Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Chapter 90

How Sir Cuadragante spoke with his nephew Landin and told him to go to Ireland and talk with his niece the Queen so that she would help send some of her vassals to come and serve them. 

[Depiction of Friedrich von Hausen, a medieval German poet, in the Codex Manesse from the early 1300s.]
 


 
Sir Cuadragante spoke with his nephew Landin, who was a very good knight, and told him:

“My dear nephew, it is necessary for you to leave with all diligence for Ireland and talk with my niece the Queen without King Cildadan knowing about it. Because of what he has sworn and promised to King Lisuarte, it would not be right for him to know anything about this. Tell her about my situation and that, although there are many knights of grand estate here, because of who I am and the lineage from which I come, much is hoped and expected from me, as you have seen, nephew. Tell her that I earnestly ask Her Majesty to allow any of her vassals  to come here and serve me who wish to do so, and let her know that the uprising here is so tumultuous that from this kind of situation it often happens that states and lordships are overthrown in such a fate and form that vassals become lords and lords become vassals. Because of this she will not hesitate to order what I ask for, and from what she gives you, and from my vassals and friends, prepare a fleet, the biggest possible, and with it be ready to answer my call.”

Landin answered that with the help of God he would carry it all out in such a way that Sir Cuadragante would be content with it, and that he would demonstrate his valor and greatness. With that he bid him farewell, and in one of the ships they had taken from the Romans, he set sail, and what he did on his way shall be told further on.

Sir Bruneo of Bonamar spoke with his squire Lasindo and told him to leave immediately with a letter to see his father the Marquis and his brother Branfil, and to talk very humbly with his brother and ask on his behalf that if he could do no other thing, he should try to bring together as many men as he could and ships for them, but they should not set sail until they received his orders. And in addition to this he told him:

“Lasindo, my good friend, although thou seest here so many knights of such great account, thou ought well believe that most of this has come about because of Amadis. If I have reason to help him, apart from the great love that we share, much obliges me to it, as thou knowest well, because he is the brother of my lady Melicia, and he is the one who she loves and esteems more than any other in their lineage. Even if he were my enemy, I ought to do nothing other than follow his will and orders, because this would be her will and in her service, but since to the contrary he is the man in the world that I most love, with the greatest affection and will I must prepare to sustain his honor and estate, especially in this case in which no one is more involved than I am, and which matters to me as much as him. Of all this, my good friend, except for what involves my lady, thou mayest speak with my father and with my brother, because it will move them to do what they rightly ought to do for my honor, although about my brother Branfil I am certain that he would rather be here and be part of what happens than to win a great realm, because his temperament and desire is more inclined to win praise and fame as a knight than to win the things that other men desire more out of vice than virtue.”

Lasindo told him:

“My lord, it is not necessary to tell me more than what I know. I have faith in God that from there we will bring you so many necessary things that your lady will be well served and your estate will receive great honor.”

With that he left in another ship, and he did what this story shall recount at the proper time, for Lasindo was a very fine squire and of high lineage, and he went with great dedication and will. And so began the labor of his voyage in service of his lord, so that his honor would be increased and he would be of great assistance to the outcome.

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