Chapter Chaonian Food to Charles of C by Brewer's Readers Handbook

person, making the night hideous by striking the pots against the pans, and howling “Haro! haro!” or (in the south) “Hari! hari!” In 1563 the Council of Trent took the matter up, and solemnly interdicted “charivaries” under pain of excommunication; nevertheless, the practice long continued in some of the French villages, notably in La Ruscade.

In East Lavant, near Chichester, between 1869 and 1872, I witnessed three such visitations made to different houses. In two cases the husband had bullied his wife; and in one the wife had injured her husband with a broomstick. The visitation in all cases was made for three successive nights; and the villagers assured me confidently that the “law had no power to suppress these demonstrations.”

Charlemagne and his Paladins. This series of romances is of French origin; as the Arthurian is Welsh or British. It began with the legendary chronicle in verse, called Historia de Vita Caroli Magni et Rolandi, erroneously attributed to Turpin archbishop of Rheims (a contemporary of Charlemagne). Probably they were written 200 or 300 years later. The chief of the series are Huon of Bordeaux, Guerin de Monglave, Gaylen Rhetoré (in which Charlemagne and his paladins proceed in mufti to the Holy Land), Miles and Ames, Jairdain de Blaves, Doolin de Mayence, Ogier le Danois, and Maugis the Enchanter.

Charlemagne was buried at Aix-la-Chapelle in 814.

Charlemagne’s Stature. We are told that Charlemagne was “eight feet high,” and so strong that he could “straighten with his hands alone three horse-shoes at once.” His diet and his dress were both as simple as possible.

Charlemagne’s Nine Wives: (I)Hamiltrude, a poor Frenchwoman, who bore him several children. (2) Desiderata, who was divorced. (3) Hildegarde. (4) Fastrade, daughter of count Rodolph the Saxon. (5) Luitgarde the German. (The last three died before him.) (6) Maltegarde. (7) Gersuinde the Saxon. (8) Regina. (9) Adalinda.

Charlemagne’s Sword, La Joyeuse.

Charlemagne and the Ring. Pasquier says that Charles le Grand fell in love with a peasant-girl [Agatha], in whose society he seemed bewitched, insomuch that all matters of State were neglected by him; but the girl died, to the great joy of all. What, however, was the astonishment of the court to find that the king seemed no less bewitched with the dead body than he had been with the living, and spent all day and night with it, even when its smell was quite offensive. Archbishop Turpin felt convinced there was sorcery in this strange infatuation; and on examining the body, found a ring under the tongue, which he removed. Charlemagne now lost all regard for the dead body; but followed Turpin, with whom he seemed infatuated. The archbishop now bethought him of the ring, which he threw into a pool at Aix, where Charlemagne built a palace and monastery; and no spot in the world had such attractions for him as Aix-la-Chapelle, where “the ring” was buried.—Recherches de la France, vi. 33.

Charlemagne not dead. According to legend, Charlemagne waits crowned and armed in Odenberg (Hesse) or Untersberg, near Saltzburg, till the time of antichrist, when he will wake up and deliver Christendom. (See Barbarossa, p. 88.)

Charlemagne and Years of Plenty. According to German legend, Charlemagne appears in seasons of plenty. He crosses the Rhine on a golden bridge, and blesses the corn-fields and vineyards.

Thou standest, like imperial Charlemagne,
Upon thy bridge of gold.
   —Longfellow: Autumn.

Charles I. (See Appendix II.)

Charles II. of England, introduced by sir W. Scott in two novels, viz. Peveril of the Peak and Woodstock. In this latter he appears first as a gipsywoman, and afterwards under the name of Louis Kerneguy (Albert Lee’s page).