THE Book of Baudoin, Baudouin, or Baudoyn (for the name is spelt in all these ways, and perhaps in half-adozen more), is one of the most ancient of the books of chivalry. The hero of it is that Baldwin Earl of Flanders who disappeared in the Crusades, and who (or some impostor in his name) returned to Europe many years after his supposed death, and was hanged by his dutiful daughter, Jane. A curious story is told of this incident in the "Imposteurs Insignes," a work published in 1683. "All the inhabitants of Lille believed that the Countess Jane was persuaded, after the man's execution, that he was really her father, for, at the moment of being turned off, he had said that his daughter Jane had a secret mark on her body, which was only known to him, to his wife, and the nurse, and which could not possibly have been divulged, the nurse having been dead a long time; and that immediately on this declaration, by reason of the natural instinct of the sex to be flighty and changeable, she was extremely vexed at having made him die in that way." But whether the incident be true or false, it has furnished the subject of several modern plays, so that Jane is not much celebrated as an example of filial piety. The family seems, indeed, to have been scarcely quite correct in other respects, as the reader will perceive that Baudoin was not very particular in his choice of a wife; and the younger daughter, Marguerite," loved not wisely, but too well." The editors of this edition indulge in great laudations of the moral inculcated by the work. We cannot say we perceive its value in this respect, but, as a picture of the state of manners, and the modes of thought and speech in the days of feasts and tournaments, we consider it unrivalled. It will be perceived that love plays a very secondary part in this romance. The author devotes all his skill to the description of jousts and battles, and certainly his attempts in that style are very successful. How vividly he brings before us the whole scene; and in what a cool, businesslike narrative he relates the breaking of heads and cutting of throats, re

lieved, however, by the well-sustained individuality of the different knights, the vaunting pride of Acquillan, the soldier of Parthia, and the firm courage of Baudoin himself. We have only given a translation of the first thirty or forty pages; but from these the whole style and tenor of the book may be judged. The history of the romance is soon told. It was written about a century after the date of the events related, that is, some time before the year 1300. The earliest printed edition is dated, Lion sur le Rosne, 1478. A very imperfect copy of this edition was sold for L.4. The next is that of Chambery, in 1484. This sold for L.20, 10s. Another of Chambery in 1485-one, without date, printed at Lyons — another, without date, printed at Paris; this, though very ill done, sold in 1829 for L.2, 11s. 8d.

But the copy followed in this reprint was bound up in the same volume with two other romances. That volume passed from the collection of a certain Baron de Drack of Ghent into that of the Capuchins of the same city. Those reverend gentlemen made a present of it to their physician, the late Dr Coetsem, at whose sale, in 1824, it was bought by Mr Heber for L.19 sterling. When a portion of the books of that " célèbre Bibliophile" was sold at Ghent, in 1835, Mr Crozet of Paris got possession of it at an expense of L.72, 12s.

The present editors, two literary gentlemen of Ghent, have had the good taste to follow this latter copy implicitly. The only liberty they have taken with it is in the punctuation, so that those who are curious in old French have here an opportunity of seeing it to perfection.

THE BOOK OF BAUDOYN.

Here begins the book of Baudoyn, Earl of Flanders; and of Ferrant, Son of the King of Portugal, who afterwards was Earl of Flanders.

In the year one thousand one hundred and eighty there was in Flan

ders an Earl named Philip; of which Earl were twelve other Earldoms held by homage, to wit, Holland, Zealand, Alos, Haynault, Tarache, Cambresis, Vermendois, Noyon, Aumarle, Boloigne, Amiens, Corbie, Arthoys, and the Earldom of Guiennes, -and these were subject to him—and these made one good part of France; and, moreover, he was godson, and bore the name of, Philip, at that time King of France, who was right prudent and loyal. And in the reign of this King Philip was a Pagan from beyond sea named Caquedant, the which came before Rome accompanied by twelve sons whom he had begotten; and had full three hundred thousand men, who took the city of Rome by force, and killed the Pope, and the Cardinals, and all the other clergy. And they took and pillaged all the treasures of Rome, and burnt the great city of Rome, and threw women and children into the fire: And then went thither the Sarrazins and came to Rome, and entered into Tuscany and into Lombardy, and burned and ravaged the country, and came before the city of Millan and besieged it. For Caquedant the Pagan, who, amongst the others, was a giant, was much feared and honoured; and his shield was of fine gold, with a lion rampant for his device; and this Pagan vaunted himself that he was the crowned king of all other kingdoms between the heaven and the earth.

