¶ King richard cuer du lion.  
 wood cut of King Richard I on horseback.   

¶ The prologue.  
Lord king of glory  
Such grace and such victory  
Thou sendest to king Richard  
That never was found coward  
It is good to here jests  
Of his prowess and his conquests  
Many romans men make new  
Of good knights and of true  
Of their deeds men read romauns  
Both in England and in France  
Of rowland and of Olyvere  
And of every defepere  
Of Alysaunder and of Charlemagne  
Of king Arthur and of Gawayne  
How they were knights good and courteous  
Of Turpyn and of Oger the danoys  
Of troy men read in rhyme  
What was by old time  
Of Hector and of Achilles  
What folk they slew in prees  
In france these rhymes were wrought  
Every english ne knew it nought  
Lewd man can french none  
Of an hundred uneath one  
Nevertheless with glad cheer  
If that ye will now here  
New jests I understand  
Of doughty knights of England  
Therefore now I will you read  
Of a king doughty of deed  
King richard was the best  
That is found in any jest  
Now all that here this talking  
God give them good ending   

¶ Here beginneth the history of King richard cure du lion/ and first of his birth.  
Lords hearken now before  
How king richard was borne  
His father was cleped king Harry  
In his time sickerly  
As I find in this saw  
Saint Thomas was Islawe  
At Caunterbury before the altar stone  
There miracles be done many one  
When he was twenty winter old  
He was a king swith bold  
He would no wife I understand  
With great treasure though they her fond  
Nevertheless his barons him red  
That he granted them a wife to wed  
Hastily he sent his sonde  
In to many a divers land  
The fairest woman that was on live  
They should bring him to wife  
Messengers be ready dight  
To ship they went that same night  
And their sail up they drew  
The wind them served well I now  
And they came amids the see  
No winds breath ne had he  
Therefore they were swith woe  
Another ship they encountered though  
Such ne saw they never none  
For it was so gay begun  
Every nail with gold I grave  
Of pure gold was his sklave  
Her mast was of ivory  
Of samite her sail wytly  
Her ropes all of white silk  
As white as ever was any milk  
The noble ship was without  
With clothes of gold spread about  
And her loft and her wyndlace  
All with gold depainted was  
In the ship there were dight  
Knights and lords of might  
And a lady therein was  
Bright as son throw the glass  
Her men abroad 'gan stand  
And becked them with her hand  
And prayed them for to dwell  
And their adventures to tell  
They granted all with skill  
For to tell all her will  
To diverse lands do we wend  
For king Harry hath us send  
For to seche him a queen  
The fairest that might on earth been  
Up arose a king of a chair  
With that word and spoke fair  
The chair was of carbunkel stone  
such saw they never none  
And other dukes him beside  
Noble men of moche pride  
And welcomed the messengers everichone  
In to the ship they 'gan gone  
thirty knights without lie  
Forsooth was in that company  
In that rich ship they went  
The messengers that were sent  
Knights and ladies came them again  
Seven score as men say  
And welcomed them at one word  
Clothes of silk were spread on board  
The king than anon bad  
As it is in rhyme read  
That his daughter were forth fet  
And in a chair by him set  
Trumpets began to blow  
She was set in a throw  
With twenty knights her about  
And double so many of ladies stout  
All they began to kneel her to  
For it was reason so to do  
They eat and drank & were glad  
For so the rich king bad  
When they had done their meet  
Of adventures they began to speak  
The king them told in his reason  
How it came him in a vision  
In his land that he came fro  
In to England for to go  
And his daughter that was him dear  
For to wend with him in fere  
And in this manner we be dight  
Unto your land to wend right  
Than answered a messengere  
His name was cleped Barnagere  
Ferther will we seek nought  
To my lord she shall be brought  
When he her with eyes doth see  
Full well apaid will he be  
The wind rose out of the north west  
And served them with the best  
At the tour they 'gan arrive  
To land the knights went belive  
The messengers the king hath told  
Of that lady fair and bold  
There he lay in tour  
The lady that was white as flower  
King Harry 'gan him soon dight  
With earls barons and many a knight  
Against that lady for to wend  
For he was courteous and hende  
The damosel to land was lad  
Clothes of gold before her spread  
The messengers on each a side  
And minstrels of moche pride  
King Harry liked her saying  
That fair lady and her father the king  
And said to him right so  
Ye be welcome all me to  
To westminster they went in fere  
Lords ladies that there were  
Trumpets began for to blow  
To meet they went in a throw  
Knights there served a good speed  
Of their meet to tell it is no need  
And after meet in hyenge  
Speaketh Harry our king  
To the king that sat in same  
Good sir what is your name  
My name he said is Carbarring  
Of antioch I am the king  
He told him his reason  
How him came in vision  
Sir he said I tell the  
I had brought else more main  
Many more without fail  
And more ships with victual  
Yet asked he that lady bright  
What name my lady ye height  
Cosodorean without losing  
Thus answered she the king  
Damosel he said bright and sheen  
Will ye dwell and be my queen  
She answered with words still  
Sir I am at my faders will  
Her father granted swith soon  
At your will it shall be done  
Hastily that she be wed  
As a queen to a kings bed  
And prayed him for his courtesy  
It might be done all privily  
The spousing was done that night  
Thereat danced many a knight  
Moche joy was then among  
A priest full soon the mass song  
And when it came to the levacyowne  
In a swooning she fell down  
The people than her sore a dread  
In to a chamber she was lad  
She said for I am thus hent  
I dare never see the sacrament  
Upon the more her father took leave  
No longer would he there be leave  
The king dwelled with his queen  
Children they had them between  
Two sons and a maid  
Forsooth as the book us said  
richard height the first iwis  
Wherefore these romans made is  
And johan forsooth that other was  
And their sister height Copyas  
Thus they dwelled in fere  
Till the xu year  
Upon a day before the road  
The king at his mass stood  
There came an earl of great post  
Sir he said how may this be  
That my lady the queen  
The sacrament dare not seen  
give us leave to do her dwell  
From the beginning of the gospel  
Till the mass be song and said  
And than shall ye see a quaint brayed  
The king granted with good will  
For to hold her with strength still  
Neither for weal ne for woe  
Let her not out of the church go  
And when the bell began to ring  
The priest should make the sakering  
Out of the church she would away  
But the earl said soon nay  
He said lady thou shalt abide  
For any thing that may betide  
She took her daughter upon her hand  
And johan her son she would not wonde  
Out of the roof she 'gan her dight  
Openly before all their sight  
johan fell from her in that stand  
And broke his thigh on the ground  
And with her daughter she fled her way  
That never after she was I say  
The king wondered of that thing  
That she made such an ending  
For love that she was served so  
Would he never after come there ne go  
He let ordain after his ending  
H●s soon richard to be king  
Crowned after king Harry  
Thus was richard sickerly  
That was in his xu year  
He was a man of great power  
deeds of arms he gave him to  
As falleth for kings and knights to do  
He waxed so strong and so wight  
Against him had no man no might  
In every stead he took honour  
As a noble king and conqueror  

¶ How king richard made a jousting.  
 woodcut of a joust  
THe first year that he was king  
At Salysbury he made a jousting  
And commanded every man to be there  
Both with shield and with spear  
Earls and barons everichone  
At home ne dwelled never one  
On forfeiture on life and land  
For nothing that they ne wonde  
This was cried I understand  
throughout all England  
All was for to look and see  
The knights that best might be  
There they came all at his will  
His commandment to fulfil  
The parties were sunder set  
together they ran without let  
King richard 'gan him disguise  
In a full strong quaintise  
He came out of a valaye  
For to see of their play  
As a knight adventurous  
His attire was orgulous  
All together coal black  
Was his horse without lack  
Upon his crest a raven stood  
That yaned as he were wood  
And about his neck a bell  
Wherefore the reason I shall you tell  
The oing of the raven is  
In travail for to be iwis  
Sygnyfyaunce of the bell  
With holy church to dwell  
And them to noy and to grieve  
That be not in the right believe  
He bore a shalt that was great and strong  
It was fourteen foot long  
And it was great and stout  
One and twenty inches about  
The first knight that he there met  
Full eagerly he him great  
With a dent amid the shield  
His horse he bore down in the field  
And the knight fell to ground  
Full nigh deed in that stound  
The next that he met there  
A great stroke he him bore  
His forget with his cornel though  
His neck he broke there a two  
His horse and he fell to ground  
And died both in that stound  
King richard 'gan hove & abide  
If any more would to him ride  
Trumpets began for to blow  
Knights jousted in that row  
Another knight hardy and good  
Sat on a stead read as blood  
He died him arm and well dight  
In all that longed to such a knight  
A shaft he took great and louge  
That was so heavy and strong  
And said he would to him ride  
If he durst him abide  
Trumpets began to blow than  
Thereby wist many a man  
That they should just mere  
The noble knights that there were  
King richard of him was ware  
And aspere to him he bore  
And encountered him in the field  
He bore away half his shield  
His pusen therewith 'gan gone  
And also his brandellet bone  
His vizor and his gorgere  
Him repent that be came there  
King richard hoved and beheld  
And thought to rest him in the field  
If there were other knight or swain  
That would more ride him again  
He saw there would come none  
On his way he 'gan forth gone  
Into a wood out or their light  
And in another tire he him dight  
Upon a stead read as blood  
With all the tire that on him stood  
Horse and shield armure and man  
That no man should know him than  
Upon his crest a reed hound  
The tail hinge to the ground  
That was signification  
The heathen folk to bring down  
Them to slay for god's love  
And christian men to bring above  
Still he hoved and bode yore  
To them he thought to ride more  
He road the throng all about  
He held within and without  
A baron he saw him beside  
Toward him he 'gan ride  
To asquyer he took his spear  
To him he would it not bear  
Forth he took a mansell  
A stroke he thought to be set well  
On his helm that was so strong  
Of that dent the fire out sprung  
The baron turned him aside  
And said fellow forth thou ride  
With thy spears go and play  
Come no more here I the pray  
And syketly if thou do  
Thou shalt have a knock or two  
King richard wondered in his thought  
That he set his stroke at nought  
And came again by another way  
And thought to make a better pay  
In his styrope up he stood  
And smote to him with Ire full mode  
He set his stroke on his iron hat  
But that other in his saddle sat  
Hastily without words more  
His mase he took in his hand though  
That was made of yotyn bras  
He wondered who that it was  
Such a stroke he him lente  
That richard feet out of his steropes went  
For plate ne for acketton  
For hawberke ne for campeson  
Such a stroke he never had none o'er  
That died him half so much sore  
Full swith away he 'gan ride  
Out of the prees there beside  
To himself he said tho  
Of such strokes keep I no more  
He went adown to a well  
And with his helm drank his fell  
And he watered his stead also  
In the third attire he let him do  
All his attire white as milk  
His croper was of silk  
Upon his shoulder a cross red  
That betokeneth god's deed  
With his enemies for to fight  
To win the cross if that he might  
Upon his heed a dove white  
signification of the holy spirit  
To be bold to win the prise  
And destroy gods enemies  
To the king richard 'gan him dight  
Than another noble knight  
Fouke doly was his name  
The king him loved for his fame  
To him a stroke he dight  
Well to pay with all his might  
He smote him on his basinet  
A great dente without let  
It swooned to his cheek bone  
Sir Fouke bade him forth gone  
That he no longer abide  
In adventure if any struck betide  
The king saw he felt no sore  
And thought to give him more  
And another stroke he him brayed  
His maze upon his heed he laid  
With good will that struck he set  
The baron thought he would him let  
And with his heavy maze of steel  
There he gave the king his deal  
That his helm all to rove  
And he over his saddle drove  
And his steropes he forbore  
Such a stroke had he never are  
He was so astonied of that dent  
That nigh he had his life lente  
And for that stroke that him was given  
He ne wist whether it was day or even  
though he recovered of his swowe  
To his palace he him drew  
Than he commanded hastily  
Herodes for to make cry  
And every man for to wend  
Home to his own friend  
The king anon a messengere  
Full privily he sent there  
To sir Thomas of multon  
That was a noble baron  
And to sir Fouke dely  
That they come to him on high  
Let them not dwell in no manner  
Bid them come both in fere  
The messengers therewith went  
And said the king after them sent  
swith for to come him to  
Without delay that it be do  
The knights hied and were blithe  
To the king they went swith  
And hendly they him great  
And he them took and by him set  
And said to them words free  
Welcome be ye now to me  
In either hand he took one  
And in to a chamber they gone  
Quoth richard sweet friends tway  
Tell me the sooth I you pray  
What knights that road best course  
Of this justes paramours  
And which could best his craft  
For to demean well his shaft  
With dentes for to fell his foes  
Which of them won the loos  
And who stiffest timber broke  
Quoth Thomas one in a tire black  
Came pricking over fallow and field  
All that there was him beheld  
How he road as he were wood  
A room he hoved and withstood  
On his crest a raven swart  
And he ne held with neither part  
A shaft he bore stiff and strong  
fourteen foot it was long  
It was both stiff and stout  
Anon he asked all the rout  
If any durst come and prove  
A course for his lemans love  
With a knight of adventurous hear  
A young knight a jolly bachelere  
Hente a shaft and stead bestrode  
To the adventurous knight he road  
The adventurous with him met  
Such a stroke on his shield he set  
That horse and man overthrew  
There was no wight that him knew  
Trumpets go herod's gathering  
All the other knights of him had dreading  
To just with him eft with lance  
The adventurous betide so fair chance  
And hardy knight stout and savage  
Hente a shaft with strong rage  
Now hath he one of ours field  
Worth we never for men telde  
Sith he hath done us that despite  
If he again pass quite  
That first he have no knock  
He pricked forth fro all the flock  
With a shaft stout and square  
amid the course than met they there  
The adventurous smote his shield amid  
A wonders case our knight betydde  
The adventurous field him with Ire  
Down of his stead and broke his swyre  
The three knights to speak began  
This is the devil and no man  
That our folk felleth and sleeth  
Tied me life tied me death  
I shall meet him if I may  
The adventurous knight with great deray  
So hard to our knight he drove  
His shield in two pieces he clove  
His shoulder with his shaft he brack  
And bore him over his horse back  
That he fell down and broke his arm  
He died him no more harm  
The adventurous though turned again  
And hoved still for to seen  
Who would just with him more  
Of him they were adread full sore  
No man durst just with him eft  
lest he them their life bereft  
When he saw there came no more  
He road again there he came fro  
After the black another came  
All the folk gave him good name  
His horse and his attire was red  
He seemed well to be a quede  
A reed hound on his helm above  
He came to seche and to prove  
If any knight just with him dare  
Of no man though was he ware  
That him made challenge  
He road down tho by the range  
The devil him hang where ever he be  
I wot not what him ailed at me  
His shaft though his squire he took  
And beheld me with a grim look  
And smote me so with his mase  
Ne had be Ihesu Christ's grace  
My swyre had gone away  
I bade him ride forth his way  
And deal with fools as his self was  
Again he came by another pas  
And gave me a worse buffate  
But still in my saddle I sat  
Than said many a moders soon  
Alas sir Thomas of multone  
That is smitten without skill  
My mase I hent with good will  
And smote him that all folks say  
Down of his horse withouten nay  
When I had him a stroke set  
And would have blessed him bet  
No more strokes would he abide  
But away soon he 'gan ride  
When multon had his tale told  
Sir Fouke doly a baron bold  
Said to king richard  
The third there came soon afterward  
His attire was white as snow  
Thereof many one there low  
In his shield a cross red as blood  
A white dove on his helm stood  
He hoved still and beheld us yearn  
if there were any knight so stern  
So hardy a man and strong of bones  
That durst just with him once  
There was none so stout ne grim  
That durst just ones with him  
Down by the range he went fast  
To me he came at the last  
Forsooth sir king quod Fouke than  
I wend he had been a simple man  
With his mase on my basinet  
A stroke upon my helm he set  
With wrath strong and eager main  
That nigh all astonied was my brain  
I spoke to him words few  
And bad him ride worth wood shrew  
And play with them that be thy peer  
if thou come oft in this manner  
For to be wise I shall the teach  
Eft he came again to seche  
A worse stroke he gave me tho  
And my mase I drew me to  
And a stroke I him set  
Even upon his basinet  
That both his styropes he lose  
And he hied him fast out of the press  
Home toward the wood bow  
King richard sat and fast low  
And said friends sickerly  
Take it not in grief for it was I  
When ye were gathered in fere  
Auenturous I came in this manner  
Who was strongest you to assay  
And who that could best strokes pay  
Lords he said wot ye aught  
What I have ordained in thought  
The holy land to wend to  
We three without any more  
All in palmers guise  
The holy land to devise  
Come I would that ye were sworn  
No man to know it that is borne  
Neither for weal ne for woe  
Till that we be come and go  
They granted him his asking  
Without any withsayenge  
With him to live and to die  
letting for love ne for envy  
On the book they laid their hand  
To that forward for to stand  
though they asked all three  
True sworn for to be  
Trumpets blue and made cry  
To meet they went hastily  
And on the xii day at end  
They were ready for to wend  
With pick and with slavayne  
As palmers or panayme   

¶ How king richard took shipping.  
