Roland and Oliver

Canciani says there is a figure in the church porch at Verona which, from being in the same place with *Roland*, and manifestly of the same age, he supposes may be *Oliver*, armed with a spiked ball fastened by a chain to a staff of about three feet in length. *Who are Roland and Oliver*? There is the following derivation of the saying "a Roland for your Oliver," without any reference or authority attached, in my note-book:— "—Charlemagne, in his expedition against the Saracens, was accompanied by two '*steeds*,' some writers say 'pages,' named Roland and Oliver, who were so excellent and so e…