The Song of Roland

Charles the King, our Lord and Sovereign, Full seven years hath sojourned in Spain, Conquered the land, and won the western main, Now no fortress against him doth remain, No cit...

The King is gone into that orchard then; With him he takes the best among his men; And Blancandrins there shews his snowy hair, And Jursalet, was the King's son and heir, And th...

Ready they make hauberks Sarrazinese, That folded are, the greater part, in three; And they lace on good helms Sarragucese; Gird on their swords of tried steel Viennese; Fine sh...

A Sarrazin was there, of Sarraguce, Of that city one half was his by use, 'Twas Climborins, a man was nothing proof; By Guenelun the count an oath he took, And kissed his mouth...

Then Rollant looked upon Olivier's face; Which was all wan and colourless and pale, While the clear blood, out of his body sprayed, Upon the ground gushed forth and ran away. "G...

That Emperour hath chosen his bivouac; The Franks dismount in those deserted tracts, Their saddles take from off their horses' backs, Bridles of gold from off their heads unstra...

Through all the field dismount the Frankish men, Five-score thousand and more, they arm themselves; The gear they have enhances much their strength, Their horses swift, their ar...

Right well they strike, both Franks and Arrabies, Breaking the shafts of all their burnished spears. Whoso had seen that shattering of shields, Whoso had heard those shining hau...

When the Emperour had made his whole vengeance, He called to him the Bishops out of France, Those of Baviere and also the Germans: "A dame free-born lies captive in my hands, So...