 woodcut of two figures at a dock  
NOw they dight them full you're  
These three knights for to far  
They set up sail the wind was good  
And sailed over the salt flood  
In to flanders as I you say  
King richard and his feres tway  
Forth they went with glad cheer  
thorough many lands far and near  
Till they came to blaundies  
That is a cost of moche prise  
A noble ship they found there  
Over the see for to far  
The sail was raised in the ship strong  
And in the see they were long  
There they dwelled forty days  
For to learn the lands lays  
Sith they died them to the see  
Toward Acrys that rich city  
And so forth to masydoyne  
And to the city of Babyloyne  
And so forth to sysare  
Of nynyue they were ware  
And also of Iherusalem  
And to the city of Bethlehem  
And to the city of gandon turry  
And also to obedy  
And to the castle of orgulous  
And to the city of apparylous  
To Jaffa and to saffrayne  
To bright and to betake  
Thus they visited the holy land  
How they might it win to their hand  
And sith homeward they them dight  
To england with all their might  
When they had passed the greeks see  
In almain the palmers three  
There they wrought or they thence might go  
That turned them to moche woe  
I shall you tell in what manner  
Now hearken all that been here  
Agoos they dight to their dynere  
In a tavern there they were  
King richard the fire fet  
And Thomas to the spit him set  
Fouke doly made the bose  
Full dear bought they the goose  
And as they were eating their fill  
An one there came in a mynstryll  
And said good men sickerly  
Will ye have any minstrelsy  
King richard bade him thence go  
That turned them to much woe  
The minstrel took that in mind  
And thought that they were unkind  
And if I may they shall forthynke  
For they bade me neither eat ne drink  
For gentiles should bidden  
To glee men that about yeden  
Of their meet wine or ale  
For lose riseth of mynstrale  
They were english well he knew  
By speech and sight hide and hew  
For he went in that tide  
To a castle there beside  
And told the king all and some  
That three men were to the city come  
Strong men bold and fere  
In the world is not their peer  
Kynke richard of england was the one man  
Fouke doly was that other than  
The third Thomas of Multon  
Noble knights of renown  
In palmers weed they be dight  
That no man should know them right  
To him said the king iwis  
That thou haste if it sooth is  
Thou shalt have thy warysowne  
And chose thyself a rich town  
The king commanded his knights  
To arm them in all mights  
And go and take them all three  
And swith bring them to me  
Forth went the knights in fere  
And took the palmers at their dinner  
They were brought before the king  
And he asked them in hyenge  
Palmers he said whence be ye  
Of England they said we be  
What height thou fallow said the king  
richard he said without losing  
What height thou he said to the elder man  
Fouke doly he answered then  
And what thou he said grey here  
Thomas of multon he said there  
The king asked them all three  
What they died in his country  
I say you without lies  
Ye seem well to be spies  
Ye have seen my land up and down  
I trow ye think me some treasowne  
For as much as thou sir king  
And thy barons without losing  
Seem not to be thus dight  
Therefore ye shall with law & right  
Ben not in a strong prison  
For ye think to do me treason  
King richard said so moat I the  
Thou doth unright thinketh me  
Palmers that gone by the way  
Them to prison night or day  
Sir king for thy courtesy  
Do us palmers no villainy  
For his love that we have songht  
Let us go and grieve us nought  
For adventures that may betide  
In strange lands where thou ride  
The king commanded anon  
In to prison them to done  
The porter I understand  
Took richard by the hand  
And his fellows with him tyte  
longer had they no respite  
Till that other day at prime  
The kings son came in evil time  
Wardrewe was his name  
He was a knight of great fame  
He was great strong and fere  
In that land was not his peer  
Porter he said I pray the  
Thy prisoners let me see  
The porter said all at your will  
early or late loud or still  
He brought them forth all three  
richard formest tho came he  
Wardrewe spoke to him than  
Art thou richard the strong man  
As men say in each land  
Dar'st thou stand a buffet of my hand  
And to morrow I give the leave  
Such another me to give  
Anon king richard  
Granted to that forward  
The kings son fierce and proute  
Gave richard an ear clout  
The fire out of his eyen sprung  
richard thought he died him wrong  
And swore his oath by saint Martin  
To morrow I shall pay mine  
The kings son with good will  
Bad they should have their fill  
Both of drink and eke of meet  
The best that they would eat  
That they might not a wite  
For feebleness his dent to smite  
And in to bed be brought to rest  
To quite his that he be pressed  
The kings son was curtese  
That night he made him well at ease  
On the morrow when it was day  
richard rose as I you say  
Wax he took clear and bright  
And soon a fire he him dight  
And waxed his hands by the fire  
Ouerthwarde and endlong be you sure  
A straws breed thick and more  
For he thought to smite sore  
With his hand he hath tight  
To make a pain that he hath height  
The kings son came in than  
To hold forward as a true man  
And before richard he stood  
And spoke to him with Ire full mode  
Smite he said with thy might  
Thou hast I fared well this night  
And if I stoup or field  
Keep me never to bear shield  
Under his cheek Recharde his hand laid  
He that it saw the sooth said  
Flesh and skin away he tore  
That he fell down in great care  
He all to broke his cheek bone  
That he was deed as any stone  
A knight start to the king  
And told him that tiding  
Thar richard had his sone slow  
Alas he said how shall I do  
With that word he fell to ground  
As a man that was in woe bound  
He foundered and lost his feet  
Knights took him up without let●  
And said sir let be thy thought  
Now it is it done helpeth nought  
The king spoke words on high  
To the knights that stood him buy  
Tell me swith of this cas  
In what manner that it done was  
Still they stood everichone  
For sorrow might they tell none  
With that noise came the queen  
Alas she said how may this been  
Why is this sorrow and this fare  
Who hath brought you in care  
Dame he said wottest thou nought  
Thy fair son to death is brought  
Sith I was borne to man  
Such sorrow had never woman  
All my joy is turned to woe  
For sorrow I would myself sloo  
When the queen understood  
For great care she waxed nigh wood  
Her kerchers she drew and here also  
Alas she said what shall I do  
She cratched herself in the visage  
As a woman that was in a rage  
She foamed all on blood  
And rent her rob that she in stood  
And said alas that I was borne  
That thus my son have forlorn  
Lord she said how may this be  
These knights he said told it me  
Now tell the sooth the king said than  
In what manner say ye this deed began  
And but ye the sooth say  
An evil death shall ye day  
The knights called the jaylere  
And bad he should stand near  
To bear witness of that saw  
In what manner he was slawe  
The jailer said yesterday at prime  
Your sone came in an evil time  
To the prison door to me  
And the palmers he would see  
And I fet them forth anon  
richard formest 'gan gone  
Wardrewe asked without let  
If he would stand him a buffet  
And he him would another stand  
As he was true knight in land  
richard said by this light  
Smite on with all thy might  
richard had such a stroke of Wardrewe  
That full nigh he him overthrew  
richard he said now bid I the  
To morrow another thou give me  
They departed in this wise  
On the morrow richard began to rise  
And your son anon came  
And richard against him name  
As covenant was between them twain  
richard smote the sooth to say  
Even all a two his cheek bone  
That he fell deed as any stone  
And as I am sworn to you here  
Thus it was in this manner  
The king said with eager will  
In prison they shall be still  
And fetters upon their feet feast  
For this deed done unwreste  
And for he hath my sone slawe  
He shall die by right law  
The jaylere go as he was sent  
To do the kings commandment  
That day eat they no meet  
Nor no drink might they get  
The kings daughter lay in her bower  
With ladies and maidens of honour  
Margery her name height  
She looked richard with all her might  
At the mid day before the none  
To the prison she went soon  
With her went maidens three  
Porter she said let me see  
The prisoners hastily  
Blythly he said sickerly  
He brought them forth anon right  
Fair they great that lady bright  
And said to her with heart fire  
With us lady what will ye  
When she saw richard with her eyen two  
Her love she cast upon him though  
She said richard save god above  
Of all thing most I the love  
Alas quod richard in that stound  
With wrong I am brought to ground  
I poor prisoner as ye may see  
What may my love do to the  
This is the third day agone  
That meet nor drink had I none  
The lady had of him pity  
Certes it shall amended be  
She commanded the jaylere  
Meet and drink to fetch them there  
And the Irons from them take  
I pray the for my sake   

¶ Of the love between the kings daughter and king richard/ and after how that king richard slew a lion/ and how he eat the heart of the lion all raw/ wherefore he had the name/ strong king richard cure de lion  
 woodcut of six people at court  
ANd after souper in the evening  
To my chamber thou richard bring  
In the tire of a squyere  
Myself I shall keep him there  
By Ihesu christ and by saint Simon  
Thou shalt have thy waryson  
The jailer forgot it nought  
To her chamber he him brought  
With that maid he dwelled still  
And played with her his will  
Till the seventh day sickerly  
He go and came privily  
He was espied of a knight  
That to the chamber he came right  
privily he told the king  
That forlain was his daughter yinge  
The king asked him soon  
Who hath he said that deed done  
richard he said that traitor  
He hath done you the dishonour  
Sir he said by my christendom  
I saw when he went and come  
The king in heart sighed sore  
To him spoke he though no more  
But swith without fail  
Sent after his counsel  
Earls and barons and wise clerks  
For to counsel him of his works  
The messengers 'gan forth gone  
His counseyliours came anon  
By that it was the xiiii day  
They were come as I you say  
All at ones they great the king  
sooth to say without losing  
He said lords welcome be ye all  
He went forth in to the hall  
Among them the king him set  
I shall you tell without let  
Why I have after you sent  
To give a traitor judgement  
That hath done great treason  
King richard that is in my prison  
All he them told in his saw  
How he had his son I slawe  
And he were deed than were I fain  
For he shall never home again  
And now it is ordained so  
Men shall no king to death do  
To him spoke a bold baron  
How came king richard in your prison  
He is holden so noble a king  
To him dare no man do thing  
The king told him in all wise  
How he him found and in what guise  
And with him other two barons  
Noble men of great renouns  
I took them through suspection  
In this manner to my prison  
He took leave of them everichone  
In to a chamber he bade them gone  
For to take their counsel  
That them might best avail  
In their speech they dwelled thore  
Two days and somedeal more  
And strove as they were wood  
With great error & with great mode  
Some would him hang and draw  
And some said it was no law  
On this manner to slay a king  
They ne might accord for no thing  
The wisest said verament  
We will give him no judgement  
Thus answered they the king  
Sir grieve you no thing  
For sir Eldrede forsooth iwis  
He can you tell what best is  
For he is a wise man of rede  
That many a man hath dampened to deed  
The king bad without let  
That he were before him fet  
He was brought before the king  
The which him axed at his coming  
Canst thou me tell in what manner  
On richard that I avenged were  
He answered I tell the  
thereon I must advise me  
Ye wot well it is no law  
A king to hang ne to draw  
Therefore do by my reason  
Hastily take your lion  
And with hold him his meet  
Three days that he none eat  
And richard in a chamber do  
And put the lion than him to  
In this manner he shall be slawe  
Than dost thou not against the law  
The lion there shall him sloo  
Than art thou awreked of thy foo  
The maid espied of that reason  
And than bethought her soon  
And after him soon she sent  
To warn him of that judgement  
When he to her chamber came than  
Welcome she said my leman  
My lord hath ordained thorough read  
The third day thou shalt be deed  
In to a chamber thou shalt be do  
And a lion shall be put the to  
That shall have hunger sore  
Than wot I well thou livest no more  
But sweet leman said she there  
Let us out of this land far  
With gold and silver & moche money  
I nought to spend than have I  
richard said I understand  
That were against the law of land  
Away to wend without leave  
The king I will not so grieve  
Of the lion give I nought  
Him to slay have I thought  
By prime upon the third day  
I will have his heart to pray  
Kerchers he asked of silk  
Forty else as white as milk  
In to the prison ye them bring  
A little before the evening  
When it to the time came  
The maid to prison the way name  
And with her a noble knight  
Their souper was ready dight  
richard and his two fere  
Had y nought to their soupere  
And the porter also  
She bade he should so do  
That night they were glad enough  
Every man sith to chamber drew  
And richard and that sweet wight  
together dwelled all that night  
And on the morrow when it was day  
richard bad her to wend away  
Nay she said by god above  
I shall here die for thy love  
Right now here I will abide  
Though I should to death betide  
Certes hens will I not wend  
I shall take the grace that god will send  
richard said fair lady free  
But thou wend soon from me  
Thou shalt me grieve sore  
That I shall love the no more  
There against she said nay  
Leman have now good day  
God that died on the tree  
Save the if his will be  
The keverthefes he took on hand  
And about his arm he wound  
And thought in that ilk while  
To slay the lion with some guile  
And single in a kirtle he stood  
And abode the lion fierce and wooed  
With that came the jaylere  
And other men that with him were  
And the lion them among  
His paws were stiff and strong  
The chamber door they undone  
And the lion to him is gone  
richard said help lord Ihesu  
The lion made to him venu  
And would him have all to rent  
King richard beside him glente  
The lion on the breast him spurned  
That about he turned  
The lion was hungry and megre  
And bet his tail to be eager  
He looked about as he were mad  
Abroad he all his paws spread  
He cried loud and yaned wide  
King richard bethought him that tide  
What him was best and to him start  
In at the throat his hand he gerte.  
