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Stories of Charlemagne and the twelve Peers of France
Stories of Charlemagne and the twelve Peers of France

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Stories of Charlemagne and the twelve Peers of France is here in full — 102 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Stories of Charlemagne and the twelve Peers of France
Context Illustration Reading 1/20 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
HOW THE DUKE BENES CAME BY HIS END Duke Aymon said to his sons, "We do ill to tarry here.
The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.
But we cannot fight against our own kinsfolk.
Let us therefore depart to our own country."
So the Duke and his four sons departed, and came to the land of Ardennes.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Stories of Charlemagne and the twelve Peers of France

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Stories of Charlemagne and the twelve Peers of France is here in full — 102 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/20 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
HOW THE DUKE BENES CAME BY HIS END Duke Aymon said to his sons, "We do ill to tarry here.
Line 2
The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.
Line 3
But we cannot fight against our own kinsfolk.
Line 4
Let us therefore depart to our own country."
/let ʌs ˈðerfɔːr dɪˈpɑːrt tuː ˈaʊər oʊn ˈkʌntri/
Line 5
So the Duke and his four sons departed, and came to the land of Ardennes.

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

certainty noun US /ˈsɜːrtənti/

the state of being certain

From this reading “The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.”

depart verb US /dɪˈpɑːrt/

move away from a place into another direction

From this reading “Let us therefore depart to our own country."”

departed adjective US /dɪˈpɑːrtɪd/

well in the past; former

From this reading “So the Duke and his four sons departed, and came to the land of Ardennes.”

duke noun US /duːk/

a British peer of the highest rank

From this reading “HOW THE DUKE BENES CAME BY HIS END Duke Aymon said to his sons, "We do ill to tarry here.”

ill adjective US /ɪl/

affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function

From this reading “HOW THE DUKE BENES CAME BY HIS END Duke Aymon said to his sons, "We do ill to tarry here.”

sons noun US /sʌnz/

plural of “son” — a male human offspring

From this reading “HOW THE DUKE BENES CAME BY HIS END Duke Aymon said to his sons, "We do ill to tarry here.”

tarry verb US /ˈteri/

be about

From this reading “HOW THE DUKE BENES CAME BY HIS END Duke Aymon said to his sons, "We do ill to tarry here.”

wage noun US /weɪdʒ/

something that remunerates

From this reading “The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

wage war noun + noun

In this reading “The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.”

tarry here verb + particle

In this reading “HOW THE DUKE BENES CAME BY HIS END Duke Aymon said to his sons, "We do ill to tarry here.”

fight against verb + particle

In this reading “But we cannot fight against our own kinsfolk.”

own country verb + noun

In this reading “Let us therefore depart to our own country."”

All words in this reading · 58

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.

Ardennesnoun

a wooded plateau in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France; the site of intense fighting in World War I and World War II

From this reading So the Duke and his four sons departed, and came to the land of Ardennes.

askverbUS /æsk/

make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.

Aymon

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading HOW THE DUKE BENES CAME BY HIS END Duke Aymon said to his sons, "We do ill to tarry here.

BENES

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading HOW THE DUKE BENES CAME BY HIS END Duke Aymon said to his sons, "We do ill to tarry here.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But we cannot fight against our own kinsfolk.

BYprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading HOW THE DUKE BENES CAME BY HIS END Duke Aymon said to his sons, "We do ill to tarry here.

CAMEverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading HOW THE DUKE BENES CAME BY HIS END Duke Aymon said to his sons, "We do ill to tarry here.

cannot

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But we cannot fight against our own kinsfolk.

causenounUS /kɑːz/

events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something

From this reading The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.

certaintynounUS /ˈsɜːrtənti/

the state of being certain

From this reading The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.

countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading Let us therefore depart to our own country."

departverbUS /dɪˈpɑːrt/

move away from a place into another direction

From this reading Let us therefore depart to our own country."

departedadjectiveUS /dɪˈpɑːrtɪd/

well in the past; former

From this reading So the Duke and his four sons departed, and came to the land of Ardennes.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading HOW THE DUKE BENES CAME BY HIS END Duke Aymon said to his sons, "We do ill to tarry here.

DUKEnounUS /duːk/

a British peer of the highest rank

From this reading HOW THE DUKE BENES CAME BY HIS END Duke Aymon said to his sons, "We do ill to tarry here.

ENDnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading HOW THE DUKE BENES CAME BY HIS END Duke Aymon said to his sons, "We do ill to tarry here.

fightverbUS /faɪt/

be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight

From this reading But we cannot fight against our own kinsfolk.

fournounUS /fɔːr/

the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

From this reading So the Duke and his four sons departed, and came to the land of Ardennes.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.

helpverbUS /help/

give help or assistance; be of service

From this reading The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading HOW THE DUKE BENES CAME BY HIS END Duke Aymon said to his sons, "We do ill to tarry here.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.

HISdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading HOW THE DUKE BENES CAME BY HIS END Duke Aymon said to his sons, "We do ill to tarry here.

HOW

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading HOW THE DUKE BENES CAME BY HIS END Duke Aymon said to his sons, "We do ill to tarry here.

illadjectiveUS /ɪl/

affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function

From this reading HOW THE DUKE BENES CAME BY HIS END Duke Aymon said to his sons, "We do ill to tarry here.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.

KingnounUS /kɪŋ/

a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom

From this reading The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.

kinsfolknoun

people descended from a common ancestor

From this reading But we cannot fight against our own kinsfolk.

landnounUS /lænd/

the land on which real estate is located

From this reading So the Duke and his four sons departed, and came to the land of Ardennes.

Letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading Let us therefore depart to our own country."

matternounUS /ˈmætər/

a vaguely specified concern

From this reading The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading But we cannot fight against our own kinsfolk.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading But we cannot fight against our own kinsfolk.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading HOW THE DUKE BENES CAME BY HIS END Duke Aymon said to his sons, "We do ill to tarry here.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading So the Duke and his four sons departed, and came to the land of Ardennes.

sonsnounUS /sʌnz/

plural of “son” — a male human offspring

From this reading HOW THE DUKE BENES CAME BY HIS END Duke Aymon said to his sons, "We do ill to tarry here.

tarryverbUS /ˈteri/

be about

From this reading HOW THE DUKE BENES CAME BY HIS END Duke Aymon said to his sons, "We do ill to tarry here.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading HOW THE DUKE BENES CAME BY HIS END Duke Aymon said to his sons, "We do ill to tarry here.

thereforeadverbUS /ˈðerfɔːr/

for that reason; as a result

From this reading Let us therefore depart to our own country."

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading HOW THE DUKE BENES CAME BY HIS END Duke Aymon said to his sons, "We do ill to tarry here.

unclenounUS /ˈʌŋkəl/

the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt

From this reading The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Let us therefore depart to our own country."

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.

wagenounUS /weɪdʒ/

something that remunerates

From this reading The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.

warnounUS /wɔːr/

the waging of armed conflict against an enemy

From this reading The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading HOW THE DUKE BENES CAME BY HIS END Duke Aymon said to his sons, "We do ill to tarry here.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.

wrothadjective

vehemently incensed and condemnatory

From this reading The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading The King is very wroth and not without cause, with your uncle Duke Benes, and will wage war against him, in which matter he will of a certainty ask your help.

Chapter 2 of Stories of Charlemagne and the twelve Peers of France by Alfred John Church holds 102 sentences, grouped into 21 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 2 of Stories of Charlemagne and the twelve Peers of France contain?

Chapter 2 holds 102 sentences of Stories of Charlemagne and the twelve Peers of France, unabridged, divided into 21 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of Stories of Charlemagne and the twelve Peers of France by Alfred John Church exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 102 sentences, grouped into 21 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 2 of Stories of Charlemagne and the twelve Peers of France?

Work through the 21 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 21 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

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Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

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Project Gutenberg eBook #?, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

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About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in Stories of Charlemagne and the twelve Peers of France

Words and structures a reader meets early in Stories of Charlemagne and the twelve Peers of France, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Chapter 1
One of the 0 chapters of Stories of Charlemagne and the twelve Peers of France, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 2
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Chapter 3
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