How the Marquis of Millan did send a Messenger to the King of France to give him aid.

The Marquis of Millan feared much the Pagans and the Sarrazins when he saw himself thus besieged, because of the scarcity of his provisions and corn; he was much grieved thereat, and sent a messenger to France to require and supplicate King Philip that he would come and help him against the Pagans. The messenger betook himself to Paris, where he found King Philip, who was accompanied by a great number of people, among whom were three Dukes and ten Earls. And then the messenger of the Marquis of Millan saluted the King, and gave him the letters of the Marquis, and related to him the destruction of Rome.

And then the good King Philip agreed to go and succour the noble Marquis of Millan; and also to vindicate the law of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, whilst the good King Philip was devising with his princes and barons how they might first go and aid and succour the Marquis of Millan, another messenger, who came from the country of Gascoigne, did come before the King, and told him how that John the Bad, at that time King of England, was come upon the country of Gascoigne with great multitudes of people, and how that he destroyed and burned all the country-and he prayed the King, that for God's sake he would succour his good country of Gascoigne, for otherwise it was in peril of being destroyed. Whereat the King marvelled much, and said, "God of paradise! now is the King of England false and perjured, for he has broken the truces which we have made and sworn. Par dieu!. If I come he will repent of it. I thought to go and revenge the Pope, who has been killed; and I thought no less to go and succour the Marquis of Millan, whom the Pagans have besieged-but now I know not what to do." Then did the Earl of Flanders, who was at the court of the King, say to him, "Sire, one ought to risk one's life for his country--and, my very dear Lord, you are my godfather, and I bear your name, and therefore I pray that of your bounty you will grant me a boon. It is that I may go to succour the Marquis, and chase the Pagans, and revenge the holy apostolic see of Rome." "Godson," said the King, "we will and decree according to your request, and give you our treasures. And we shall ourself go into Gascoigne against the English King, for thither our duty calls us.

How the Earl of Flanders went into his own country of Flanders and summoned all his people, and then how he went to Millan.

The Earl of Flanders took leave of the King, and went into Flanders and summoned all his men, and made his assemblage at Arram. At his summons came the Earl Florent of Holland, Gualtier of St Omer, the Earl of Zealand, the Earl of Bouloigne,

and the Earl of Valenciennes, and the Earl of Noyon, the Abbé of St Valerie, the Earl of Aumerle, the Earl of Julliers, the Earl of Eu, and other great Lords who held their lands of the Earl of Flanders; and so many assembled within fifteen days that there were twenty thousand armed men. Whereat the Earl of Flanders gave God thanks. And then they apparelled themselves nobly, and took the way right to Millan, and the sumpter horses were sent on before, and an hundred and twenty chargers. And there were the Lord of Tournay, the Chattellain of Berques, and William Lord of Gaulle. And the Earl of Flanders followed after all his people; but whilst the Earl was on his road, there came to him many other people who desired to go against the Sarrazins. And before that the Earl arrived at the mountains he found himself accompanied by more than forty thousand, whereat he gave God thanks. The Earl of Flanders and his noble following passed the mountains, and took their way through Lombardy right to Millan. And all that time the Marquis of Millan marvelled greatly that his messenger came not. For they were dying of famine at Millan, and did eat their horses; and he thought that his messenger had been killed upon the road, for that he heard no news of the French; and he said, “Alas! never till now saw I the French slow in doing good deeds, and if I have not their help I shall die of grief; but I would rather die with my friends than deny my faith." And when the Sarrazins had made an assault upon the city, the Marquis lifted the vizor of his bassinet to breathe himself, and looked to the right, straight to the tents of the Sarrazins, who cried treason! treason! whereat the Marquis was much joyed. And he said to his people, that without fail the succour of the French had come; and he said to his people, "Let us go to help the French;" and full three thousand mounted on horseback, and rushed out and fell upon the Sarrazins. And there was a very hard battle, in the which the Marquis was slain by the hand of the