And hent out the heart with his hand  
Lounge and all that he there fond  
The lion fell deed to the ground  
richard felt no wem ne wound  
He fell on his knees in that place  
And thanked Ihesu of his grace  
That him kept from shame and harm  
He took the heart also warm  
And brought it forth in the hall  
Before the king and his lords all  
The king at meet sat at the dais  
The earls barons proud in press  
The salt on the table stood  
King richard thirst out all the blood  
And wet the heart in the salt  
The king and his men him behalte  
Without breed he it 'gan eat  
The king wondered and began to speak  
iwis as I understand can  
This his the devil and no man  
He hath my strong lion slawe  
The heart out of the body draw  
And hath it eaten with good will  
He may be called with good skill  
christian king most of renown  
Strong richard cure delyowne   

¶ How king richard sent for his ransom  
 woodcut of a messanger delivering a letter  
NNow of this let we be  
And of the king speak we  
In care & mourning leadeth his life  
And oft calleth himself caitiff  
And cursed the time that he was borne  
For his son hath he forlorn  
And his daughter is forlain  
And this his lion is thus slain  
Earls and barons came him to  
And the queen died also  
And asked what he was  
ye wot he said all the cas  
Why that I am in sorrow this hour  
Hor richard that strong traitor  
He hath wrought me so much woe  
And I ne may him to death do  
Therefore I will at this sake  
ransom for his body take  
For my daughter that is I shent  
Against the estate of sacrament  
Of every church that priests in sing  
And matins sing and bells ring  
There that two chalice be  
That one shall be brought to me  
If there be more than two  
The half deal shall come me to  
When I am served of that fe  
Than shall richard delivered be  
And my daughter for her outrage  
Shall for go her heritage  
Thus he said it shall be do  
The barons granted all thereto  
King richard they after sent  
For to here their ordaynement  
When he came in to the hall  
He great the king and his men all  
The king said verament  
We have looked your judgement  
That thou shalt pay raunsones  
For the and for thy barons  
Of every church in thy land  
Thou shalt do come to my hand  
There that two chalice in be  
That one shall be brought to me  
And if there be more than two  
The half deal shall be brought me to  
thorough thy land wite it weal  
I will have the half deal  
And when thou hast made thy pay  
I give the leave to wend thy way  
And my daughter with the also  
That again I see her never more  
King richard said as thou hast told  
To that forward I me hold  
King richard courteous and hende  
Said who shall for my ransom wend  
To England to my chauncelere  
That my ransom paid were  
Who that it doth without fail  
I shall him quite for his travail  
Up there start an hende knight  
Thy message I will do full right  
The king died a letter write  
A good clerk died it indite  
And made there in mention  
Less and more of that ransom  
great well as I you say  
Mine archbishop's twaye  
And so ye do my chauncelere  
To serve this letter in all manner  
For no thing that they ne fail  
sickerly it shall them avail  
His seal thereon he hath set  
The knight it took without let  
He dight him and made him yare  
In to England for to far  
When he was over the see brought  
To go his way forgot he nought  
To London he go anon  
There he found them everichone  
He took the letter as I you say  
To the archbishop's twaye  
And bade them to do it read  
For it is sent for great need  
The chancellor the seal broke  
Soon they wist what it spoke  
The letter was read among them all  
What thereof should befall  
How king richard with treason  
In almaigne dwelled for ransom  
The kings son he hath slain  
And his douhhter eke forlain  
And also slain his lyon  
All these arms hath he done  
They made clerks for to wend  
To every church fair and hende  
Hastily that it were sped  
And the treasure to him led  
Messenger now said he  
Thou shalt dwell and have with the  
five bishops to ride the by  
And five barons sickerly  
And other folk enough with the  
In us no default shall be  
Of every church less and more  
They gathered that treasore  
And over the see they went  
For to make that fair present  
And when they came the city to  
The king there they found tho  
And said as they were bethought  
Sir thy ransom is hither brought  
Take it all at your will  
Let go these men as it is skill  
The king said I give them leave  
I shall them no more grieve  
And took his daughter by the hand  
And bade her swith void the land  
The queen saw what would fall  
Her daughter to her she 'gan call  
And said thou shalt dwell with me  
Till richard send after the  
As a king doth after his queen  
Thus I read that it been  
King richard and his feres tway  
To England took their way  
Now they be come to England  
blessed be Ihesu Christ's sonde  
He went to London to that city  
His earls and his barons free  
Thanked god of his good grace  
That their king was in that place  
His two feres went right soon home  
Their friends were glad that they come  
They bathed their bodies that were sore  
For travail that they had had before  
Thus they dwelled half a year  
Among their friends of great power  
Till they were able for to stand  
The king commanded thorough the land  
At London to make a parliament  
Of his commons and lords gent  
As they would save their life  
Or their children or their wife  
To London to his summon  
Came bishops earls & many a baron  
abbots priors knights & squires  
burgesses and many bachelors  
All the best of his land  
The kings hest to understand  
Before that time the great country  
That was before the greeks see  
Acrys and surrey and many lands  
Were in christian men's hands  
And the country of Bedleem  
And also Iherusalem  
And Nazareth and Jericho  
And all Galyce thereto  
Every palmer and pilgrim  
That would thither go that time  
Might pass with good intent  
Without ransom or any rent  
Other of silver or of gold  
To every stead where they would  
Found he no man to myssayne  
Neither no hands on him lain  
Of surrey land the duke myllon  
Was lord in that stound a bold baron  
Maugre the sultan the land he held  
And kept it well with spear and shield  
He and the doughty earl Reynawte  
Full oft gave him hard assault  
And full oft in battle  
Slew his knights and pewtayll  
Of sarasynes that misbelieved  
The sultan thereof was aggrieved  
Now hearken of a treason strong  
Of the earl Roys was them among  
To whom the duke myllon trust mickle  
And he was a traitor false and fekle  
The sultan still to him sent  
And he asked him lands and rent  
The christian host to betray  
Who he hath won him to pay  
Of gold many a thousand pound  
And he granted him that stound  
Another traitor Marks feraunt  
He wist also of that covenant  
And after his christendom forsook  
And to the devil him betook  
And thorough treason of the earl Roys  
Surrey was lost and the holy croys  
The duke's reward was hew small  
All to pieces saith our tale  
The duke myllon was full life  
He fled out of the land with his wife  
He was earl of surrey land  
King bawdewyns son I understand  
That no man wist never sith  
Where he became ne in what kythe  
So this loss and this pity  
Sprung in to all crystente  
An holy pope that height urban  
Sent to all christendom then  
And assoiled them of their sin  
And gave them paradise to win  
All that will thither gone  
To wreak Ihesu of his fone  
The king of france without fail  
thither went with moche victual  
The duke of bloys the duke of burgon  
The duke of estryche the duke of fusson  
And also the Emperor of almain  
And many good knights of britain  
The earl of flanders the earl of babelyne  
The earl of arteys the earl of Colyne  
Moche folk went thither before  
That nigh had their lives lore  
With great war and hunger hard  
As ye may here afterward  
In harvest after the nativity  
King richard with great solemnity  
At westminster he held a noble feast  
With bishops and barons honest  
abbots pryours and swines strong  
After meet go them among  
King richard stood up and 'gan say  
Myself friends will you sayne  
Be in pease and hearken unto my tale  
Earls barons great and small  
bishops abbot lewd and learned  
All christendom may be afered  
The pope Vrban hath us sent  
By bull and by commandment  
How the sultan hath fight begun  
The town of Acrys is I won  
thorough the earl Roys treachery  
All the kingdom of surry  
Iherusalem and the cross is lost  
And Bethlehem there Ihesu was borne  
christian knights be hanged and draw  
The sarasynes hath them all slawe  
christian men wife and groom  
Therefore my lord pope of Rome  
Is sore aggrieved and annoyed  
That christendom is so destroyed  
All christendom he hath sent and bod  
And biddeth them in the name of god  
To wend thither with great host  
For to fell the saracens boast  
Wherefore I have mente  
To wend thither with swords dent  
To win the cross and get the lose  
Friends what is your purpose  
Will ye wend say ye or nay  
Earl baron knight and all that may  
They said we been at one accord  
With the to wend richard our lord  
Quod richard friends gramercy  
It is our honour listeneth why  
The king of france is went forth  
riden East and west south and north  
thorough England we will do cry  
And make a plain treasourye  
Moche folk the cross have nome  
And to king richard been come  
On horse and on foot well appareled  
Three hundred ships well victualed  
Hawberkes swords and knives  
thirty ships laden benlyves  
Of tembre great and shields long  
He let make a tour strong  
That quaint engyners made  
Therewith three ships were lad  
Another ship was laden yet  
With a gin that height robynet  
With richard a mangenell  
With all the tackle that thereto fell  
When they were dight and yare  
Out of the heaven for to far  
Ihesu them sent wind so good  
To bear them over the salt flood  
King richard said to his shipmen  
Friends do as I you ken  
And master Alyn trenchmere  
Where that ye come far and near  
And ye meet by the see strand  
ships of any other land  
christian men on live and limb  
Look that ye no good benim  
And if ye the sarazens meet  
Look on live that ye none let  
Catell dormonde or galaye  
Also I give it to your pray  
But at the city of maryle  
There ye must abide a while  
By cable and auncker there to ride  
Me and mine host there to abide  
For I and my knights and eke swain  
Will wend thorough out all almain  
To speak with Medarde the king  
To wot why and for what thing  
That he me in his prison held  
And but he my treasure again yield  
That he took of me with falsshede  
I shall acquit him his meed  
Now thinketh richard as I ween  
Or he feather goth avenged to been  
Thus king richard as ye may here  
Became god's palmere  
Against his enemies  
The archbishop sir bawdemies  
Before went with knights five  
By boards and by constantyve  
At the last there afterward  
Came the doughty king Rychrde  
King richard called his justice  
Lo ye do at my devise  
My land keep with skill and law  
Traitors look ye hang and draw  
In my stead shall ye be here  
The bishop of York my chauncelere  
I will it be at his will  
To work after right and skill  
That I here after here no strife  
As ye will save my life  
And in name of god almight  
I bid you rule the poor a right  
There they held up their hand  
With right to rule all England  
The bishop them gave his blessing  
And bad for them in church to sing  
And prayed Ihesu christ him speed  
In heaven to quite him his meed  
Three hosts king richard let make  
To hethenesse for god's sake  
In the formest ward he would be  
With hardy men of great post  
That other leadeth Fouke doly  
Thomas the third certainly  
And every host 'gan with him lead  
Forty thousand good at need  
None therein but men of might  
That were proud in war to fight  
When they were passed the se  
soon he dealed his host in three  
For he would not the folk annoy  
Ne their goods not destroy  
Ne no thing take without pay  
The king commanded also I say  
Every host from other ten mile  
Thus he ordained that wile  
In the middle him to ride  
And his hosts abothe side  
Forth he went with glad cheer  
thorough lands far and near  
Till they came without ensoyne  
Unto the city of coloyne  
The high mayre of that city  
Commanded as I tell the  
That no man should sell him victual  
For no thing that might avail  
The steward told richard the king  
Soon anon of that tiding  
That he ne might no victual buy  
Neither for love ne for money  
Thus defended Medarde the king  
For he the hateth over all thing  
And well he woteth that ye have sworn  
All that ye take for to pay fore  
Ye will take with no mastery  
Therefore he weeneth sickerly  
That ye ne shall have meet none  
Thus he weeneth thy men to stone  
King richard said also him thought  
That he ne shall let us nought  
Steward I command thee  
Buy us vessel great plenty  
dishes cups and saucers  
Bolles trowes and platters  
Fats cowls and costrelles  
Make our meet without les  
Whether ye will seethe or bake breed  
And to poor men so god you read  
That ye find in all the town  
That they come to meet at my sommowne  
When the meet was dressed and dight  
The king commanded to a knight  
After the mayor for to wend  
And other barons good and hende  
Anon they were to the board set  
And fair service before them fet  
King richard asked in hyenge  
Sir mayor where is thy lord the king  
Sir he said at gonorye  
sickerly without lie  
And also my lady the queen  
The third day ye shall them seen  
And margery his daughter fire  
That of thy coming blithe will be  
They wish as it is law in land  
A menssenger there came dryvande  
Upon a stead white as milk  
All I trapped in tuly silk  
With five hundred bells ringing  
He came full merely singing  
And down of his stead he alight  
And great king richard aplyght  
The kings daughter that is so free  
She the greeteth well by me  
With an hundred knights and more  
She cometh or ye to bed go  
King richard said hyenge  
She is welcome over all thing  
He made at ease the messengere  
With glad semblant and merry cheer  
And gave him a cloth of gold  
For he was with his lady withhold  
They came to him that same night  
The knights and that lady bright  
When king richard might hearse  
Welcome leman than said he  
Either other began to kiss  
And made moche joy and bliss  
There they left till it was day  
On the morrow they went their way  
And at midday before the none  
They came before a city right soon  
The name was height marburent  
There the king richard most lent  
Soon his steward came him to  
Sir he said how shall we do  
Such victual as I bought yesterday  
For no gold get it I ne may  
King richard said with heart fire  
Of fruit here is great plenty  
figs and raisins in frail  
And nuts may serve us rather than fail  
And wax somedeal cast thereto  
tallow and grease I meddled also  
And thus ye may our meet make  
Sith that we may none other take  
There they dwelled all that night  
On the morrow to wend as it was right  
Unto the city of carpentras  
There king Medarde himself was  
For there might he him flee nought  
thorough the land he had him sought  
The king wist richard was come  
Well he wend to been I none  
And in prison ay to be  
But if my daughter help me  
She came to him there he sat  
What now father what is that  
Certes daughter I get blame  
But thou me help I get shame  
Certes sir she said than  
As I am gentlewoman  
If ye will be mild of mode  
King richard shall do you but good  
But grant me with good will  
That he will say to fulfil  
And you in his mercy doth  
And he you kiss shall without oath  
And also my lady the queen  
Good friends shall ye been  
She took her father and with him go  
To king richard as I you read  
And eke earls and barons more  
And thirty knights eke also  
King richard saw how that he came  
Fair against him the way he name  
King Medarde on knees him set  
And king richard there he great  
And said I am at thy will  
Quod richard I will nought but skill  
But so thou yield again my treasure  
I shall the love ever more  
Love the and be thy friend  
Quod king Medarde my sone hende  
I shall the swear upon a book  
Ready is that I of the took  
And if thou wilt much more  
Of mine own treasure  
I will the give my peace to make  
King richard 'gan him in arms take  
And kissed him many times sith  
They were friends and made blithe  
That every day king Medarde  
Ere with king richard  
And after meet soon and swith  
King richard spoke with cheer blithe  
To the king that sat him by  
Welcome be ye sickerly  
Sir for love I pray the  
Of thy help to wend with me  
To heathens without fail  
For gods love to give battle  
The king granted all in gryth  
And all his realm to wend him with  
And myself sir thereto  
Nay quod richard I will not so  
Thou art to old to beker in fight  
I pray the that thou me dight  
An hundred knights stiff to stand  
Of the best in thy land  
For a year that it be done  
And of victual ready won  
And squires that fall them to  
The king granted that to do  
Another thing I shall the give  
That may the help while thou live  
Two rich rings of gold  
The stones therein been full old  
From hens to the land of ynde  
Better shalt thou none find  
For who that hath that one stone  
Water ne shall him drown none  
That other stone who so it hath  
Fire ne shall him do no scathe   

¶ How the king of france betrayed king richard.  
