. 
 
 "My brother's love for me," she said, 
 "was testified by his driving me out 
 into the waste and leaving me for nine 
 years there, to live or die like a beast 
 of the field. I will not go to him at 
 Laon nor at Aix, nor shall my sons go. 
 But if he pleases to come here to me, 
 where he has put me, he shall not be 
 denied. Enough said. Sit you down 
 now, my Lord Naimes, and my sons 
 shall serve you as becomes them." So 
 he did, and so was served as she said 
 by those two boys with meat and 
 drink. Baldwin carved the meat and 
 set it it before him on a wooden 
 trencher; Roland brought the wine in 
 
 32 
 
a bowl, kneeling as he offered it. TheBirth 
 Naimes had no eyes but for him. of Roland 
 "Madam/' he said, "this lad should be 
 a king some day." 
 
 "How then, my lord/' quoth she, 
 "Hath my brother no sons?" 
 
 "He hath none after the fashion of 
 this one," said Naimes, "nor so near 
 the fashioning of himself." 
 
 "This son of mine favours me, I 
 think," said Gille, and Duke Naimes 
 answered her, "Yes, madam, indeed. 
 And your favour is that of the King, 
 my master, who but for you is with- 
 out peer in the world." Then he 
 thought for a space, and afterwards 
 lifted his hand up, saying, "I am very 
 sure of this, that here is lodged a heart 
 without fear," and he touched Roland 
 on the bare breast; "And here a tongue 
 without guile," and he laid a finger 
 upon his mouth. Then he looked 
 
 33 
 
TheBirth gladly upon the chili and of Gille 
 of Roland asked this question> -What evil beast 
 
 or what felon man in this forest doth 
 he fear?" 
 
 Gille said, "He fears no man, nor no 
 beast/' 
 
 Then said Naimes, "I serve, as I sup- 
 pose, the bravest man alive; but I tell 
 you that I may yet live to serve a 
 braver/' 
 
 So he turned to Roland and said 
 this, "My son, I am old, as thou seest, 
 and bear about me such marks of hon- 
 our as a man of my years may receive. 
 Thou bearest few enough of such 
 things, seeing thy years be few. Yet 
 look thou now how I, Naimes of Ba- 
 vier, do pay honour where it be due." 
 So said, he knelt down before the 
 young boy, having bared his old head, 
 and he stooped and kissed his knee. 
 Roland, wonderful, looked to his 
 
 34 
 
mother for direction, who through eyes The Birth 
 all dim with tears answered him fondly. of Rolai 
 ''Kiss Naimes, my son/' said she. So 
 Roland stooped down and kissed Duke 
 Naimes upon the lips. 
 
 After this the great man went his 
 way back to his company, escorted out 
 as he had come. 
 
 35 
 
The Birth 
 of Roland 
 
 HEN he was 
 gone, Duke 
 Naimes with his 
 company, Roland 
 drew his brother 
 Baldwin after 
 him into the deep 
 forest and there 
 talked with him. 
 "Who thinkest 
 thou is this King, 
 
 IV 
 
The Birth our mother's brother?" he asked, and 
 of Roland Baldwin said "He is King of the 
 world/' 
 
 Then Roland, "So he is King of this 
 forest and of us?" And Baldwin, "He 
 is our uncle and lord/' 
 
 But Roland said fiercely, "Dost thou 
 call that man lord who useth our 
 mother in such a fashion? That will 
 I never do." 
 
 Baldwin heard him, and shook his 
 head, thinking such words dangerous. 
 Roland hereafter kept his own coun- 
 sel. 
 
 38 
 
The Birth 
 of Roland 
 
 % 
 
 fharlemagne, the y 
 King of Christen- 
 dom, made no 
 sign for a year or 
 more, then sent 
 letters to an- 
 nounce himself. 
 He was come, he 
 said, to the con- 
 fines of his forest 
 of Broceliande, 
 
The Birth to a castle which he had there called 
 Sounes, and required the attendance 
 of Dame Gille with her two sons. 
 But to his letters the lady would 
 make no answer, although Sir Milo, 
 her husband, was of another opin- 
 ion. "Lady/' he said, "We go 
 against loyalty and our profit at once 
 by too much stiffness. King Charles is 
 your lord and my lord, and the fortunes 
 of our sons are in his hands." But she 
 flamed to a clear, high colour and re- 
 fused to go to Sounes; so Sir Milo, 
 loving her much, said no more, though 
 he went heavily and full of care. All 
 this debate was heard by Roland, that 
 burning image of his mother, and pon- 
 dered deeply in his heart. 
 
