The flight of Rosader came to the ears of Torismond, who hearing that Saladyne was sole heir of the lands of Sir John of Bordeaux, desirous to possess such fair revenues, found just occasion to quarrel with Saladyne about the wrongs he proffered to his brother:  and therefore, dispatching a herehault,[1] he sent for Saladyne in all post-haste.  Who marvelling what the matter should be, began to examine his own conscience, wherein he had offended his highness; but emboldened with his innocence, he boldly went with the herehault unto the court; where, as soon as he came, he was not admitted into the presence of the king, but presently sent to prison.  This greatly amazed Saladyne, chiefly in that the jailer had a straight charge over him, to see that he should be close prisoner.  Many passionate thoughts came in his head, till at last he began to fall into consideration of his former follies, and to meditate with himself.  Leaning his head on his hand, and his elbow on his knee, full of sorrow, grief and disquieted passions, he resolved into these terms: 

[Footnote 1:  herald.]

SALADYNE’S COMPLAINT

“Unhappy Saladyne! whom folly hath led to these misfortunes, and wanton desires wrapped within the labyrinth of these calamities!  Are not the heavens doomers of men’s deeds; and holds not God a balance in his fist, to reward with favor, and revenge with justice?  O Saladyne, the faults of thy youth, as they were fond, so were they foul, and not only discovering little nurture, but blemishing the excellence of nature.  Whelps of one litter are ever most loving, and brothers that are sons of one father should live in friendship without jar.  O Saladyne, so it should be; but thou hast with the deer fed against the wind, with the crab strove against the stream, and sought to pervert nature by unkindness.  Rosader’s wrongs, the wrongs of Rosader, Saladyne, cries for revenge; his youth pleads to God to inflict some penance upon thee; his virtues are pleas that enforce writs of displeasure to cross thee:  thou hast highly abused thy kind and natural brother, and the heavens cannot spare to quite thee with punishment.  There is no sting to the worm of conscience, no hell to a mind touched with guilt.  Every wrong I offered him, called now to remembrance, wringeth a drop of blood from my heart, every bad look, every frown pincheth me at the quick, and says, ’Saladyne thou hast sinned against Rosader.’  Be penitent, and assign thyself some penance to discover thy sorrow, and pacify his wrath.”

In the depth of his passion, he was sent for to the king, who with a look that threatened death entertained him, and demanded of him where his brother was.  Saladyne made answer, that upon some riot made against the sheriff of the shire, he was fled from Bordeaux, but he knew not whither.

“Nay, villain,” quoth he, “I have heard of the wrongs thou hast proffered thy brother since the death of thy father, and by thy means have I lost a most brave and resolute chevalier.  Therefore, in justice to punish thee, I spare thy life for thy father’s sake, but banish thee for ever from the court and country of France; and see thy departure be within ten days, else trust me thou shalt lose thy head.”