QVod king richard sir gramercy  
His knights were all ready  
sergeants of arms and squires  
steeds I charged and destrers  
With arms and with other victual  
King richard went forth with his apparel  
Toward marcel he 'gan ride  
With his host on either side  
Fouke doly and Thomas of multon  
With earls dukes & many a bold baron  
Richard's master Roberte of leycester  
In England was none his better  
And also sir Roberte of turname  
Moche english people with him came  
And ready they found their fleet  
Charged with armure drink and meet  
They shipped armure man and stead  
And other store folk to feed  
They shipped all by the see strand  
To wend in to the holy land  
The wind was both good and keen  
And drove them over in to messene  
Before the gates of the griffons  
King richard pight his pavilions  
The king of france there he found  
In pavilions square and round  
And either of them kissed other  
And became sworn brother  
To wend in to the holy land  
To wreak Ihesu I understand  
A treason thought the king of france  
To do king richard distance  
To king Tanker he sent a writ  
That turned him to little wit  
The king richard with strength of hand  
Would him have driven out of his land  
Tanker king of puyle was  
For this write he said alas  
He sent anon his messenger  
To his son that height Roger  
That was king of Cysyle land  
He should come to his hand  
And sent after his barons  
Earls and lords of renowns  
And when they were comen everichone  
The king said to them anon  
And told how the king of france  
Had him warned of a distance  
King Roger spoke first above  
And smote peace with his glove  
Mercy my father at this time  
King richard is a pilgrim  
And crossed in to the holy land  
That write lieth I understand  
I dare for king richard swear  
That he never thought you to fere  
But send to him a messengere  
That he come unto you here  
He will come to you full soon  
And his thought he will tell you anon  
The king was glad of that counsel  
And scent after him without fail  
On the morrow he came to him iwis  
In to the rich city of this  
And found king Tanker in his hall  
Among his earls and barons all  
Either great te other in fair manner  
With mild words and deboner  
Than said Tanker to king richard  
Lo sir king by saint Leonarde  
It is done me for to wit  
Of a friend here right well writ  
That thou art come with great power  
For to reave me of my lands here  
Thou were fair to be a pilgrim  
For to slay many a paynim  
Than for to grieve a christian king  
That never the mysdyde no thing  
King richard was sore ashamed  
And also of his words agramd  
And said Tanker thou art mystought  
For to have this in thy thought  
And such a rage on me to bear  
That I the should with arms dear  
Such a treason on me to touch  
And on my flesh I bear the crouch  
I ne will dwell here but a day  
To morrow I will wend my way  
And I pray the sir Tanker king  
Procure me none evil thing  
For many men weeneth to grieve other  
And on his heed falleth the father  
For who so waiteth me despite  
Him self shall nought pass quite  
Sir quoth Tanker be not wroth for this  
Lo here are the letter forsooth iwis  
That the king of france me sent  
That other day in present  
King richard saw & understood  
The king of france would him no good  
King richard and king Tanker kissed  
And were friends with the best  
That might be in any land  
I loved be Ihesu Christ's sonde  
King richard went again well still  
And suffered the french kings will  
He undyde his treasure  
And bought him beasts to his store  
He let both salt and slene  
Three thousand of oxen and keen  
Swine and sheep so many also  
No man could tell tho  
And of fish fowls and venison  
I ne can nought acccount in right reason  
The king of france without ween  
Say in the city of messene  
And king richard without the wall  
Under the house of the hospital  
The english men went to shipping  
And oft hent hard knocking  
The french and griffons down rights  
Slew there our english knights  
Kynke richard heard of that distance  
And plained to the king of france  
And he answered he had no wards  
Of the english taylardes  
Chase thy griffons if thou might  
For of my men getteest thou no right  
Quod king richard sith it is so  
I wot well what I have to do  
I shall me of them so a wreak  
That all the world thereof shall speak  
christmas is a time full honest  
King richard it honoured with great fast  
All his clerks and barons  
Were set in their pavilions  
And served with great plenty  
Of meet and drink and each dainty  
Than came there a knight in great haste  
uneath he might draw his blast  
He fell on knees and thus he said  
Mercy richard for Mary maid  
With the french men and the gryffownes  
My brother lieth slain in the towns  
And with him lieth slain fifteen  
Of thy knights good and keen  
This day and yesterday I told arrow  
That six and thirty they had I slow  
Fast lesseth your english heap  
Good sir take good keep  
A wreak us sir manly  
Or we shall hastily  
Flee peril I understand  
And turn again to england  
King richard was wroth & eager of mode  
And began to stare as he were wood  
The table with his foot he smote  
That it went on the earth foot hot  
And swore he would be awreked in haste  
He would not wend for Christ's fast  
The high day of crystmasse  
They 'gan them arm more and lass  
Before went king richard  
The earl of salisbury afterward  
That was called by that day  
Sir William the long spay  
The earl of leysestre the earl of herdforde  
Fulll comely followed they their lord  
Earls barons and squires  
Bowmen and arblasteres  
With king richard they 'gan reek  
Of french and griffons to be awreke  
The folk of that city espied rathe  
That english men would do them scathe  
They shut hastily the gate  
With bars that they found therate  
And swith they ran on the wall  
And shot with bow and spryngall  
And called our men sans fail  
Away dogs with your tail  
For all your boost and your orguyle  
Men shall threste in your cuyle  
Thus they mysdyde and myssayde  
All that day king richard they trayde  
Our king that day for no need  
In battle might no thing speed  
On a night king richard & his barons  
Went to their pavylyous  
Who that slept or who that work  
That night king richard no rest took  
On the morrow he of sent his counselors  
Of the ports the master mariners  
lordings he said ye been with me  
Your counsel ought for to be prive  
All we should us venge fond  
With quaintise and with strength of hand  
Of french and of griffons  
That have despised our nations  
I have a castle I understand  
Is made of tembre of England  
With six stages full of tourelles  
Well flourished with cornelles  
Therein I and many a knight  
Against the french shall take the fight  
That castle shall have a sorry nom  
It shall height the mate griffon  
Mariners arm your ships  
And do up your manshyppes  
By the water half ye them assail  
And we will by land sans fail  
For come ye never to me  
Till I of them a wreked be  
Thereto men might here cry  
Help god and saint Mary  
The mariners 'gan to high  
Both with ship and with galye  
Sith o'er spread and sail also  
Toward them they 'gan go  
The knights framed the tree castle  
Before the city upon an hill  
All this saw the king france  
And said have ye no doutaunce  
Of all these english cowards  
For they ne be but losardes  
But raise up your mangenell  
And cast to their tree castle  
And shoot to them with arblast  
The tailed dogs for to aghast  
Now hearken of richard our king  
How he let bear in the dawning  
Terges and hards his folk all  
Right before the city wall  
His host he let at ones cry  
Men might it here in the sky  
Now let come the french losardes  
And give battle to the taylardes  
ye french men them armed all  
And ran on fast upon the wall  
And began the english for to assail  
There began a strong battle  
The english shot with arblast & bow  
french and griffons field and slow  
The galley came unto the city  
And had nigh won entre  
And hard mined under the wall  
That many griffons 'gan down fall  
With hooked arrows and eke quarrels  
Held them out of the tourelles  
And broke both legs and arms  
And eke their necks it was none harms  
The french men came to the stoure  
And cast wild fire out of the tour  
Wherewith I wot forsooth iwis  
They brent and slew many english  
And the english men defended them well  
With good swords of brown steel  
And slew of them so great chepes  
That there lay moche folk on heaps  
And at the land gate king richard  
Held his assault like hard  
And so manly he took one  
He left of his men never one  
He looked beside and saw hove  
A knight that told him with a glove  
King richard and he him told  
Tales in english stout and bold  
A lord he said I espy now right  
A thing that maketh mine heart light  
Here he said is a gate one  
That hath ward right none  
The folk is gone to the water tour  
For to do them their succour  
And there we may without dente  
Entre in now verament  
Blyche thereof was king richard  
Stoutly he went thitherward  
Many a knight doughty of deed  
After pricked upon their stead  
King richard entered without dread  
Him followed full great ferhede  
His banner upon the wall he pulte  
Many a griffon it byhulte  
As greyhounds stricken out of lose  
King Ryeharde threste among the press  
Seven chains with his good sword  
Our king for carfe a midward  
That were drawn for great doubt  
Within the gates and without  
Porcules and gates up he won  
And let come in every man  
Men might see by street and lane  
french and griffons gave bane  
And some to horse ran in haste  
doors and windows barred fast  
And ever men bore them up with levours  
And slew them with great vygours  
All that they found against them stand  
Passed thorough deaths hand  
They broke coffers and took treasures  
Gold and silver and countours'  
jewels stones and spicery  
All that they found in tresoury  
There was none of englylshe blood  
That he ne had as much good  
As they would draw or bear  
To ship or to pavilions I swear  
And ever cried king richard  
Slay down every french coward  
And ken them in battles  
That ye have no tails  
The king of france came pricking  
Against richard our king  
And fell on knees down of his horse  
And bad mercy for god's corpse  
For the crown and for the love  
Of Ihesu christ king above  
And for the viage and for the cross  
He should be in gree and take lose  
And he would have hand take  
They should amend all the wreck  
They that had him or his  
Only thing done amiss  
King richard had great pity  
Of the king of france that sat on keen  
And light down so saith the book  
And in his arms up him took  
And said it should be peace still  
And yield the twone all to his will  
And bade him nought grieve him though  
Though he venged him of his foe  
That had his good knights quelled  
And eke on him despite I telde  
The king of france 'gan to preach  
And bad richard be his soul's leech  
And the treasure yield again than  
That he had take of every man  
And else he ne might in gods pay  
To Iherusalem take the way  
King richard said with their treasure  
They might nought amend the dishonour  
And that they have done me or this  
And sir also thou died amiss  
When thou sentest to Tanker the king  
To appear me with thy losing  
We have to Iherusalem the way sworn  
Who breaketh our pilgrimage he is forlorn  
Or he that maketh any medlaye  
between us two in this way  
When abbated was that distance  
There came two justices of france  
Upon two steeds ride  
And king richard they ganchyde  
That one was height Margaryte  
That other sir Hew Impetyte  
swith sore they him trayde  
Cleped taylarde and myssayde  
King richard held a tronchon tewe  
And to them two he him drew  
Margaryte he gave a dent than  
Above the eye upon the pan  
The skull broke with that dent  
The right eye flew out quytemente  
And he fell down deed in haste  
Hew of Impetyte was a gast  
And pricked away without fail  
And richard was soon at his tail  
And gave him a stroke on the mould  
That deed he thought be he should  
Ternes and quernes he gave him there  
And said sir thus thou shalt lere  
To missay thy overhedling  
Go plain now to your french king  
An archbishop came full soon  
He fell on knees and bad a bone  
Of king richard he had his grace  
That he would leave his strife in that place  
And there no more harm do  
For gods love the people to  
King richard granted then  
And drew to pavilion all his men  
To this day men may here speak  
How the english were there awreke  
All the while that they were there  
They might well buy their chafere  
There was none so hardy a man  
That one evil word spoke 'gan   

¶ How three of king Richard's ships were perished in the see/ and how the emperor put his men in prison  
 woodcut of a sea battle  
King richard in peace and rest  
from crystmasse the high feast  
Dwelled there till after the lente  
And than on his way he went  
In march month the king of france  
Went to ship without distance  
When he was gone soon afterward  
Came the doughty king richard  
Forth toward Acrys wend he would  
With moche store of silver and gold  
Four ships were charged I found  
Toward Cyprys all saylande  
Charged with treasure every dell  
And soon a sorrowful case there fell  
A great tempest arose sondaynly  
That lasted five days sickerly  
It broke their mast and their ore  
And their tackle less and more  
Anchor both sprette and rother  
Ropes cords one and other  
And were in point to sink a down  
As they came against the lymosowne  
The three ships right anon  
All to broke against the stone  
All to pieces they to tore  
uneath the folk saved ware  
The mariners uneath it with held  
That ship left in the shield  
For the pryffons with sharp words  
Some with axes and some with swords  
great slaughter of our english maked  
And spoiled the quick all naked  
Syxtene hundred they brought on live  
And in to prison hondredes five  
And also naked sixty score  
As they were of their moders bore  
Of the ships breaking they were blithe  
The justices of Cyprys ran full swith  
And drew up coffers many fold  
Full of silver and of gold  
dishes cups broochs and rings  
Cups of gold and rich things  
No man by south ne by north  
Ne could account what it was worth  
And all was lost that treasure  
whether that would the emperor  
The third day afterward  
The wind came driving king richard  
With all his great navies  
And his sayiing galyes  
To a ship that stood in deep  
The gentlemen therein died weep  
And when they saw richard the king  
Their weeping turned all to laughing  
They welcomed him with worships  
And told him the breaking of their ships  
And the robbery of his treasure  
And all that other byshonoure  
Than waxed king richard full wroth  
And he swore a full great oath  
By Ihesu christ our saviour  
It should abye the emperor  
He cleped sir Steven and William  
And also Roberte of turnam  
Three gentle barons of england  
wise of speech doughty of hand  
Now go and say to the emperor  
That he yield again my treasure  
Or I swear by saint Denys  
I will have three sith bouble of his  
And yield my men out of prison  
And for the deed pay ransom  
Or hasteyl I him warn  
I will work him a harm  
Both with spear and with lance  
Anon I shall take vengeance  
The messengers anon forth went  
To do their lords commandment  
And hendly said their message  
The emperor began to rage  
He grunt his teeth and fast blewe  
A knife after sir Roberte he threw  
He blent away with a leap  
And it flew in a door a span deep  
And sith he cried as uncourteys  
Out taylardes of my palace  
Now go and say your tailed king  
That I own him no thing  
I am full glad of his lore  
I will him yield none other answore  
And he shall find me to morrow  
At the haven to do him sorrow  
And work him as much wreck  
As his men that I have take  
The messengers went out full swith  
Of their ascaping they were blithe  
The emperors steward with honour  
Said thus unto the emperor  
Sir he said thou hast unright  
Thou hadst almost slain a knight  
That is messenger unto a king  
The best under the son shining  
Thou hast thyself treasure great plenty  
If thou it withheld it were great pity  
For he is crossed and pilgrim  
And all his men that been with him  
Let him do his pilgrimage  
And keep thyself trome damage  
The eyen twynkled of the emperor  
And smiled as an evil traitor  
His knife he drew out of his sheath  
Therewith to do the steward scathe  
And called him without fail  
And said he would him accounsayle  
The steward on knees him set a down  
With the emperor for to rowne  
And the emperor of evil trust  
Carved of his nose by the gruste  
And said traitor thief steward  
Go plain to english taylarde  
And if he come on my land  
I shall him do such a shonde  
Him and all his men quick slain  
But he in haste turn again  
The steward his nose hent  
iwis his visage was I shent  
quickly out of the castellran  
Leave he ne took of no man  
The messenger's mercy he cried  
For mary's love in that tide  
They should tell to their lord  
Of the dishonour end and word  
And haste you again to land  
And I shall sese in to your houde  
The keys of every tour  
That oweth that false emperor  
And I shall bring him this night  
The emperors daughter bright  
And also an hundred knights  
Stout in battle strong in fights  
Against that false emperor  
That hath done vo this dishonour  
The messengers them hied hard  
Till they came to king richard  
They found king richard play  
At the chess in his galaye  
The earl of rychemonde with him played  
And richard won all that he laid  
The messengers told all the dishonour  
That them died the emperor  
And the despite he died his steward  
In the despite of king richard  
And the steward presenting  
His behest and his helping  
Than answered king richard  
In deed lion in thought libbard  
Of your saws I am blithe  
Anon set us to land swith  
A great cry arose foot hot  
Out was shot many a boat  
The bow men and eke the arblasters  
Armed them at all aventers  
And shot quarrels and eke flone  
As thick as the hail stone  
The folk of the country 'gan run  
And were fain to void and fleune  
The barons and good knights  
After came anon rights  
With their lord king richard  
That never was found no coward   

¶ How king richard gave battle to the emperor/ & How the emperor fled away for fere that he had/ & there was slain many of the emperors folk/ and after that he went straight to Acrys  
 woodcut of a battle  
King richard I understand  
Or he went out of England  
Let him make an axe for the nonce  
To break therewith the sarazens bones  
The heed was wrought right weal  
Therein was twenty pound of steel  
And when he came in to Cyprys' land  
The axe took in his hand  
All that he hit he all to frapped  
The griffons away fast rapped  
Nevertheless many one he claved  
And their unthonkes thereby leve  
And the prison when he came to  
With his axe he smote right though  
doors berres and Iren chains  
And delivered his men out of pains  
He let them all deliver cloth  
For their despite he was wroth  
And swore by Ihesu our saviour  
He should abye that false emperor  
All the burgesses of the town  
King richard let slay without ransom  
Their treasure and their meals  
He took to his own deles  
tidings came to the emperor  
King richard was in lymasour  
And had his burgesses to death I do  
No wonder though him were woe  
He sent anon without fail  
After all his counsel  
That they came to him on high  
To wreak him of his enemy  
His host was come by midnight  
And ready on the morrow for to fight  
hearken now of the steward  
He came at night to king richard  
And the emperors daughter him with  
She great king richard in peace & gryth  
She fell on knees and 'gan to weep  
And said king richard god the keep  
The steward said I am shent for the  
gentle lord awreke thou me  
The emperors daughter bright  
I the betake gentle knight  
The keys also in battle here  
Of every castle in his power  
An hundred knights I you behight  
Lo them here ready in all right  
That shall you lead and succour  
Against that false emperor  
Thou shalt be both lord and sire  
Or to morrow of his empire  
And sweet sir without fail  
Yet the behoveth my counsel  
I shall the lead by a coast  
privily upon his host  
In his pavilion ye shall him take  
Than think upon the moche wreck  
That he hath done the or this  
Though ye him slay no force it is  
Moche thanked king richard  
Of the counsel the steward  
And swore by god our saviour  
His nose should be bought well sour  
Ten hundred steeds good and sure  
King richard let array in trappure  
On everich leapt an english knight  
Well armed in armure bright  
And as the steward applyght  
Lad them by the moan light  
So nigh the emperors pavylywne  
Of the turmppettes he heard swoon  
It was before the dawyning  
The steward said to richard the king  
Let see richard assail yearn  
The pavilion with the golden her ne  
Therein lieth the emperor  
Awreke thou this dishonour  
Than was richard as fresh to fight  
As ever was foul to the flight  
He pricked forth upon his stead  
Him followed full great ferrede  
His axe he held in hand I draw  
Many griffons he hath I slawe  
The waits of that host that died espy  
And full loud began they for to cry  
We betrayed and I nome  
Horse and harness lords all and some  
In an evil time our emperor  
Robbed king richard of his treasure  
For he is here among us  
And sleeth down right by Jesus'  
The english knights for the nonce  
All to hewed the griffons bodies & bones  
They smote the cords and fell down  
Of many a rich pavylyowne  
And ever cried squire and knight  
Smite lay on slay down right  
yield the treasure ayenwarde  
That ye took from king richard  
ye been worthy to have such meed  
With many wounds to lie and bleed  
In the emperors pavilion king richard  
alight so died the steward  
And the emperor was fled away  
Himself alone or it was day  
Flown was that false coward  
narrow him sought king richard  
Long or the day began to daw  
Twenty thousand griffons were I slawe  
Of silk sendell and syclaton  
Was the emperors pavilion  
In the world never none such  
Ne by moche thing so rich  
King richard won the great worship  
And bad they should be lad to ship  
such at Acrys was there none found  
pavilions of so much mound  
Cups of gold great and small  
He won there without tale  
Many coffers small and great  
He found there full I bear  
Two steeds found the king richard  
That one high favel and that other lyarde  
In the world was not their peer  
Dromedary nor destrere  
Stead rabyte ne camayle  
That ran so swift without fail  
For a thousand pound I told  
Should not that one be sold  
All that his men before had lore  
Seven double they had therefore  
tidings to the emperor was come  
That his daughter was I nome  
And how that his high steward  
Her had delivered to king richard  
By that he wist well I iwis  
That he had done amiss  
Two messengers he clyped anon  
And bade them to king richard gone  
And say your emperor and your king  
That I him send gods greeting  
Homage by year I will him give & yield  
And all my land I will of him held  
So that he will for charity  
In peace here after leave me  
The messengers anon forth went  
And said their lords commandment  
King richard answered thereto  
I grant well that it be so  
Go and said your emperor  
That he died great dishonour  
When he rob pilgrims  
That were going to the paynims  
Let him yield me my treasure every deal  
If he will be my specyele  
And all that say your emperor  
That he amend that dishonour  
That he died to his steward  
In despite of king richard  
And that he come early to morrow  
And cry me mercy with sorrow  
Homage by year me to bear  
And else by my crown I swear  
He shall not have a foot of land  
Never more but of my hand  
The messengers by one accord  
Told this the emperor their lord  
Than the emperor was full woe  
That he this died should do  
To king richard he came on the morrow  
In his heart he had moche sorrow  
He sell on knees so saith the book  
King richard by both the feet he took  
And cried mercy with good intent  
And he forgave him his maltalent  
Fewte he died him and homage  
Before all his baronage  
That day they were at one accord  
And in same died eat at one board  
great solace and moche play  
together they were all that day  
And when it drew toward the eve  
The emperor took his leave  
And went toward his hostel  
In heart him was nothing well  
He held himself a foul coward  
That he died homage to king richard  
And thought how he him awreke might  
Forth he road anon right  
To a city that height boffenent  
He came by day verament  
There he found many a great sire  
The richest men of his empire  
To them plained the emperor  
Of the shame and of the dishonour  
That him died king richard  
thorough the help of his steward  
Up there stood a noble barowne  
Rich of castle and of town  
The stewards eme he was  
That the emperor had shent his fas  
Sir he said thou art mystaught  
Thou art all about nought  
Without encheason and judgement  
Thy good steward thou hast I shent  
That should as he well couth  
Us have holp and saved nouthe  
thorough thy will malicious  
Right so thou wouldest serve us  
And I say the words bold  
With such a lord keep I not hold  
To fight against richard the king  
The best under the son shining  
Ne none of all my baronage  
Ne shall the never do homage  
All the other said at one word  
That richard was their kind lord  
And the emperor for his villainy  
Was well worthy for to abye  
The emperor saw and understood  
His barons would him no good  
To another town he went & held him there  
In his heart he had moche care  
That same time the high steward  
counseled with king richard  
He said that him forthought sore  
That the emperor was so forlorn  
They sought him in all wise  
And found him in a city of prise  
And certainly king richard  
Would no love to him ward  
For he had broken his truth  
Of him had he no ruth  
But let a sergeant him bind  
His hands soon him behind  
And cast him in to a galley  
And led him in to surrey  
And swore by Ihesu that made moan & star  
Against the sarasynes he should learn to were  
When all this war abated was  
King richard set that land in peace  
The elre of leicester full truly  
thorough counsel of his barony  
He made him steward of that land  
To keep his realm to his hand  
great feast they held afterward  
His ships let dight king richard  
Forth toward Acrys he would  
With moche store of silver and gold  
With two hundred ships I find  
Sailing forward with the wind  
And afterward thirty galyes  
For to ward his navies  
And as the doughty king richard  
Came sailing to Acrys ward  
And had sailed with wind at will  
Ten days fair and still  
The alleventh day they sailed in tempest  
That night ne day had they no rest  
And as they were in adventure  
They a saw dromonde without measure  
The dromonde was so heavy of fraught  
uneath might it sail aught  
He was toward the sarasynes  
Charged with corn and with wines  
With wild fire and other victual  
King richard them saw without fail  
He bade one haast trenchmere  
And in a galley to wend them near  
And axe whence that they were  
And what they have in chafere  
Alyn quickly and men I now  
To the dromonde 'gan row  
And asked whence they were  
And what they had in chafere  
Aboard stood up their latemere  
And answered alyn trenchemere  
With the king of france we be sans fail  
from poyle we bring this victual  
A month we have lain in the see  
Toward Acrys now wend we  
Wind up sail quoth alyn trenchemere  
And sail we forth the wind is clear  
Nay sir he said also I find  
We must needs come behind  
For we be so heavy I fraught  
uneath may we sail nought  
Than said alyn soon anon  
I ne here of you speak but one  
But stand ye up all in fere  
That we might more of you here  
And know your token after than  
For we will not leave one man  
Certes quoth the latemere  
With no more speakest thou here  
They were to night in great tempest  
And now they lie and take their rest  
Certes quod trenchemere alayne  
To king richard than will I say  
That ye be all saracens  
Charged with gold and with wines  
The sarasynes start up all priest  
And said fellow go do thy best  
For king richard and his galyes  
We will not give two flies  
The trenchemere began to row hard  
Till he came to king richard  
And swore to him by saint john  
It were saracens everichone  
That said our king of great revowne  
That height richard cure de lion  
Of your saws I am blithe  
Let each man arm them swith  
Steer thou thy galley trenchemere  
I will assail that pantenere  
With mine axe I will them assail  
Of sarasynes I will not fail  
Anon his axe was to him brought  
His other arms forgot he nought  
To him came mariners I now  
King richard bade them fast row  
Now row on fast and who is faint  
In evil water moat he be draynte  
They rowed fast and laid to  
And song hevenhowe rombylo  
The galley go as fast  
As quarrels out of arblast  
And as the dromonde with the wind  
A galley came sailing behind  
And smote him swith fast  
That the stern all to braced  
The sarasynes were armed weal  
Both in Iren and in steel  
And stood aboard and fought hard  
Against the doughty king richard  
King richard and his knights  
Slew the sarasynes down rights  
And they began to wroke them woe  
Alway there stood up more and more  
And rapped on them for the nonce  
Strong strokes for with hard stones  
Out of the top castle on high  
That never was richard his death so nigh  
Than came seven galley behind  
To that dormonde fast saylind  
though stood aboard baron and knight  
To help king richard for to fight  
A strong battle there began then  
between them and the heathen men  
With swords spears and darts keen  
Flones' quarrels flew between  
As thick without any stint  
As hail after thunder dint  
And in the bekering that was so hard  
In to the dromonde came king richard  
When he was therein with great haste  
He dressed his back to the mast  
With his axe all that he reached  
Hastily the death they caught  
Some he hit on the bassyn  
That they all clave to the chin  
And some to the girdle stead  
And some the to ships breed  
Some on the neck so hit he  
That they flew in ro these  
For none armour withstood his axe  
No more than a knife doth the wax  
The sarasynes as I you tell  
Said he was the devil of hell  
And over board than leapt they  
And drowned themself I you say  
Syxtene hundred there were quelled  
But thirty sarasynes he at held  
That they should bear witness  
Of that battle at Acrys  
King richard found therein faunce fail  
Moche store and great victual  
Many bartelles of fire gregeys  
And many a thousand of bows turkeys  
Hooked arrows and quarrels  
He found there full many barrels  
And of wheat great plenty  
Gold and silver and each dainty  
Of the treasure had he nought the mound  
That in the dormonde was found  
For it was drowned in the flood  
Or half uncharged was the good  
advanced had been all crystente  
Had the dormonde passed the see  
And came to Acrys from king richard  
An hundred winter there afterward  
For all the christian men under the son  
Ne had not Acrys been I won  
And thus king richard won the dormonde  
thorough gods help and saint Edmonde   

¶ How king richard cut a two a great chain/ & how an archbishop told him the sorrow that they had suffer afore.  
