Английские легенды / English Legends - стр. 5

The princess thought deeply for a time, and then replied: “I would not be too credulous, or too hard of belief. If the emperor loves me and would like to marry me, let him find me in my father’s house, and make me his bride in my own home.”

After this the messengers returned to the emperor in haste. When they reached Rome and informed Maxen Wledig of the success of their mission he at once gathered his army and marched across Europe towards Britain. He conquered Britain and eventually reached the fair country of Snowdon. He entered the castle and saw, at last, with his own eyes first the two youths, Kynon[17] and Adeon[18], playing chess, then their father, Eudav[19], the son of Caradoc[20], and then his beloved, beautiful Helena, daughter of Eudav.

“Empress of Rome, all hail!” Maxen Wledig said; and the princess bent forward in her chair and kissed him, for she knew he was her destined husband. The next day they were married, and the Emperor Maxen Wledig gave Helena as dowry all Britain for her father, the son of Caradoc, and for herself three castles, Caernarvon[21], Caerlleon[22], and Caermarthen[23], where she lived in turn; and in one of them was born her son Constantine, the only British-born Emperor of Rome. To this day in Wales the old Roman roads that once connected Helena’s three castles are known as “Sarn Helen.”

In the reign of King Edward I[25], there lived in Lincolnshire a noble gentleman, Sir John of the Marches. He was now old, but was still a model of all courtesy and a perfect gentle knight. He had three sons, of whom the youngest, Gamelyn, was born in his father’s old age, and was greatly beloved by the old man; the other two were much older than he, and John, the eldest, had already developed a wicked character. Gamelyn and his second brother, Otho, respected their father, but John had no respect or obedience for the good gentleman, and was the chief trouble of his declining years, as Gamelyn was his chief joy.

At last old age and weakness overcame the worthy old Sir John, and he was forced to take to his bed[26], where he lay sadly thinking of his children’s future, and wondering how to divide his possessions fairly among the three. Fearing that he could commit an injustice, Sir John sent throughout the district for wise knights, asking them to come hastily, if they wished to see him alive and help him. When the country squires and lords, his near neighbours, heard of his serious condition, they hurried to the castle, and gathered in the bedchamber, where the dying knight greeted them thus: