THE POLANIAN DYNASTY 81
Poland, and by King Louis of Hungary, King Waldemar of Denmark, and Dukes
Otto of Bavaria, Ziemowit of Mazovia, Bolko of Swidnica, Wladyslaw of Opole,
and Boguslaw of Slupsk. Their time was spent in jousting: in a famous banquet at
the house of Nicholas Wierzynek, on the city square: and, incidentally, in discus-
sions about the proposed crusade. Most surprisingly perhaps, the entire proceed-
ings were recorded by one of the leading poets of the age, the Frenchman,
Guillaume de Machaut. Having served John of Luxembourg for over thirty years,
Machaut was very familiar with Eastern Europe and had visited Cracow with his
master in 1335 on his return from Vyshegrad. Although he did not accompany
Pierre de Lusignan on this later occasion as is sometimes supposed, he was able to
set the scene from firsthand experience:
Ce fait, de Prague se partirent;
Or diray quel chemin il firent.
Parmi Behainge chevauchirent
Trois journees 8c plus alerent
A Bresselau, a Liguenisse,
A Nuistat, a Suedenisse.
Costen, Calix, Buton, Glagouve
Passerent, 8c par Bassenouve
De la en Cracoe arriverent,
Ou les roys dessus dis trouverent,
Qui a l'encontre venirent,
Et moult grant joie leur feirent.
Comment il furent receu,
Honnoure, servi & peu
De pain, de vin & de vitaille
De toute volille et d'aumaille
De poisson et d'autre viande,
Il est moult fols qui le demande,
Qu' on ne le doit pas demander
Pour ce qu'on ni puet amender
Tant furent servi grandement.*
In the discussions on the Crusade, the King of Cyprus had to listen to a proces-
sion of pious assurances, first from the Emperor-elect, then from the King of
Hungary, and then from Casimir himself:Which done, they departed from Prague/So I shall say which road they took./ They rode
through Bohemia/For three days, and then went/To Breslau, to Legnica,/To Neustadt, to
Swidnica./Costen, Kalisz, Beuthen, Glogau/Were passed, and then Poznan./They arrived
thence in Cracow/Where they found all the aforesaid kings/Who came out to meet
them/And caused them very great joy ./How they were received./Honoured, waited on, and
plied/With bread, wine, and victuals/With all sorts of game and poultry/With fish and
other meats/It would be a very foolish man who asked./Indeed, one should not make
demands,/For things which can't be counted :/With such largesse were they entertained.