 woodcut of several people outside city walls  
King richard after anon right  
Toward Acrys 'gan him dight  
And as he sailed toward surrye  
He was warned of a spy  
How the folk of the heathen law  
A great chain they had I draw  
Over the haven of Acrys fierce  
Was fastened to two pillars  
That no ship should in win  
Ne tho out that were there in  
Therefore seven year and more  
All christian kings lay thore  
And with hungers suffer pain  
For letting of that same chain  
When king richard heard that tiding  
For joy his heart beg●n to spring  
And swore and said in his thought  
All that ne should them keep nought  
Aswyfte strong galley he took  
Trenchemere so saith the book  
And steered the galley right even  
All midward the haven  
Were the mariners never so wroth  
He made them row and sail both  
The galley go as swift  
As any foul by the lift  
And king richard that was so good  
With his axe afore the ship stood  
And when he came to the chain  
With his axe he smote it atwayne  
That all the barons verament  
Said it was a noble dente  
And for joy of that deed  
The cups fast about go  
With good wine payment and clare  
And sailed toward Acrys cry  
King richard out of his galye  
Let cast wild fire in to the sky  
And the first greeks in to the sea  
All on a fire were the  
His trumppettes go in his galye  
Men might it here in to the sky  
Trumpets horns and shalmyse  
The see brent all of fire greeks  
gins he had of wonder wise  
Mangenelles of great quyentyse  
Arblast bow made with gin  
The holy land therewith to win  
Over all other utterly  
He had a mile of great mastery  
In the mids of a ship to stand  
Such ne saw they never in no land  
Four sails were thereto all new  
yellow and green read and blue  
With canvas I laid all about  
Full costly within and without  
And all within full of fire  
Of torches made of wax clear  
Overthwart and endlong  
With spryngelles of fire they died hand  
Ground they neither corn ne good  
But rob as they were wood  
Out of their eyen came red blood  
Before the trough one there stood  
That all in blood was begun  
Such another was never none  
And horns he had upon his heed  
The sarasynes of him had great dread  
For the robbing of the stones  
They wend it had been men's bones  
For it was within the night  
They were agrised of that sight  
And said he was the devil of hell  
That was come them to quell  
A little before the light of the day  
Cleanly they were done away  
King richard after the marvel  
Went quickly to land faunce fail  
The king of france against him came  
And in his harness he him name  
richard kissed him with great honour  
So died every king and emperor  
All the kings of crystente  
That had there long be  
And long had lain in dolour  
Vnderfonde richard with honour  
An archbishop of great prise  
Died king richard his service  
And sith led him as ye may see  
In to a pavilion of privity  
And told him there a doleful tale  
Of a shrewd many and fale  
Now he said king richard I here  
This siege hath lasted seven year  
It may not be let for thy  
Moche sorrow have we suffered sickerly  
For he had no castle  
That us of any ward fell  
But a wide dyche and a deep  
We made us within to keep  
With barbycanes for the nonce  
high I wrought with hard stones  
When the dyche was I made  
Salandyn the sultan was glade  
And came on us with great rout  
And beset us all about  
And with him marks feraunt  
That liveth on mahowne and termagant  
He was a christian king some while  
He hath done us more shame & guile  
Than the sultan and his host  
The father and son and holy ghost  
Grant him grace of worlds shame  
marks feraunt by his name  
Our first battle sickerly  
That was strong and deadly  
Well fought our christian knights  
And slew the sarasynes down rights  
Our christian had the mastery  
The sarasynes fled with sorry cry  
We slew many of them tho  
And they of us many also  
I shall tell you of what case  
To many a man it fell alas  
As we died sarasynes to deed  
It befell a noble stead  
Out raged fro a paynim  
The christian fast followed him  
The sarasynes saw where we came  
And fled aside all than  
And came against us with strong fight  
And slew many a christian knight  
And there we lost or we wist  
The best bodies under christ  
The earl feres of England  
There was never daughter of hand  
And the emperor of almain  
And janyn the earl of spain  
Twelve thousand of our main  
There was slain with great pity  
Thereof was the sultan glade  
On the morrow a new assault he made  
And he let take all the cors  
Both of deed men and of horse  
And cast them in to our well  
Us to poison and to quell  
Died he never a worse deed  
To christian men for no need  
For that poison and that breathe  
Forty thousand took their death  
Soon after it was not to hide  
The third case us 'gan betide  
A ship came sailing on the see  
Charged with wheat great plenty  
And wild fire and armour bright  
To help the sarasynes to fight  
Our christian took the read sans fail  
That they would the ship assail  
And so we died to our damage  
The wind blewe fast with great rage  
The sarasynes drew up their sail  
And oversayled us without fail  
There we lost forty score  
That hath us grieved swith sore  
On saint james even verament  
The sarasynes out of Acrys went  
And pight pavilions great and wind  
For to have beguiled us that tide  
Our christian men were wight  
earl baron squire and knight  
Saw the sarasynes had riches  
And we of all good desires  
We thought to win to our pay  
Of that treasure if that we may  
thirty thousand them armed weal  
Both in Iron and in steel  
And went forth to bataylling  
The sarasynes saw their coming  
And fled aside swith fast  
And our main came after in haste  
And 'gan ride with great random  
Till they came to their pavilion  
They found there fellow read  
though we wend they fled for dread  
We found therein breed and wine  
Gold and silver and bawdekyne  
Vessel of silver ouppes of gold  
More than we take would  
Some stood some sat down  
And eat and drank great foysowne  
After meet pavilions new  
Were with swords all to hew  
And charged horses with victual  
As nice men should without fail  
Gold and silver they put in males  
And bound them fast with girdles  
When each man had his charge  
Home ehey went with spear and targe  
The sarasynes saw their wending  
And came after fast slinging  
At short words a great rout  
Had beset us all about  
Soon the male were down cast  
Against the sarasynes they fought fast  
There we lost thousands fifteen  
Noble men hardy and keen  
This grieved us right sore  
For we wend all to be lore  
But god almighty heaven king  
He sent us soon socourynge  
The doughty earl of champagne  
And good knights of britain  
And randulfe the gamyles  
johan nevell and his brother miles  
And Bawdewyne a clerk full merry  
The archbishop of Caunterbury  
And with them came his nephew  
A noble baron of great virtue  
Roberte gaunter of england  
Against the sarasynes for to stand  
And many knights of hongery  
And other noble chevallery  
Than held we a great battle  
But a hard case befell us without fail  
At myghelmasse it must be told  
The weather began to wax cold  
though fell both rain and hail  
And snow five foot witdout fail  
Thunder lightening & weather tough  
For hunger therewith our men it sloughe  
For hunger we lost and cold winds  
Of our solke three score thousands  
Than we our good horse slow  
Soden and eaten the guts tow  
The flesh was dealed for great dainty  
Thereof had no man plenty  
But we eat it without breed  
To pieces we carved the heed  
In water we boiled the blood  
That us thought meet full good  
A quarter of wheat men us sold  
For three pound of floraunce told  
For forty pound men sold an axe  
Though it were but little I wax  
A swine for an hundred floryne  
A goose for half a mark of gold fine  
And for an hen to sick things  
Men gave five shillings  
And for an egg pens alleven  
And for a peer six or seven  
For an appell men gave pens two  
And thus our folk unblythe wyxe  
And died for hunger and for woe  
The rich men took to read though  
Aryche dole for to dight  
To barons and to many a poor knight  
Twelve pens men everich  
And six to poor that were not rich  
And four to every small wight  
Thus the rich the poor dight  
Therewith the more and the lass  
Bought them flesh of horse and ass  
They might none other thing get  
They thought it full good meet  
I have the told king richard here  
Of our folk their lere  
And the damage of Acrys host  
But blessed be the holy ghost  
And Mary that bare Jesus'  
That thou art among us  
thorough thy help I hope well  
The saracens down to fallen   

¶ How king richard won the city of Acrys.  
 woodcut of knights attacking a city  
King richard wept with his eyen both  
And sith said he thus forsooth  
Sir bishop I beseech you pray for us  
That us might send sweet Jesus'  
His fone all for to destroy  
That they no more us annoy  
Thus richard took love & keeped his stead  
And pricked out that felowrede  
He road about the close dyche  
Toward Acrys sykerlyche  
Till he came co the hospytale  
Of saint johan as I tell by tale  
There he let pitch his pavilion  
And let arere up his matgryffon  
That was a tree castle fine  
To give assault to many a saracene  
That he might in to Acrys seen  
He had xiii ships full of been  
When the castle was framed well  
He let therein a mangenell  
He commanded his men belive  
To fetch up been hive  
And bid taberrars & trumpets blow  
To assault the city on a throw  
King richard in Acyrs' city  
Let cast the hives great plente  
The whether was hot in summer tide  
The be'st brake out on every side  
They were aggrieved full of grame  
And died the sarasynes moche shame  
For they stinged them in the visage  
That they began for to rage  
And hid them in a deep sellere  
For they durst not come them near  
They saw king richard was full fell  
When his flyen bit so well  
Another up richard 'gan set  
That was cleped Robynet  
A strong gin for the nonce  
That cast in to Acrys great stones  
The king richard the conqueror  
Cleped to him anon his mynour  
And them mind in to the tour  
That is cleped mawndytcoloure  
He swore his oath by his crown  
But it were brought down  
By none the uttermost wall  
He should be hewn in pieces small  
The mynours mined fast  
And gunners bent and stones cast  
The syrasynes began to arm them all  
And ran in haast unto the wall  
In white sheets they 'gan them writhen  
For biting of king Richard's flyen  
They said this man doth us great pain  
For he doth both throw and main  
We saw never king thus begin  
It is great doubt lest he us win  
King richard stood in his matgryffowne  
And saw there deeds in the town  
Whederwarde the sarasynes drew  
And arrows english to them slew  
Out of arblastes arrows smart  
thorough lung liefer arm & heart  
The french men with great noblay  
Helped to mine full well that day  
The uttermost wall that day was down cast  
And many sarasynes slave at last  
That day richard so well sped thore  
That he was holden for a conqueror  
For better he sped that day or none  
Than all the other in seven year had done  
The sarasynes might not endoure  
They fled in to that high tour  
They light torches about the wall  
Men might see it over all  
The torches cast great light  
That betokened a new fight  
That was come fro England  
There thorough they might not stand  
But if Salandyn the sultan  
Came to them with men anon  
Salandyn was ten mile then  
And saw the torches light bren  
He let gather his folk together  
As thick as snow falleth in winter  
They assembled upon a plain  
Beside Acrys upon a mountain  
Syxty thousand men I find  
Cocks of hay he made them bind  
To go before hastelyche  
To fill the christian ditch  
To rescue Acrys they have read  
And to do the christian men to deed  
After came barons and knights  
Strong in arms stout in fights  
By order they came in their manner  
Of red sendell was their banner  
With three griffons depainted well  
And of azure a fair bendell  
Soon after there came as many more  
Barons riding and knights also  
Their gomfanon and their pencil  
Was wrought of good sendell  
As he fought with a lion  
And in surrey with a dragon  
The first were red and green  
Than came the third by dene  
With sixty thousand knights  
In ynde I armed to all rights  
After came white as any snow  
thirty thousand on a row  
There among was Salandyn  
And his nephew myrry molendyn  
Their banners white without fable  
With three sarasynes hedes of sable  
That were shapen noble and large  
Of balyn both shield and targe  
No man could tell the rout  
They beset the christian about  
The fore men cast their cothes of hay  
To make the horse men ready weigh  
And filled the ditch full upright  
That all the host well entered might  
The sarasynes had entered nigh  
But god almighty thereto sye  
The cry arose thorough the christian host  
Soyes' seygnyours for the holy ghost  
But we have the better succour  
We be forlorn by saint saviour  
There ye might see many a wight man  
That quickly to his armure ran  
And went anon in to the dyche  
And defended it hastelyche  
There was many a gentle hewed  
quickly from the body take the hewed  
Sheldes fell cloven a two  
And many a stead sticked also  
Many a knight lost his harness  
And many a stead drew their tharnes  
And many a doughty man sans fail  
Was slain in that battle  
But richard our king was seek though  
All christendom to much woe  
He might not his body steer  
Though his pavilion had been in fire  
Therefore the king of france made a cry  
Among the christian company  
That they ne should for deaths doubt  
Not pass their close dyche about  
But hold them all within  
That the sarasynes should them not win  
And though that were in I come  
Of sarasynes they were I nome  
And hastily done to deed  
For them go no ransom to meed  
While king richard so sick lay  
The reason I you tell may  
For the travail of these  
And strong air of that country  
And for unkind stink and heat  
And meet and drink was not sweet  
To his body that he there fond  
As it was in england  
King richard his men bade seche  
For some wise clerk and certain leech  
christian or else saracene  
For to look his brine  
And everich said his advise  
But there was none of them wise  
That might his sorrow sese  
Or of his pain him release  
Sorry was the folk english  
For their lord lay in great anguish  
For king richard lay so sore sick  
All about they 'gan seek  
On knees prayed the christian host  
To the father and son and holy ghost  
Night and day with good intent  
That richard might have amendment  
thorough the bidding of our lady dear  
Her blessed son heard her prayer  
thorough his grace and virtue  
He turned out of his ague  
To meet had he no savour  
To wine ne water ne to no liquor  
But after pork he was a longed  
Though all his men should be hanged  
They ne might in that country  
Neither for gold nor for fee  
No pork find take ne get  
That king richard might eat  
A noble knight was with our king  
When he wist of that tiding  
That Richard's manners were such  
To the steward he said privily  
Our lord lieth sore seek I iwis  
After pork he alonged is  
And ye ne may none find to sell  
No man be so hardy to tell  
And if he do he may die  
Ye must as I you say  
That he know not of that  
Take a saracene young and fat  
And in haste that deed be slawe  
And his heed of him be fawe  
And soben full hastily  
With good powder and spicery  
And with good saffron of good colour  
When king richard feeleth the savour  
Out of the ague if he be went  
He shall have thereto good talent  
When he hath thereof a taste  
And eaten a good repast  
And supped of the broth a soap  
And sleep thereafter and sweet a drop  
thorough gods help and my counsel  
Soon he shall be hole without fail  
The sooth to say at words few  
Slain and sudden was that shrew  
Before richard it was brought  
Quoth his folk we have pork sought  
Arise and sup of the broth soot  
thorough gods might it shall be boat  
Before the king carved a knight  
He eat faster than he carve might  
King richard knew the fiesshe fro the bones  
And drank right well after for the nonce  
And when he had eaten I now  
He lay still and drew in his arm  
His chamberlain covered him warm  
He lay and slept and sweat a stound  
Soon he became hole and sound  
When he awoke he arose  
And roamed about in the close  
And all the folk him showed  
Glad was both learned and lewd  
And thanked Ihesu and Mary  
That he was out of his malady  
The sarasynes sped with all their might  
The dyche to win with all their might  
The barbycanes they field down  
And had nigh entered and in I come  
When king richard that tidings heard  
As a wdde man though he star feared  
And he armed him in his armour  
For love of christ our saviour  
To fight I have great delight  
With hounds that willeth us despite  
Now I me feel hole and light  
This day shall I prove my might  
If I am strong as I was before  
And if I can deal strokes great store  
All that I meet I shall feel  
Such a dose I shall them deal  
That for the love of their mahon  
They shall have their waryson  
He was armed to all rights  
With him his foot men squires & knights  
And the christian all by dene  
Wonder it was that host to seen  
The sooth to say and not to lie  
Of sarasynes were twice so many  
Before went his templars  
His gascoynes and his ospytalers  
Our king among the sarasynes road  
To some he gave full great load  
A king he hit above the shield  
That helm & heed flow in the field  
Another he hath a stroke I reached  
All his harness halp him nought  
To the sadyll he cleft the ferth  
All that he smote it went to earth  
Blythe was the christian fela wrede  
Of king richard and of his deed  
For none armour withstood his axe  
No more than a knife doth the wax  
When the sultan saw them so strong  
He said the devil was them among  
For down right there he slew  
With all his host he him withdrew  
And fled with all his baronage  
In to town men call it cage  
