Maugis, ye sorcerer from ye ancient French : a wonderful tale from ye writings of ye mad savant of ye Maison Maugis in ye olde citie of Mouzon, France
his mule rolled together in the dust. Alard, seeing Maugis down, and
fearing he had been killed, cried to his brothers:
“Let us yield, further struggle is useless.”
To their great surprise, however, Maugis arose, quickly disengaging
himself from his mount, and threw himself in front of Foulques, who
charged upon him again, endeavoring to run him down; quick as lightning
Maugis evaded the charge by springing to one side, and then coming up
behind the horse of his enemy he leaped upon the crupper in his rear,
at the same time running him through with his sword, and throwing him
to the earth. Maugis possessed now a horse and had also secured the
lance and shield of De Morillon.
“Do not separate!” he shouted to his brothers, as he charged head down
into the midst of the French forces. The first to meet his infuriated
sword was the Duke of Cory, who fell lifeless. He then with one blow
of his gigantic arm cleft Engenrrand to the saddle, and like a flash,
without seeming to take breath, he fought fast and furious, until he
had in all, one after the other, made eleven knights bite the dust.
His indomitable courage and spirit would have carried him further
onward, but glancing behind, he saw Alard who, though wounded, was
hastening to join him. Alard bestrode the horse and had taken the
arms of one of the knights killed by his brother. Together the two
now continued what was no less than a butchery; their enemies seemed
stunned, they slew them one after another until in a few moments they
were surrounded with a small mountain of the dead.
Not far behind were Richard and Guichard, dismounted, fighting step by
step to join them.
The French, confident in their superior numbers, instead of seeking
to kill the four brothers, endeavored to surround them and take them
alive. They did succeed in separating them from Maugis, and were making
a desperate attempt to capture Guichard, who, however, made such a
vigorous resistance that he laid low in succession the first four
who approached him. Richard had regained the rock, resolved to die
rather than submit to capture. Maugis, completely carried away by the
excitement of battle, followed by Alard, resolved to die rather than
any of them be delivered into the hands of Charlemagne. With incredible
fury they fought, cut, hacked, beat down and killed all before them,
until they reached Guichard, who had been meanwhile overcome. Alard
quickly cut the cords that bound him, put him on the horse of a dead
enemy, giving him his arms. Guichard then paid back with interest his
few moments of captivity.
During this time, Richard, who, next to Maugis, was the strongest
of the brothers, had become separated from the rest. He tried at
any sacrifice to rejoin them and they on their side sought for him.
Richard, covered with wounds and spent with fatigue, was fast sinking
down by the rock, without sufficient force to climb upon it. He was
surrounded by a circle of knights whom he had killed. At this supreme
moment, Gerard de Vanvier, cousin of Foulques de Morillon, seeing that
he was nearly dead, charged upon him with his horse, lance abreast,
and wounded him in the shoulder, but Richard, who had become somewhat
rested, summoned all his strength and stopped his assassin with a
terrible stroke of the sword, hurling him from his horse, then the
conqueror and the conquered fell down together, the one nearly dead,
and the other beyond recall.
The three brothers, who had been all this time fighting, were searching
for Richard, without perceiving him, now gained the rock, and only then
saw his figure lying in the midst of the bodies of his enemies. Maugis
quickly ordered his two brothers to dismount and carry their wounded
brother within the opening of the rock for shelter, he meanwhile would
fight the enemy off.
“My poor brother!” cried Maugis, “you are the victim of the treachery
of King Yon. May God preserve me until I have taken vengeance, for it
shall be terrible.”
Alard and Guichard had tenderly raised the body of Richard and in the
midst of a storm of projectiles of all sorts had borne him within the
rock. During the journey he made a slight movement, opened his eyes and
said to them:
“My dear brothers, go to the assistance of Maugis. I am yet strong
enough to defend myself. I shall see you all again, for I am sure we
will be able to extricate ourselves.”
Taking his advice, Alard and Guichard hastened to rejoin Maugis, whom
they found surrounded by the bodies of dead enemies. Their own horses
had disappeared, and making a sortie they easily captured more, and
then continued the furious combat, being enabled finally to regain the
opening of the rock, which they contented themselves in defending.
The four intrepid brothers, reunited, and for a time safe, were hoping
that their enemy would withdraw, which was suddenly dashed to the
earth, when Oger, at the head of three thousand men, appeared and
completely surrounded them.
The situation now seemed indeed hopeless. Amid an impressive silence
the grizzled old soldier, Oger, rode forward from the serried ranks and
cried out in a stern tone:
“Wretched men, give thyselves up, resistance is useless; or,” he added
menacingly, “take care of yourselves, for I shall not regard the family
ties that exist between us, and I shall use every means to force you to
obey me. The only thing for you to do is to cease your resistance.”
“You give yourself useless trouble,” replied Maugis defiantly, “we fear
you not.”
During the time occupied by this parley, Richard had recovered himself,
and had bound up his wounds from strips from his cloak. Alard likewise
had bound up the wound in his thigh, stopping the flow of blood,
and to the astonishment of the assembled host they all grimly ranged
themselves side by side and awaited the onslaught of their astonished
enemies, who marvelled at their courage; then, touched by compassion,
Oger halted his soldiers, saying to them he would endeavor to persuade
them to surrender.