Soldan. But immediately thereafter were the Sarrazins defeated, and there was one of the sons of the Soldan slain. And it came to pass, that in the night the Sarrazins retreated, and moreover, in that retreat there was another son of the Soldan slain, and the Earl of Julliers slew him. The Earl of Flanders, after that he had thus done, entered into Millan, he and his people; and the Soldan went into his tents; and he was much angered because of his two sons. And he swore by Mahommed, that if the Earl of Flanders would wait him he would joust with him man to man. And the next day Caquedant did arm himself very richly and went before Millan, and came to speech of the Earl of Flanders, and said to him, "To the end that our people should not be killed on one side or the other, I wish to fight with you man to man, to wit, upon this condition, that if you conquer me I will restore to you Rome and Constance, and all the treasures I have won; and I will return into Africa, I and my people, and I will trouble Christendom no more. And if you are conquered by me, by my valour, you shall render to me the city of Millan, and you shall return into Christendom, you and your people."

And when the Earl of Flanders heard him, incontinent he granted him the battle man to man, upon that condition; for he had good trust in God. And then had the Soldan great joy, for he thought to have conquered immediately; and in sign of his constancy, he tapt upon his tooth, for that is the custom of the Pagans beyond sea.*

the fight, and cut off his hand and his foot, and left him there, and took the shield of the lion rampant. But he carried it not long, for the Sarrazins rushed from an ambush, where were the four sons of the Soldan, and there were there full twenty thousand men, and they enclosed the Earl so that he could not get out. And he was sore wounded; for Acquillan, one of the sons of the Soldan, overthrew him, and took from him the shield of his father. And then had the Earl been slain, had it not been for the Earl of Julliers, and the other Christians in the city, who rushed out fiercely, and came to succour the Earl. And the Earl of Julliers showed such prowess, that he slew Acquillan, the son of the Soldan, and took from him the blazon which he had taken from the Earl of Flanders; and the Earl was carried to Millan, and the (other) Earl along with him, to have their wounds cured. And the Christians kept the battle against the Sarrazins, and they went fleeing into Rommenie. But there remained of them dead in the said Rommenie more than thirty thousand; and they dared not stay in Rommenie for fear of the Earl of Flanders; and they put to sea, and swore by Mahommed that Christendom should pay for it dearly.

How the Earl of Flanders and his people went to Rome to restore it.

The Earl of Flanders and his noble following were gone back to Millan, and there was some disagreement between him and the Earl of Julliers. And the Earl of Flanders said to the Earl of Julliers, that he ought to return to him the shield of the great lion rampant, which he had won of the Soldan by the grace of God; and also that he would have it, and would bear it while he lived, and his heirs after his death. But the Earl of Julliers would not render it, but said, that after he had won it he had lost it. (For Acquillan, one of the sons of the Soldan, had overthrown him, and had taken from him the shield, which the Earl of Julliers then had won of Acquillan, and had struck him dead.) And, therefore, the shield ought to be his, and he ought to bear it. And after these words, they agreed, that when they should return into their country, they would bring it to the settlement

of the King of France, and he would judge of it according to his will; and thus were they in accord.

Then the Earl of Flanders called his barons, and said to them, " My good Lords, I wish to go to Rome, which the Soldan has ruined, and to restore it. I pray you that you would come with me.' The which answered him that they would fail him never. And they departed from Millan, and they were full twenty-thousand men, and they went to Rome; and the Earl of Flanders established a Pope at Rome, who had for name Ignoscent the Second, who was of the land of Spain, and was a good and skilful man, and governed very well the Papacy, and made rebuild the churches which the Sarrazins had destroyed. And the Earl of Flanders rested with his host eight months, and confessed himself to the Pope, who gave him pardon. And he made over to him all his treasures; but the Earl of Flanders would nothing take, but asked of the Pope a jewel from the relics of Rome, and the Pope gave him the kerchief of Saint James the Less.