And certes all the rearward  
Were slain by king richard  
The sarasynes that in Acrys ware  
Were annoyed and full of care  
When they saw the sultan flee  
And king richard down right slay  
Thus all day till it was night  
They and the christian kept fight  
At even when the son was set  
Every man drew to his reset  
The christian both poor and rich  
Went within their close dyche  
To rest them for they were weary  
And king richard let make a cry  
Trusty folk that might the pales keep  
While that other lie and sleep  
The sarasynes that were without  
Of king richard they had great doubt  
For he had the prise I won  
Away they road and swith run  
That might flee and them hide  
There they durst not abide  
Of the space of ten english mile  
When richard had rested a while  
A knight his harness 'gan unlace  
Him to comfort and to solace  
Him was brought a sop in wine  
The heed of the wild swine  
He said fain I would I had  
For I am feeble faint and mad  
Of mine evil I am fere  
Therewith serve me at my soupere  
Quod the coke the heed I ne have  
Than said richard so god me save  
But I see the heed of the swine  
Forsooth thou shalt soon lose thine  
The coke saw none other might be  
He fet the heed and let him see  
He fell on knees and made a cry  
Lo the heed here richard mercy  
The black visage when richard saw  
His black beard his teeth white as snawe  
He began to laugh as he were wood  
What is sarasynes flesh so good  
And never before I it wist  
By god's death and his uprist  
Shall we never die for default  
While we may in assault  
Slee sarasynes and the flesh take  
wash seethe them and bake  
Gnaw the flesh fro the bones  
Now I have assayed them once  
For hunger or we be to woe  
I and my folk shall eat more  
On the morrow without fail  
The city he began to assail  
The sarasynes might not endoure  
They fled in to the high tour  
And cried truces and plement  
To king richard that was so gent  
And also to the king of france  
And bad mercy without distance  
Anon stood up sir latemere  
And cried loud with voice clear  
He said here good lordings  
For I you bring good tidings  
That sir Salandyn sent by me  
He would that Acrys yielded be  
And Iherusalem in to your hand  
And surrey all the land  
To flomiordan the water clear  
For two thousand besauntes by year  
And if ye will not so nor  
Ye shall have peace for evermore  
So that ye make the king of surrye  
marks feraunt of great mastery  
For he is the strongest man iwis  
Of christendom or of hethenies  
Than answered king richard  
Thou lieth he said false coward  
In every gathering a press  
Markys is a false traitor and a lose  
He hath whited Salandynes hand  
To be king of surrey land  
And by the king in trinity  
That traitor shall it never be  
He was christian by my faders days  
And sith he hath renayed his lays  
And is become a saracene  
God give him well evil pine  
He is worse than an hound  
He rob sixty thousand pound  
Out of the holy hospytallers hand  
That my father scent in to this land  
That men cleped king Harry  
christian men to govern by  
I bid him high out of this host  
For I swear by the holy ghost  
And by Mary that bare Jesus'  
Find: I that traitor among us  
Other by night or by day  
With horse he shall be draw I say  
Than answered the king of france  
To king richard without distance  
O suffer sir beus amiss  
Thou dost wrong by saint denys  
That thou thretenest that marks  
That never died the amiss  
If he have done any thing ill  
He shall amend it at thy will  
I am his borrow so here my glove  
receive it for my love  
Nay quod richard by god my lord  
I shall never with him accord  
Had never been lost Acrys town  
Ne had been thorough his tresowne  
He yield again my faders tresone  
And Iherusalem with great honour  
And than my wrath I him forgive  
And never else while I live  
The king of france was woe therefore  
And he ne durst speak no more  
For ever he doubted dentes hard  
To underfang of king richard  
When the latemere heard this  
That king might not be sir marks  
He said here good lordings  
For I have brought you other tidings  
That much more is to your will  
If ye will let our people pass still  
With life and limb hand and arm  
Without dente and without harm  
We shall yield you the town  
And the holy cross with great renown  
And sixty thousand prisoners thereto  
And an hundred thousand besauntes & more  
And have ye shall also therein  
Rich treasure and moche wine  
helms hawberkes syxty thousand & more  
And other riches ye may find also  
Where I now and other treasure  
For your host seven year and more  
And if that ye will not th●s fonge  
We may hold you out long  
And ever to find one of our  
For to slay ten of your  
For we have without fable  
Syxty thousand men defensible  
And we beseech you for the love of god  
That ye will take your bode  
That ye the treasure more and lass  
And let us quickly away pass  
Than answered king richard  
In my half I grant that forward  
With that ye will us quickly in late  
It shall be done they said by gate  
They let him in soon anon  
And king richard took them everichone  
And to prison put them thore  
young and old less and more  
There might none out of Acrys town  
Till paid was that ransom  
And the holy cross therewith  
Or they must have peace and gryth  
There was found many hordes  
That was departed among lords  
Strife there was at their coming  
But the best treasure had our king  
The christian prisoners of Acrys town  
King richard gave cloth great foysowne  
Meet and drink and arms bright  
And made them full fresh in fight  
And took them to his partyse  
To avenge god of his enemyse  
King richard in Acrys had nome  
Of sarasynes that thither were come  
That were gods enemyse  
Hardy knights of great prise  
Of heathens of great lordings  
Dukes princes sons of kings  
And admirals and many a noble man  
Their names I ne tell can  
In prison they lay bound fast  
To the sultan they sent in haste  
And said we bear so many chains  
And these men done us so many pains  
We may neither sit nor lie  
But ye us out of prison buy  
And with ransom help and borrow  
We shall die or the third morrow  
The rich sultan was woe therefore  
Knights princes well two score  
Many an admiral and many a lord  
Said we read that ye make accord  
With king richard that is strong  
To deliver our children out of wrong  
That they ne be hanged ne draw  
Of treasure richard will be full fawe  
That our children may come home all  
Charge mewles horses by your counsel  
Of bright gold and of bawdkyne  
For our heirs to make fine  
Men say english men love gifts  
Of gold well thirty men's lyftes  
Were laid on mewles and on rabyte  
thirty earls clothed in samite  
That were well advised of tongue  
To king richard that treasure bronge  
All to Acrys they it brought  
On knees of grace they besought  
Our sultan sendeth the this treasure  
And will be thy friend ever more  
For the prisoners that thou hast nyme  
And let them go with life and lime  
Out of thy prison thou them let  
That no man slay them ne beat  
For all they been doughty vassals  
Kings sons and admirals  
The best doing at this time  
That now been in all saracene  
And our host most strusteth to  
And Salandyn loveth them also  
Not for a thousand pound of gold  
None of them he lose would  
King richard spoke words mild  
That gold to take christ me shield  
Among you part every deal I charge  
For I brought in ships and in barge  
More gold and silver with me  
Than your lord and such three  
Of his trelour I have no need  
But for my love I you bid  
To meet with me that ye dwell  
And afterward I shall you tell  
thorough counsel I shall give answer  
What word ye shall to your lord bear  
They granted him with good will  
King richard cleped his marysshall still  
And took him to counsel alone  
I shall the tell what thou shalt done  
privily go unto the prysowne  
Take the sarasynes of great renown  
And though that been of richest kin  
privily slay them therein  
And or the heads be of smitten  
Look every name be written  
Upon a score of parchment  
Than bear the heads to the kitchen  
In to a cauldron let them be cast  
And bid the coke seethe them fast  
And look that he the here of stryppe  
Of heed and beard and of lip  
When we be set and should eat  
Look that ye not forget  
Serve them in this manner  
To lie every heed in a platter  
And bring them forth in your hand  
The visage upward the teeth grevonde  
And look they be no thing raw  
His name fastened about the brawe  
What he height and of what kin I bore  
And an hot heed bring me before  
As I were well apaid withal  
Fast thereof eat I shall  
As it were of tender chyke  
For to see how the saracens it like  
The marysshall so saith our geste  
Anon died king Richard's hest  
Anon the waits to meet blue  
The messengers no thing knew  
Of Richard's law ne of his custom  
Quod he friends ye be welcome  
To them he was well companable  
They were set at high table  
Salt was set but no breed  
Neither wine white nor read  
The sarasynes 'gan fast stare  
And thought how shall we far  
King richard was set on the dais  
With duke's earls proud in press  
from kitchen came the first course  
With trumppettes pipes and tabours  
The steward to well good yeme  
To serve king richard well to queem  
lest after meet tide any harm  
A sarasynes heed anon all warm  
He brought to king richard not clevede  
The name I written on the forehead  
Alway an heed between two  
The messengers were served tho  
In the forehead written the name  
Thereof they had all grame  
But when the names they seen  
The tears ran out of their eyen  
When they the letters read  
For to be slain they were adread  
King richard his eyen to them drew  
And saw how they changed hew  
For their friends they sighed sore  
That they had lost for evermore  
Of their kin and blood they were  
though that might evil forbear  
Made well sorry cheer  
And rued the time that they came there  
King richard beheld them well  
How that they eat no morsel  
The knight that should richard serve  
With a knife he 'gan the heed carve  
King richard eat with heart good  
The sarasynes wend that he were wood  
Eucryche sat still and plucked other  
And said this is the devils brother  
That sleeth our men and thus eateth  
But king richard not forgetteth  
About him he looked yearn  
With wroth semblant and with stern  
The messengers though he bad  
For my love be you glad  
And look ye be well at ease set  
Why carve ye not of your meet  
And eat fast as I do  
Tell me why ye louvre so  
The messengers sore quoke  
They ne durst speak ne look  
In to the earth they would have cropen  
For to have been slain they hopen  
They answered him never a word  
Quod richard bear fro the board  
The meet that ye before them set  
And other meet ye them fet  
Men brought breed without boost  
venison crane's and roost  
payment clare and drink of the best  
King richard bade be merry his gest  
There was none of them that eat list  
King richard their thought well wist  
And said friends be not squemous  
This is the manner of my house  
To be served first god it wot  
With a sarasynes heed all hot  
But your manner not I knew  
As I am a king christian and true  
But ye shall be in certain  
All safe to wend home again  
For I ne would for no thing  
That word of me should spring  
That I were so vylayne of manners  
For to misdo messengers  
though they had eaten and clothe fold  
King richard 'gan them to behold  
On knees they asked leave to gone  
That on message thither come  
I dare well say by saint Iohn  
They had liefer have been at home  
With wife child and their kind  
Than all the good that was in India  
King richard spoke to an old man  
Wend home and tell thy sultan  
His malyncoly that he abbate  
And also say ye come to late  
To slowly was the message guessed  
Or that ye came the flesh was dressed  
That men should therewith serve me  
Thus at none and all my main  
And say him it shall not avail  
Against us to give battle  
Brede wine flesh fish and kunger  
We will never die for hunger  
While that we may wend to fight  
And slay the sarasynes down right  
wash the flesh seethe and brethyn  
With one saracene I may well fedyn  
Well an nine or an ten  
Of my good english men  
King richard said I you wraunt  
There is no flesh so nouryssaunt  
To none english christian man  
Partryche heron pheasant neswan  
Cow ne ox sheep ne swine  
Than is the slesshe of a saracene  
For they been both fat and tender  
And my men lean and slender  
But while that any saracens be  
alive in this country  
For meet will we not care  
About shall we fast fare  
And every day we will eat  
As many as we may get  
In to England will we not gone  
Till they be eaten everichone  
The messengers home died turn  
Before the sultan they died mourn  
The elder knight told the sultan  
That king richard was a noble man  
And said lord I the warn  
In the world is none so stern  
On knees we told him our tale  
But it us ne availed no gale  
Of our gold would he none  
He swore he had better won  
Of rich treasure than hast thou  
To us said I give it you  
treasure gold cloth of pall  
part it among you all  
To meet bad us abide  
We were set at a board him beside  
That stood Richard's table nigh  
But none of us before him sigh  
No breed white ne sour  
But salt and none other liquor  
What mese first before him came  
Well I beheld the service than  
A knight brought fro the kitchen  
An heed sudden of a saracen  
Without here in a platter broad  
His name before his heed stood  
Was written about his eyes  
Me needeth not for to lain  
What heed it was my fellow died ask  
It was the sultan son of damask  
And lord as we seat in fere  
We were I served in manner  
Ever an heed between tway  
Forsooth than wend we to die  
There came between my fellow & me  
The kings son of rub  
His of peers that sat me by  
The third was of samary  
The fourth was of africa  
For sorrow though 'gan we sick  
Our hearts though broke nigh asunder  
Lord yet mayst thou here more wonder  
Before king richard a knight in haste  
Carved him of the heed and he eat fast  
With his teeth he grinded flesh hard  
And as a wood man though he fared  
With his eyen step and grim  
He spoke and we beheld him  
He said we should go safe and quite  
For no man shall do you despite  
He the sendeth ready answer  
Or that we might come there  
Men of our kind were I slawe  
And gyneth not though thou were draw  
And hide thy store from his host  
For he saith his men make their boost  
That he ne shall let one a live  
In all his land child ne wife  
But slay all that he may find  
seethe the flesh & with teeth grind  
Hunger shall them none ail  
In to england will they not sail  
Till they have made plain work  
His clothes of gold and his sarke  
Salandyn rend tho with Ire  
Kings princes and many a sire  
Said alas that they were borne  
For now we be all forlorn  
For they were wight men and strong  
Well alway we live to long  
Alas that we thus be begun  
Now that richard hath Acrys won  
He hath meant if he go forth  
To win east west south and north  
And eat our children and us  
Lord Salandyn what readest thou us  
Send to him and beseech them eft  
For them that been on live left  
To let them go if that he would  
give him such for he will no gold  
Rich medes for the nonce  
Of good pearls and precious stones  
Charged full many a coffer  
If that he will than him proffer  
For to forsake Ihesu and Mary  
Thou white him give land a great party  
To be in peace and let be war  
Sith he is come so far  
Thou wilt not that he his travail lose  
Grant himself to come and cheese  
though lands that him liketh best  
And make him sultan after hest  
After thyself and rycheste king  
confirm it him and his offspring  
And if it be that he will so  
swith in peace he come the to  
And thou shalt forgive him thy malatent  
Though he have thy folk shent  
And as thy brother thou love and kyse  
In war to be bold and wise  
Of all the world to win the prise  
And so shall ye leave and be friends  
With joy to your lives ends  
Salandyn by his sergeants  
Sent king richard his presauntes  
And be sought him for shame  
That he hath to estage tame  
And if he would his god forsake  
And mahowne to his lord take  
Of surrey he will make the king  
And of egypt that rich thing  
Of dares and of babyloyne  
Of arres and of susoyne  
Of africa and of vogye  
Of all the lands of alyxsaundrye  
Of grece and eke of tire  
And of many an other empire  
And make he will the sultan anon  
Of all ynde to prester johan  
King richard answered the messengers  
Fie on you foul losengers  
You and Salandyn your lord  
The devil you hang with a cord  
Go swith and say Salandyne  
That he make to morrow a fine  
For all his dogs in hostage  
Or they shall die on evil rage  
And if I may have a few year  
Of all the lands that ye reckon here  
I shall not leave half a foot  
So god do my foul boat  
I will not leave my lords law  
Of all the lands under heaven ahawe  
And but I have the road to morrow  
His men shall die with sorrow  
They answered at the form  
They wist not where it was become  
Quod king richard sith it is so  
I wot well what I have to do  
Your sultan is not so sly  
So queyntly to blear mine eye  
He cleped his knights anon  
And bade them to Acrys gone  
And take of sarasynes sixty thousands  
And knit behind them their hands  
And lead them out of the city  
And smite of their heads without pity  
And say I shall teach Salandyn  
To pray me to live on oppolyn  
They were brought out of the town  
Save twenty he held at ransom  
They were brought in to a place even  
Than hard richard an angel of heaven  
That said seygnyours tues tues  
Spare them nought behede all these  
King richard heard the angels voys●  
He thanked god and the holy croyse  
They were beheaded hastelyche  
And I cast in to a ditch  
Thus king richard wan Acrys  
God grant us all his sweet bliss  
His doughty deeds who will here  
listen now to me with good cheer   

¶ Yet of an other battle/ and how king richard won it/ & also won the city of arsour.  
