The Life of Guillem de Cabestaing
The Life of Guillem de Cabestaing
1. Guillem de Cabestaing was a knight from the county of Rossillon, which lies between Cataloigna and Narbones.
2. He was a man of most handsome person and much-prized in arms, courtesy, and service.
3. And he had in his county a lady who had the name Madonna Soremonda, the wife of Sir Raimon of Castle Rossillon, who was most genteel and rich and evil and barbaric and fierce and proud.
4. And Sir Guillem de Cabestaing loved the lady through love and sang for her and made her songs.
5. And the lady, who was young and gay and genteel and beautiful, wanted him more than anything in the world.
6. And this was told to Raimon of Castle Rossillon, and he, as an irate and jealous man, inquired into the whole affair and knew where things stood and took care to guard his wife.
7. And the day came that Raimon of Castle Rossillon found Guillem de Cabestaing passing by without a great company and he killed him. And he had the heart taken from the body and had the head cut off, and he had the heart carried to his home and the head too.
8. And he had the heart roasted and peppered and had it given to his wife to eat.
9. And when the lady had eaten it, Raimon of Castle Rossillon said to her: “Do you know what you have eaten?”
10. And she said: “No, but it was a most good and savory steak.”
11. And he told her that it was the heart of Sir Guillem de Cabestaing that she had eaten; and so that she would better believe it, he had the head brought forth before her.
12. And when the lady saw and heard this, she lost sight and hearing.
13. And when she revived she said: “Lord, you have given me such a good thing to eat that I shall never eat another thing.”
14. And when he heard this he ran for his sword and wanted to bring it down on her head.
15. And she ran to a balcony and let herself fall below.
16. And thus she died.
17. And the novella ran through Rossillon and through all Cataloigna that Sir Guillem de Cabestaing and the lady were both evilly killed, and that Sir Raimon of Castle Rossillon had given the heart of Sir Guillem to his wife to eat.
18. And there was great sadness through all the counties, and the complaint finally came before the King of Aragon, who was lord of Sir Raimon of Castle Rossillon and of Guillem de Cabestaing.
19. And he came himself to Perpignan in Rossillon and made Raimon of Castle Rossillon come before him.
20. And when he had come, he had him taken and took all his castles and had them destroyed and took all that he had and placed him in prison.
21. And then he had Guillem de Cabestaing and the lady taken and carried to Perpignan and placed in a monument before the door of the church. And he had written upon the monument how they had been killed, and he ordered through all the county of Rossillon that every knight and lady must come for their anniversary every year.
22. And Sir Raimon of Castle Rossillon died in the prison of the King.