 Night and day he thought what he 
 should do until he was fully resolved; 
 and then at last he rose up before the 
 sun and sought about the cave, where 
 
 40 
 
they all slept upon leaves and fern- The Birth 
 brake, for wherewithal to make him- 
 self a coat. His mind was made up 
 that he would go to the King himself 
 at Sounes; but he must have some 
 covering for his body, for he remem- 
 bered how Duke Naimes had looked 
 at them when he saw him and his 
 brother naked, and would not be re- 
 proached by King Charles. But all he 
 could find in the cave was an old cloak 
 of his father's, slashed and shredded 
 by age, and the red colour of it stained, 
 now white where the sun had bleached 
 it, now black where the weather had 
 fouled. Again, he found a blue gown 
 of his mother's; and of the two of 
 them he contrived to fashion him a 
 coat, red before and blue behind. He 
 carved out the coat with his father's 
 sword, and sewed it together with 
 strips of reed; so clothed, he went 
 
 4i 
 
The Birth away early and sought King Charles 
 of Roland at Sounes Castle. 
 
 42 
 
The Birth 
 of Roland 
 
 OW the King 
 sat in his hall at 
 the high table, 
 alone in his state; 
 and esquires 
 served him on 
 their knees; and 
 after kneeling, 
 one rose and filled 
 his gold cup, and 
 
 VI 
 
The Birth another set meat upon his golden plat- 
 of Roland ter. Below him in their order sat the 
 peers. Turpin, the archbishop, was 
 there, Duke Naimes of Bavier, Duke 
 Goeffrey of Anjou, who bore the Ori- 
 flamme, which was formerly called 
 Romanc. There were also Thierry, 
 that duke's brother, and Ogier the 
 Dane, and Aymon of Dordogne, and 
 Ganelon, son of Goeffrey, son of Doon 
 of Mayence, and Samson, Duke of 
 Burgundy, and Anseis, the old man. 
 Nine peers were there in those days; 
 but when Oliver and Roland and Re- 
 nau of Montauban came to manhood, 
 then the peers were twelve and their 
 deeds filled the world with light. 
 
 Tne doors of the hall stood open, 
 and in the court was a multitude of 
 the poor, to whom the King gave meat 
 and drink. Into the number of them 
 came Roland, the fair child, in his coat 
 
 44 
 
that was red before and blue behind, The Birth 
 and saw the servants come out with of R° land 
 meat bread and skins full of wine, to 
 feed the poor withal. And the boy 
 grew fiery red, and fire burned in his 
 blue eyes as he thought to himself, 
 "To this horde must be added my 
 mother, a King's daughter, if she were 
 to come as she were told. Shame were 
 it, and I had rather die than see her 
 here/' So said, he pushed a way for 
 himself and stepped in the doorway 
 and walked up the hall. 
 
 It was as if the sun was shining in, 
 when Roland came into the hall. He 
 walked up the centre of it between 
 the tables of the peers and great vas- 
 sals, and stood before the dais where- 
 on, in the chair of state, the King sat 
 at dinner. "Now who is this fair child, 
 whose hair is like a seraph's of the 
 light, and his eyes blue as the sky, and 
 
 45 
 
of Roland 
 
 The Birth his face dawn-colour?" So asked King 
 Charles of himself, and so asked each 
 peer of himself; but only Duke Naimes 
 of Bavier had the answer, and he kept 
 it close in his old heart. 
 
 Now stands Roland with his foot 
 upon the dais, and looks at the King, 
 his uncle. Into the King's beard goes 
 the King s hand; and he frowns upon 
 the child, "What seekest thou here of 
 me, child ?" saith he then. 
 
 "Meat for a King's daughter/' then 
 says Roland, and mounts dais, and 
 takes up the King's golden platter. 
 All the peers stood up in their places, 
 all save Ganelon of the race of Doon, 
 who sat where he was, watching and 
 judging. 
 
 Not a word said the King, but looked 
 sharply at Roland; who then laid hands 
 upon the golden cup and took it. 
 
 "Ha!" cried King Charles, "what 
 
 46 
 
wilt thou have with my cup?" The Birth 
 
 "Wine/' said Roland, "for a King's of Roland 
 daughter/' Up then gat Ganelon, of 
 Doon's unhappy race, and cried out in 
 full hall "Lord, wilt thou have this 
 rascal whipped?" 
 
