Chapter 51

[ 51 ]


       Count Tetbold (note 1) would be set ablaze, tortured by envy and madness at these and other liberalities scattered hither and thither, here and there, and at the plentiful abundance of diverse things being ever more readily proclaimed. Imbued with the poison of malice and treachery, he would daily prompt king Lothar to ensnare the man Richard (so worthy!) through deceit and to keep Normandy under the yoke of his own authority.
       In fact, king Lothar, blinded by the sophistical promptings of that very count, has at length sent someone to Richard to speak to him this deceitful address: "How long will I have to wait for some repentent and mindful regard from you? Do you esteem me so lightly, as though I were the trifling thing of just any nation? Having intercepted your friends, am I not able, relying on the assistance of your foes, to beseige and capture your ramparted towns? Will you never subjugate yourself to anyone? Do you know that I am king of the Franks? Could I not be injurious to you were I, mean-spirited, to hasten against you with a gathered military band, which is mine by right? Were I to believe those persons envious of you, and were you in fact to befriend, in your mind and heart, any of those who have broken their oaths and been unfaithful to me, we would never be reconciled in a favorable alliance. Stop exploring such possibilities, and may it please you to be joyful and rejoice with me. Thus let us be joined together by agreements of our reciprocal wills in such a way that no one of our followers will, in himself, possess the ability to do anything whatsoever. Should anyone, wrangling, busy himself in strife against you or against me, you crush and demolish my opponent, as I will yours. Let us be of one heart and and one mind and one will, and let us crush and scatter and subordinate Tetbold, with his followers. Truly, let us reduce under the yoke of a harsh law the Flemings and the other nations who are rebellious against us, and drive them by force and power to serve us. Therefore, swiftly make haste to come meet me at a conference so that, bound by an indissoluble agreement of friendship, we might rejoice of one mind, safe from enemies and opponents."

                      Apostrophe

Merciful, compassionate, equitable, holy king Lothar,
Upright, modest, noble, bountiful light of the globe,
Why are you attempting, corrupted by filthy malice, to ensnare
The holy, equitable duke Richard?
It will cause you shame that you have now planned this corrupt thing,
And that, inglorious, you have had, alas, this perverse wish.
But your ability hardly matches your wish!


Notes:


1. Tetbold I, count of Blois and Chartres (+ 977), husband of Leyarda, widow of William Longsword.


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