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Three Middle English Charlemagne Romances
This volume serves as an excellent introduction to the tradition of romances dealing with the matter of France-that is, Charlemagne and his Twelve Peers. Of the three groups of English Charlemagne romances, the Ferumbras group, the Otuel group, and detached romances, the editor has selected one of each: The Sultan of Babylon, The Siege of Milan, and The Tale of Ralph the Collier. This is a valuable introduction to Charlemagne romances and is accessible to beginners in Middle English because of contextualizing introductions and glosses for each text, as well as a helpful glossary.
215 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1990
26 people want to read
About the author
Alan Lupack
18 books5 followersAlan Lupack is Emeritus Director of the Rossell Hope Robbins Library and the Koller-Collins Graduate English Center at the University of Rochester (Rochester, New York).
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 6, 2025
“In he entrid at the gate
The portecolis on him thai lete falle.
He wende he hade come to late;
It smote him through herte, lyver and galle.
He lai cryande at the grounde
Like a develle of helle;
Through the cité wente the swone,
So lowde than gan he yelle.”
“For that worde the Kinge was wrothe
And smote him on the mouthe on hye,
The bloode at his nose oute-goth,
And saide, ‘Traitour, thou shalte abye.’
‘Abye,’ quod Roulande, ‘wolde I noughte,
And traitour was I never none,”
“Loke oute,’ she saide, ‘and see faferre
The porpoise pley as thay were wode.’
Maragounde lokede oute; Floripe come nere
And shofed hire oute into the flode.
‘Go there,’ she said; ‘the devel the spede!
My consail shaltowe never biwry.
Whose wole not helpe a man at nede
On evel deth mote he dye.”
“He gan to turne him anone for to go
To make a playnte on Floripas.
She sued him as faste as she myghte go
For to gif him harde grace.
With the keye cloge that she caught,
With goode wille she maute than.
Such a stroke she hym there raught,
The brayne sterte oute of his hede than.”
“Forsoth,’ quot Roulande, ‘and shift we wole;
Gete the better, who gete maye.
To parte with the nedy, it is gode skille;
And so shalle ye by my faye.’
He rode to the admyral with his swerde
And gafe him suche a clout -
No wonder thogh he were aferde -
Both his eyye barste oute.”
“Many a man hade she there slayn.
Might she never after ete more brede!”
The portecolis on him thai lete falle.
He wende he hade come to late;
It smote him through herte, lyver and galle.
He lai cryande at the grounde
Like a develle of helle;
Through the cité wente the swone,
So lowde than gan he yelle.”
“For that worde the Kinge was wrothe
And smote him on the mouthe on hye,
The bloode at his nose oute-goth,
And saide, ‘Traitour, thou shalte abye.’
‘Abye,’ quod Roulande, ‘wolde I noughte,
And traitour was I never none,”
“Loke oute,’ she saide, ‘and see faferre
The porpoise pley as thay were wode.’
Maragounde lokede oute; Floripe come nere
And shofed hire oute into the flode.
‘Go there,’ she said; ‘the devel the spede!
My consail shaltowe never biwry.
Whose wole not helpe a man at nede
On evel deth mote he dye.”
“He gan to turne him anone for to go
To make a playnte on Floripas.
She sued him as faste as she myghte go
For to gif him harde grace.
With the keye cloge that she caught,
With goode wille she maute than.
Such a stroke she hym there raught,
The brayne sterte oute of his hede than.”
“Forsoth,’ quot Roulande, ‘and shift we wole;
Gete the better, who gete maye.
To parte with the nedy, it is gode skille;
And so shalle ye by my faye.’
He rode to the admyral with his swerde
And gafe him suche a clout -
No wonder thogh he were aferde -
Both his eyye barste oute.”
“Many a man hade she there slayn.
Might she never after ete more brede!”
September 11, 2008
I have only read the "Sultan of Babylon" from this collection. As far as this text goes, it's one of the best ways to access "Sultan" if you are doing scholarly work. However, as far as my personal enjoyment of "Sultan" goes, I have to say that I did not overly enjoy it. Reading obscure medieval acid trip romances in Middle English is not my idea of a good time. Give me "Song of Roland" any day of the week over this.
September 29, 2014
At one point, a young girl urgently points to imaginary porpoises and then shoves her nurse out the window. Also, Charlemagne smacks Roland for being a little brat.
The Sultan of Babylon is pure gold, is what I'm trying to say.
The Sultan of Babylon is pure gold, is what I'm trying to say.
May 1, 2018
I honestly don't know how to rate this because all of the reasons I hated Song of Roland still apply to it, but also Sultan of Babylon was one of the most amusing things I have ever read -- truly a hilarious gem of the genre.
October 25, 2025
Middle English Crusader poem? Sign me up.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews