As he is astonished to hear her speak French,
she replies: "I was born in France, and I felt pity for you because I
saw the cross you wear." "In what part of France?" "In the town of
Saint-Omer," replied Sebile; "I am the daughter of Count Guinemer." Her
father had lately come on a pilgrimage to the Holy Sepulchre, bringing
her with him. A tempest had cast them on shore near the town of the
giant, who had killed her father and kept her prisoner. "For more than
seven years," she added, "I have not been to mass." Naturally Huon kills
the giant, and delivers the daughter of Count Guinemer.
In an article by the learned M. Longnon on _L'Element historique de Huon
de Bordeaux_,[33] a note is given on the name of Guinemer:
"In _Huon de Bordeaux_," writes M. Longnon, "the author of the _Prologue
des Lorrains_ makes Guinemer the son of Saint Bertin, second Abbot of
Sithieu, an abbey which took the name of this blessed man and was the
foundation of the city of Saint-Omer, which the poem of _Huon de
Bordeaux_ makes the birthplace of Count Guinemer's daughter. It is
possible that this Guinemer was borrowed by our _trouveres_ from some
ancient Walloon tradition; for his name, which in Latin is Winemarus,
appears to have occurred chiefly in those countries forming part, from
the ninth to the twelfth century, of the County of Flanders.
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