"Beloved Rollánd, to France I now return. When in my chamber I shall be at Loün, And foreign men come from afar to ask Where lives Rollánd the Captain, I shall say 'He lieth dead in Spain;' and I henceforth Shall hold my realm in bitter pain. No day Shall dawn for me unmarked by tears and moans." Aoi.
[CCXI.]
"Sweet friend Rollánd, brave Knight and beauteous youth, When I return to Aix, in my Chapelle, And men shall come to hear me speak of thee, What strange and cruel news I then shall have To greet them with! 'My nephew who for me Such conquests made ... is dead.' And Saxons now Will rise against my power, and Hungres, and Bugres With other foes—the men of Rome, of Pouille, And all those of Palerne; and those who hold Affrike and Califerne. Day after day My pain will grow—Who then shall lead my host With such an arm of might, since he is dead, Who was our chief and head so long. Alas! Sweet France, bereft art thou! So great my grief I would not live!"—he plucks out his white beard And tears his hair with both hands from his head. Swoon on the earth one hundred thousand Franks— Aoi.
[CCXII.]
"Sweet friend," he cried, "Rollánd, thou art no more: Oh! may thy soul have place in Paradise! Who gave thee death brought grievous shame to France. Such is my grief, I would not longer live. My kinsmen died for me! I pray Our Lord, The Blessed Mary's son, before I reach Cizra's defiles, from mortal life to take My soul away, and let it rest with theirs. I would my body lay beside their own!" And, weeping sore, he tears his hoary beard.... Then said Duke Naimes:—"What cruel pain is Carle's!" Aoi.
[CCXIII.]
"Sire Emperor," spoke forth Geffrei d'Anjou, "Yield not so much to sorrow—Orders give To seek our men throughout the battle-field, In combat killed by those of Spain, and lay Them in one grave"—Carle said: "Then sound your horn." Aoi.
[CCXIV.]
Geffrei d'Anjou obeyed and blew his horn; The French dismount, such was the king's command, And all their friends found slain upon the field Together in one charnel wide inter: A crowd of bishops, abbots, canons, monks And tonsured priests there gathered, in the name Of God assoil and bless; incense and myrrh Are burned in reverence and love before The dead who, buried there with honors great, Are left alone—what more was there to do? Aoi.