“Il ne creoient Dieu, Mahon, ne Tervogant,
  Ydole, cruchefis, deable, ne tirant.”  P. 300.

Their only belief was this, that when a man died a great fire should be made beside his tomb, in which should be burned all his clothes, arms, and necessary furniture, whilst his horse and servant should be put to death, and then the dead man would have the benefit of all these useful properties in the other world.[15] Moreover, if it was the king that died—­

  “Se li rois de la terre i aloit trespassant,
       * * * * *
  Si fasoit-on tuer, .viij. jour en un tenant,
  Tout chiaus c’on encontroit par la chite passant,
  Pour tenir compaingnie leur segnor soffisant. 
  Telle estoit le creanche ou pais dont je cant!"[16] P. 301.

Baudin arrives when the king has been dead three days, and through dread of this custom all the people of the city are shut up in their houses.  He enters an inn, and helps himself to a vast repast, having been fasting for three days.  He is then seized and carried before the king, Polibans by name.  We might have quoted this prince at p. 87 as an instance of the diffusion of the French tongue: 

  “Polibans sot Fransois, car on le doctrina: 
  j. renoies de Franche. vij. ans i demora,
  Qui li aprist Fransois, si que bel en parla.”  P. 309.

Bauduin exclaims against their barbarous belief, and declares the Christian doctrine to the king, who acknowledges good points in it, but concludes: 

  “Vassaus, dist Polibans, a le chiere hardie,
  Ja ne crerrai vou Dieux, a nul jour de ma vie;
  Ne vostre Loy ne vaut une pomme pourie!” P. 311.

Bauduin proposes to prove his Faith by fighting the prince, himself unarmed, the latter with all his arms.  The prince agrees, but is rather dismayed at Bauduin’s confidence, and desires his followers, in case of his own death, to burn with him horses, armour, etc., asking at the same time which of them would consent to burn along with him, in order to be his companions in the other world: 

“La en i ot. ij’e. dont cascuns s’escria: 
Nous morons volentiers, quant vo corps mort sara!"[17] P. 313.

Bauduin’s prayer for help is miraculously granted; Polibans is beaten, and converted by a vision.  He tells Bauduin that in his neighbourhood, beyond Baudas—­

                     “ou. v. liewes, ou. vi. 
  Che un felles prinches, orgoellieus et despis;
  De la Rouge-Montaingne est Prinches et Marchis. 
  Or vous dirai comment il a ses gens nouris: 
    Je vous di que chius Roys a fait un Paradis
  Tant noble et gratieus, et plain de tels deliis,
       * * * * *
  Car en che Paradis est un riex establis,
  Qui se partist en trois, en che noble pourpris: 
  En l’un coert li clares, d’espises bien garnis;