 "I will not," said King Charles, who 
 then put his royal hand upon Roland's 
 shoulder, saying, "Take thou my cup 
 and platter, and say that I come pres- 
 ently to thy mother." Roland knelt 
 before the King and kissed his knee, 
 even as Duke Naimes had kissed his 
 own. And then he went back through 
 the forest and put the cup and platter 
 before his mother. She, with full heart 
 and full eyes, sought the eyes of Milo, 
 her husband; but he would not look 
 at her, nor commend Roland for what 
 he had done. For he himself came not 
 of royal race, but had been taught obe- 
 dience unto kings, and loyalty and hu- 
 mility. 47 
 
The Birth 
 of Roland 
 
 PON the next 
 day came King 
 Charlemagne in 
 his winged hel- 
 met of gold; with 
 his scarlet cloak 
 upon his shoul- 
 ders, whose 
 morse was made 
 of gold and ame- 
 thyst; by his thigh 
 
 VII 
 
The Birth his miraculous sword Joyeuse, in whose 
 of Roland pommel was hid the head of the spear 
 made holy by the piercing of our Sa- 
 viour's side; in his right hand the lance 
 of his towering pride. About his white 
 horse were his peers, and behind him 
 and them rode sixty lords, men of re- 
 nown; who thus rode all through the 
 forest ways to the lawn where was the 
 cave in which Gille the fair had lived 
 and borne her sons. And there, before 
 this intolerable glory of gold and har- 
 ness and great horses, see Gille the 
 noble lady in a frock of coarse flax. 
 And all her mantle was her gold hair, 
 and for hue royal her own bright blood 
 burning in her cheeks. There, also, be- 
 hind her, stood Sir Milo of Ayglent, 
 her husband; and on either side of her 
 stood a son, Baldwin on her right hand 
 in a bliaut made in the fashion of Rol- 
 and's, being blue before and red be- 
 
 5o 
 
hind, and Roland in that which he had The Birth 
 made for himself, being red before and of Roland 
 blue behind. 
 
 Then Gille rose and went forward 
 to meet the King, her brother, taking 
 a son by either hand. "Sir, I pray you 
 deign to enter my house/' she said, 
 "and welcome shall you be/' King 
 Charlemagne dismounted from his 
 horse and took Gille by the chin, and 
 kissed her. "I will come in gladly, sis- 
 ter/' he said, "for you have him with 
 you in whom I am most glad/' From 
 her to Roland, from Roland back to 
 her he turned his looks. "Blood of 
 your blood, sister, and of your flesh the 
 very flesh is this lad. Now, for his 
 sake, I pardon you your trespass, and 
 for his sake I make Milo an earl/' 
 
 "Sir/' said Gille, "my son shall ren- 
 der you the good that you do to me 
 and mine. He shall be, as you are, a 
 
 5i 
 
The Birth champion of Christ; he shall carry on 
 of Roland his shield the blazon of many realms; 
 into King's platters he shall put his 
 hardy hands, and out of King's cups 
 shall he drink red wine. Even as you 
 are so shall he be/' 
 
 "Yes," said King Charlemagne, "this 
 boy shall be my peer, and a falcon of 
 the true faith/' And he looked long 
 at his sister, and marked how her col- 
 our rose high and bright. 
 
 As for Roland, when the King was 
 not looking at what he did, he took 
 the great sword Joyeuse by the pom- 
 mel, and lightly pulled it out of the 
 scabbard. Backwards and forwards he 
 swayed it in his hand, then tried the 
 temper of it in the ground. "See, 
 mother, how it bends; like a whip it 
 bends," he said; and she bade him give 
 it back. But the King said, "Ah, my 
 son Roland, a sword, Durandal, shall 
 
 52 
 
be thine, which is, next to this Joyeuse, The Birth 
 the greatest sword in the world. Wie- of Roland 
 land made it and Malakin gave it me 
 as ransom for his brother Abram : that 
 was in the vale of Maurienne long ago. 
 Three times shalt thou let it go, once 
 by ruse, and once to serve thy friend, 
 and once by thine own fault; but in the 
 end it will be thine again; and in death- 
 time no many living shall take it from 
 thy hand. This I know from soothsay- 
 ers, and visions revealed— but these 
 things are not yet. In the pom- 
 mel of it there are wondrous things: 
 a portion of Our Lady's smock, a tooth 
 of St. Peter, a phial of St. Basil's blood, 
 and some of the hairs of the head of 
 St. Denis." 
 
 Roland said, "Where is that 
 sword?" 
 
 "It is at Laon, my city," said the 
 King; and Roland, "Then I come with 
 you to get it." 53 
 
The Birth "That shall be so," said King Char- 
 of Roland lemagne, and neither Gille nor Sir 
 Milo had any words to gainsay his 
 words. 
 
 Then Roland kissed his mother, 
 father and brother, and was set before 
 King Charlemagne on his white horse, 
 and held in his hand the miraculous 
 spear of pride. And so he left Broce- 
 liande, and abode with the great King 
 until the years of his pupilage were 
 ended. 
 
 54 
 
THIS BOOK ENTITLED "THE BIRTH OF ROLAND" 
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 JAPAN VELLUM BY THE RALPH FLETCHER 
 SEYMOUR COMPANY, MCMXI. 
 
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