He then approached near to the rock, and thus addressed them in kindly
tones:
“My dear cousin, I pray you to surrender; it will be impossible for
you to resist long; you will surely be slain, because nothing can
prevent my soldiers from successfully assaulting the rock that shelters
you. You have not sufficient means of defense in your swords and your
lances. You have not even the resource of a pile of heavy stones with
which to beat down your assailants when they seek to climb up the rock,
and though you may see how much I admire your bravery, I shall stay
here until you are completely subdued for want of food.”
“I thank you, my cousin,” replied Maugis in the same spirit, “and I
should profit by thy advice, but that we never can forget the baseness
of the plot which brought us to this dire extremity.”
At these words Oger shook his head sadly, and returned to his command,
and Maugis climbed to the top of the rock to see in what way he
could provide some means of defense. From the height thus gained he
contemplated with pride the number of enemies they had slain, and
then chancing to raise his eyes to the horizon he beheld a sight which
caused the blood to leap quickening to his heart; a body of troops
were advancing in all haste. He could hardly conceal his joy when he
recognized at their head his cousin Renaud, mounted on Bayard, his own
famous horse. He whispered joyfully in the ear of Guichard the welcome
news, warning him to quietly acquaint the other brothers, in a manner
that would not arouse the suspicion of their waiting and watching enemy.
Maugis now descended from the rock and sought to occupy in some manner
the attention of Oger, in order to gain delay.
Though entirely deceived by Maugis, Oger could hear the murmurings
of his soldiers, who demanded an assault on the rock should be made.
He was about to return to them, when he was arrested by the voice of
Maugis, saying:
“My good cousin, if thou hast kindly feeling to us, grant us an hour’s
truce; you cannot refuse this request with a good conscience; you have
three thousand men against four miserable knights; thou art assured of
victory; never fear that Charlemagne will address you one reproach in
that regard.”
“I will grant it thee willingly,” replied Oger, so he withdrew to his
troops, and gave them the order to wait. At this their murmurings were
loud and deep.
“Silence!” roared Oger, “the first man who stirs one step I will strike
down with my sword.” This stern threat had the effect to keep them
quiet.
A little more than half an hour had passed when Alard and Richard
wished to recommence the battle.
“My good brother,” said Richard, “the troop of Renaud, now coming, is
superior to that of Oger by over one thousand men; it is in our power
to take a terrible vengeance, and this is how we can do it: let us
advance upon them now, and get them so busily occupied that they will
not perceive what is passing behind them; in this way we will enable
Renaud to approach them in the rear and cut them to pieces; if, on the
contrary, we let them become aware of the approach of our friends, the
enemy may escape combat by flight and we will miss our revenge.”
This plan received the approval of the three brothers, and they
accordingly descended from the rock, Maugis and Guichard leading the
way, followed by Alard and Richard. The enemy upon witnessing this
movement thought at once that the sons of Aymon, appalled by their
numbers, and discouraged by their wounds, had decided to give up the
contest, and were about to surrender. The veteran, Oger, could not bear
the idea of their thus tamely giving themselves up. It was against that
old fighter’s nature; accordingly he rode out toward the rock, and
shouted to them:
“Be warned, young men, thou hast thy right to leave thy refuge,
but know thou, I am ordered to take thee alive, conduct thee to
Charlemagne, when he will put thee to an ignominious death. I would
prefer much that as brave men thou shouldst die in battle rather than
surrender thus tamely like men of no courage.”
This kindly advice caused a hot flush to suffuse the face of Maugis,
and drawing up his tall form he fiercely replied:
“We will never surrender, we will die with our arms in our hands rather
than that. Our cause is just, and we only hope you will not escape our
vengeance, because you have basely betrayed us.”
Oger withdrew sadly upon this, his eyes filled with tears of pity,
and rejoining his troops he ordered them to attack the four brothers;
but his punishment was near at hand, for at that moment Renaud, who
had successfully traversed the forest in their rear, came upon them,
and before they could recover from their surprise, had completely
surrounded them. Renaud rode ferociously at Oger, and aimed at him a
terrible stroke of his sword, but he was carried away from the object
of his attack by Bayard, who recognized his master.
Without delay the soldiers of Renaud, taking advantage of their
surprise and stupor, fell upon the enemy and slew them with a most
terrible carnage.
Fighting with the greatest ardor, the soldiers of Renaud had completely
routed the command of Oger, but were temporarily arrested by the royal
ambuscaders, who though in full retreat, stopped them so suddenly that
the pursuers fell over each other. During the fight, Maugis, who had
mounted his horse Bayard, had charged upon Oger and dismounted him; he
then descended, and courteously assisting the veteran to remount, said
to him:
“Thou hast not succeeded in bathing your hands in our blood, but you
have participated in a treachery; you have acted the part of a coward.
Go! you are despicable. Never come before me again or I will not be so
forgiving.”
This taunt made Oger furious, and he charged upon Maugis, giving him