The Song of the Cathar Wars: A History of the Albigensian Crusade (Crusade Texts in Translation) by Janet Shirley

Author:Janet Shirley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Published: 2017-03-01T16:00:00+00:00

Now, full of anger, Count Simon rides night and day to enforce wrongs, to overthrow rights and exalt evil. He has sent his messengers and sealed letters in every direction, summoning to his help every man the archbishops and the cardinal2 can find.

They rode hard by long stages and on a following Sunday at nightfall Count Simon reached Baziège,3 but not to stay there. At dawn on a fine clear morning he had his troops make ready and his trumpets sound, the horses armoured and banners raised. Angry and ominous, he rode straight for Toulouse.

The cardinal advises extreme measures

‘Count,’ said the cardinal,’ how glad you must be that the day of your enemies’ defeat has come! You will of course take the town. As soon as you enter it, have the men hanged and the counts4 put to death. Take care that no one escapes.’

‘My lord,’ said the bishop,5 ‘the Church must save all who are in a church within sight of the altar.’

‘No,’ said the cardinal. ‘This was decided when sentence was passed. I abandon them to you, Count Never fear that God will require them of you or exact repayment!’ But the cardinal was wrong, for the king who rules, who sees straight and clear, who gave his precious blood as a remedy for sin, he wills to defend Toulouse.

Laisse 187

He wills to defend Toulouse, the king of heaven, the judge, the ruler who sees right and wrong.

Lion displayed and crystal bright, Count Simon rides. Up and down combes and valleys he follows the river bank straight for Toulouse,1 and so they reach the meadows. His brother and many captains rode to welcome him and they met with warm affection.

Count Simon joins Guy before Toulouse

‘Brother Guy,’ said the count, ‘and all of you, why have you not hanged these perjured traitors, burned the houses and destroyed the town?’

‘Brother,’ said Count Guy, ‘everything we could do, we did. We attacked the town, got into the ditches and into the streets, and there we met them, knights, citizens and working men, and fought them hand to hand. With clubs, pikes and sharp hatchets, with shouts, yells and great deadly blows they paid us the rents and dues which were owing to you. Your marshal Sir Guy2 can tell you how many marks of silver they flung at us across the ditches! By the faith I’ve sworn to you, there was not one of us so brave he wouldn’t rather have suffered fever or a full battle when they were driving us out through the gates.’

‘Brother,’ said Count Simon, ‘it is disgraceful to have let unarmed men defeat you! May God and St Martial never help me more if the barrels and equipment are unloaded from the pack-beasts before we get them into the town and in the marketplace!’

‘My lord count,’ said Sir Alan, ‘don’t think in that way, for your oath is mere morning dew. By the faith I owe you, we have other things to discuss! If you wait

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