Then took the Earl leave of the Pope, and thanked him, and departed from Rome, and carried the kerchief of Saint James the Less; and they passed Rome and Lombardie, and the mountains of Monjoust Lorraine, and Savoye, and the country round about, and then entered they into Bourgoigne. And the second day that they were therein, encountered they a horseman, and the Earl of Flanders asked of him if he had any news of King Philip of France. "Sire," said the horseman, "he is in Gascoigne with his host, where he will have a battle within brief time against King John of England." And when the Earl of Flanders heard the horseman, he was much grieved in his heart that he could not be at the battle; and he asked the Earl of Julliers," What shall we do? I pray you let us go into Gascoigne to aid the King of France." And the Earl of Julliers agreed to it with him. But when the dastard Villains heard that reason, they said one to another, that they should never have any repose while the Earl of Flanders lived, and they said he was much too hardy. The Earl of Flanders presently heard the murmuring of the people of his host, and he issued a proclamation that he would enfranchise all those who

woud go with him to Gascoigne to aid the King of France, and that all those who would not go thither, might return into their country, and that he would not take them thither against their will. Then departed many of the host most dishonourably. The Earl of Flanders and the Earl of Julliers departed, in all four thousand armed men (and the others went into their own country), and they carried the kerchief of Saint James, and they rode to Arras, where they housed themselves. But that night it rained marvellously; and in the morning they dislodged, and went to Baugi. And so when the sumpter-horses, which were more than a hundred, passed by Baugi, the water came on them suddenly, in so much, that there were full twenty sumpter-horses lost and drowned. And there was lost the kerchief of My Lord Saint James, whereat they were much grieved; but afterwards it was found by the grace of God.

How the Earl of Flanders and the Earl of Julliers went into Gascoigne to succour the King of France.

The Earl of Flanders and the Earl of Julliers rode in all haste into Gascoigne to succour the King of France. And at that time the Kings of France and of England had made a truce for two years; and they found the King, who paid his soldiers well and richly, and the two earls saluted him.

And

the King gave them good reception, and asked how they had prospered with the Sarrazins. And they recounted all to him; how the Soldan had been discomfited, and how they had established a Pope at Rome,whereat the King gave God thanks. The said Earls of Flanders and Julliers spoke to the King, and said to him," Sire, we are in dispute, one with another, about a thing, which we will tell." "It is true," said the Earl of Flanders," that I conquered Caquedant, man to man, and gained his shield of the great Lion Rampant, and I should have borne it, had it not been for the Sarrazins, who traitorously surrounded me, and took from me the shield, and they would have slain me had it not been the Earl of Julliers, whom you see here, and other barons, who came to succour me.

And the Earl of Julliers slew one of the sons of Caquedant, and got back the shield, and his war-horse; this, indeed, he gave me, and for this reason demand I the shield, namely, that I won it first, and the Earl of Julliers demands it in like manner, for that afterwards he won it. Now we are submitted to your judgment, if you will please to judge this matter rightly, so that we may have between us no anger nor ill-will."

How the King of France ordained and settled for each of them, that is to wit, the Earls of Flanders and Julliers, to bear the shield of the Lion Rampant.

Philip, King of France, replied to them very graciously-" By my faith," said he, "I will judge well and loyally." And the King summoned his council, and demanded their advice on the matter; and then the King said to them, " My Lords these are the best words that I saw ever." And (he said) that each of the said Earls had gained it well and loyally; and he called the two Earls and said to them, "I will take away this strife between you two. Both of you shall bear the blazon—that is my judgment; but the Earl of Flanders shall bear it entier, without any difference, for he won it first, and the Earl of Julliers shall bear it orlè dun azure vif, and so I give you charge. Now be ye in future good friends together, for never till now was blazon so well shared." And thus were the two Earls in good accord.

How the King of France returned to Paris, and the Earl of Flanders likewise.

The King of France went to Paris, and the Earl of Flanders returned to his own country, and a son of his, named Baudoin, who was very proud, and to such a degree, that through his pride he refused for a wife the daughter of France. And afterwards he married the Devil, who was sent into the body of a dead damsel,-and they lived together full twelve years, and of her he had two daughters, of whom