Read "Stories of Charlemagne and the Twelve Peers of France" by Alfred John Church online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
When Reynaud had accomplished the delivering of his brother Richard, / he sent the greater part of his company back to Montalban, but he / himself remained with the rest, being minded to do some great thing / against King Charles. And this he did, for making his way into the / camp with his comrades, he came to the King's tent. Cutting the / cords, so that the whole tent fell to the ground, he laid hands on / the golden Eagle that was on the great pole in the middle, a thing so / costly that no man could tell the price thereof. In this Mawgis / helped him.
But this adventure had nearly turned out to the great disadvantage of / the brothers and Mawgis. For Mawgis was not content with the taking / of the Eagle, but would have slain the King. He made his way into / the inner part of the tent where the King lay, and said to him, "Sir / King, you have troubled us over long, slaying my father and doing us / all manner of mischief. And now you shall die. " So saying, he / thrust at the King with his spear; but the King turned about, and the / spear was thrust into the bed two feet and more. Then was King / Charles sore afraid, and cried out for Roland. When Mawgis heard / this he looked round, and lo! Reynaud and the brethren were gone.