IT was before saint james tide  
When the fowls began to chide  
King richard went forth a pace  
Toward the city of cayface  
Ever forth by the marine  
By the river of chaylyne  
Salandyn that heard tell  
And came pricking after snell  
 woodcut of a battle  
With sixty thousand sarasynes strong  
And thought to do the christian wrong  
He overtook the rearward  
And there began a battle hard  
Hastily swords they drew  
And many a christian they slew  
Unarmed was the rearward  
And fled in haast to king richard  
When king richard heard this  
That the sarasynes slew men of his  
On favel of sypres he sat fallow  
That was swift as any swallow  
The kings banner was on field  
The sarasynes thereon beheld  
When they the banner might see  
All they began for to flee  
King richard after 'gan ride  
And they turned at that tide  
And smote together with great randowne  
As the world should fall down  
King richard before smote  
With his axe that bitter boat  
He them to hewed and to carfe  
Many a saracen under his hand starfe  
And many one I tell you sicker  
Hente their death in that beker  
thorough a cart of Hoberte ganter  
That was set in the mire  
The carter lost his hand right  
There was slain many a knight  
For that harness kept men forty  
And thereof was slain thirty  
For Salandynes sons thither came  
And the harness them bename  
King richard hied him thitherward  
To rescue his rearward  
Yet almost he came to late  
And that was seen therate  
In hand he held his axe good  
Many a saracen he let blood  
There was none armour verament  
That might withstand his dent  
And the long spay that tide  
fought right well on every side  
That down it went all that he smote  
With his sword that bitter boat  
And the battle was doutous  
And to our men full perilous  
For the heat was so strong  
And the dust rose them among  
And have set the christian hand  
That they fell deed on the sonde  
more died for here at short words  
Than for dent of spear and swords  
King richard was almost arteynt  
And in the powder well nigh adreynt  
Upon his knees he 'gan down fall  
Help of Ihesu he 'gan for to call  
For love of his mother mary  
And as I find in his story  
He saw come saint George the knight  
Upon a stead was good and light  
In arms that were white as flower  
With a cross of reed colour  
All that he met in that stound  
Horse and man he field to ground  
Anon the wind 'gan wax light  
And stern strokes he 'gan dight  
When king richard saw that sight  
In his heart he waxed good and light  
And eagerly as a lion without fail  
The sarasynes he began to assail  
And than braundies the lumbarde  
Roberte turnam and king richard  
All though that against them 'gan drive  
Soon they bereft them their live  
The sarasynes fled to reseth  
To the mount of Nazareth  
They were so hied at the spore  
That moche of their folk they lore  
And king richard went a pace  
Unto the city of cayface  
And thanked the king of glory  
Of that grace and of that victory  
And all they made great solace  
For the winning of cayface  
Now as this was a gracious deed  
listen now how I shall you read  
Soon on the morrow he let cry  
That all his host should high  
Toward the city of palestyne  
Ever forth by the marine  
Their pavilions 'gan they tell  
And to long there died they dwell  
For to abide their victual  
That came by water sans fail  
Certes that was the worst dwelling  
That ever dwelled richard our king  
Therwhyles the sultan Salandyne  
Sent after many a saracene  
To beat down the castle  
That was cleped marvel  
And the castle calafyn  
That was made of good engine  
Of sezary they field the wall  
And tour of arsoure all  
Jaffa castle they bet a down  
And the good castle torowne  
castle pilgrim they field there  
And the good castle laffere  
The castle of saint George derayne  
They bet down and made all plain  
The walls they field of Iherusalem  
And eke the walls of Bedlam  
maidens castle they let stand  
And the castle of aukes' land  
By though costs no more they let  
For richard should have no reset  
And when they had thus I do  
King richard they sent unto  
And said they would the next morrow  
Meet him in the field with sorrow  
The sultan said he would to him ready  
If he durst him abide  
Under the forest of arsoure  
He would assail his valour  
King richard made it not tough  
Of that tidings full loud he lough  
King richard let cry in his host  
In the name of the holy ghost  
That they should with vigour  
rest that night in arsoure  
And dight them all ready than  
On the morrow to fight with the sultan  
On saint mary's even the nativity  
Thus same battle should be  
There was many an heathen man  
That with the Salandyn came than  
Ofind of pierce of babyloyne  
Of araby and of susoyne  
Of africa and of voyge  
Of all the land of alysaundre  
Of great grece and of tire  
Of many an other rich empire  
Of more lands than any man can tell  
Save he that made both heaven and hell  
That night was richard before arsoure  
Under the forest of lysoure  
With him there were of England  
Wight knights doughty of hand  
Moche french folk and templars  
Gascoynes and eke hospitalers  
Of pronaunce a fair company  
Of poyle and of lombary  
Of gone of sysyle and of costan  
There was many a doughty man  
Of estryche and of almain  
That well could fight in a plain  
Of christian knights that were hende  
The fairs host to the worlds end  
And ye shall here as it is written  
How that the battle was I smitten  
Salandyn came by a mountain  
And overspradde hill and plain  
Syxty thousand said the spy  
Came in the first company  
With long spears and high steeds  
Of gold and silver was their weeds  
Fyfty thousand came afterward  
Of sarasynes stout and hard  
With many a pencil and sylklatowne  
And of sendell bright and brown  
After came five and thirty thousonde  
With Salandyn on steeds round  
They came armed from foot to heed  
In full good harness as I read  
Three thousand turkoys came at the last  
With bow turkeys and arblast  
A thousand tabourers and more  
All at ones they smote though  
That all the earth quaked under  
There men might see great wonder  
Now speak we of Recharde our king  
How he came with his gins to bataylling  
He was armed in spentes of steel  
And sat upon his good stead favele  
Well him loved baron and knight  
For he could well ordain a fight  
The first battle to the templars  
He gave out the hospitalers  
And he bade them go out in god's name  
The devil to shendship and to shame  
Jakes denys and Iohn denes  
Before went in that pres  
In the world there ne were  
Better knights than they were  
Forth they pricked full hardily  
With knights thousands twenty  
And they saracens soon they met  
With grymly lances they them great  
Many a saracene had their fyn  
That went to their god appolyn  
And though that were slain of our  
Went to Ihesu cryst our saviour  
Jakes denys was a good knight  
To slay the sarasynes he died his might  
He pricked before his folk to rathe  
With his two sons that was scathe  
Three thousand turks come with boast  
between jakes and his host  
There might no knight come him to  
For no thing that they might do  
Neither he might not withdraw  
For the people of the heathen law  
It was scathe by Ihesu christ  
That king richard thereof not wist  
For he was yet all behind  
For to ordain twenty thousand  
though should the duke of burgoyne  
lead and the earl of coloyne  
Thus they came and died their devere  
Against the heathen pantenere  
And Jakes and his sons two  
almost were slain though  
They laid on every side right  
And slew the sarasynes with might  
Twenty jakes slew & either of his sons ten  
Of the cruel heathen men  
Ten sith his horse was field  
And ever he covered him with his shield  
He had no help of his templars  
Nor of none of his hospitalers  
Nevertheless doughtely he fought  
The sarasynes yet field him nought  
Well he laid on with sword  
And ever he cried Ihesu lord  
I shall die for thy love  
receive my soul to heaven above  
The saracene laid on with their maze  
And all to frusshed him in the face  
Him and his two sons both  
King richard therefore was wroth  
But when king richard heard this  
That deed was jakes denys  
Alas he said this is wrong  
That I have bid behind so long  
He smote favell with spurs of gold  
Come after him who so would  
A lance in his hand he held  
Therewith he smote an admiral in the shield  
The dent smote thorough the heathen heart  
I understand he 'gan to smart  
King richard his hand withdrew  
And with his lance a king he slew  
And so he died an admyrayle  
And five dukes without fail  
All that he reached with his lance selue  
King richard therewith slew kings twelve  
The xiii knight unto the chin he kerfe  
The lance broke the saracene sterfe  
His axe from the arson he drew  
And many a saracene therewith he slew  
He smote some on the shoulder bone  
And carved them to the saddle anon  
And some he pared the crown  
That they ne helped mahowne  
There was no armure made with hand  
That might Richard's axe withstand  
Of my tale be not awondred  
The french said he slew an hundred  
Whereof is made this english saw  
Or he rested him any thrawe  
Him followed many an english knight  
That eagerly helped him to fight  
And laid on as they were wood  
Till valleys ran all on blood  
The sarasynes said in their pavilions  
That the christian fared as lions  
And that richard with their folk fares  
As hende greyhounds do with hares  
Upon their steeds though they leapt  
Swardes and spears to them they grepte  
Many a man there slay other  
And many a saracene his brother  
And many of the heathen hounds  
With their teeth gnewe the grounds  
And by the blood upon the grass  
Men might see where richard was  
Brain and blood he shed I now  
Many an horse his guts drew  
There was many an empty saddle  
It bewepte the child in the cradle  
He thought to rescue Jakes denayne  
But or he came he was slain  
For he and his sons anon  
Were all to frusshe flesh and bone  
Yet had he them to his pavylyowne  
In despite of their god mahowne  
though fought richard on every side  
The sarasynes durst him not abide  
Syxty thousand and seven score  
At ones richard drove him before  
Up against an high clive  
They fled as dear were drive  
And for the dread of king richard  
Of the cleave they fell down ward  
And all to broke horse and man  
That never came to live ayan  
That saw the sultan Salandyne  
He was sicker his life to tyne  
He left his pavilion and his tent  
And fled away verament  
Than king richard saw him fleande  
He sewed after ●aste slyngande  
To slay the sultan he had thought  
And for he might overtake him nought  
And of a footman a bow he took  
And drew it up to the hook  
And shot it to the sultan anon  
And smote him thorough the shoulder bone  
Thus the sultan with dolour  
Fled from the battle of arsure  
Syxty thousand there were slawe  
saracens of the heathen law  
And of christian but ten score  
blessed be Ihesu christ therefore  
King richard took his pavilions  
Of sendell and of silk latons  
They were shapen with caravels  
Of gold and silver were their penselle●  
Many was the noble jest  
Was thereon painted of wild best  
Tigers dragon's lions and libbard  
And this won good king richard  
Bound in coffers and great males  
He gate therewith out tales  
Florynes' besauntes and white tourneys  
Silk samyte and eke sarsyneys  
Of treasure they had so much won  
That they ne wist where it to done  
King richard with great honour  
Went to the city of arsoure  
And rested him there all night  
And thank Ihesu Christ's might  
On the morrow king richard arose  
His deeds were rich and his lose  
Of naples he cleped sir ganter  
That was his master hospitaler  
And bade him take with him knights  
Stout in arms strong in fights  
And go ye the fled to  
There the battle had been do  
And lead Jakes the barowne  
In to Iherusalem town  
And bury him in the earth richly  
For he was a man full worthy  
Anon it was done without chest  
Hastily king Richard's hest  
And thus king richard wan arsour  
God give his soul great honour  
From thence he went right soon  
Toward the city of babylon   

¶ How king richard assieged the city of babyloyne and how he won it/ & of two devils/ that one in likeness of mare/ & that other in likeness of a colt/ whereof the soldan sent the colt to king richard.  
 woodcut of a knight dying in battle  
THe chief sultan of hethenies  
To babyloyne he was flown iwis  
After his counsel he sent that time  
That thither came many a paynim  
An hundred thousand that day was telde  
Of spurs of gold in the field  
Without all that other putayle  
That thither came without fail  
For so he said that was the spy  
That told folk on both party  
Four hundred thousand of heathen men  
To battle had the sowden  
Now hearken and it be your will  
The words that I shall say you till  
There men loveth troth and right  
Ever god sendeth strength and might  
That was there full well seen  
Of our christian men I ween  
There was no more in book I found  
In all but four score thousand  
King richard xxx thousand lad  
For Phelyp of france & his men were bad  
thirty thousand led he  
By the one side of that city  
To keep with the saracens stout  
Was none so bold that durst come out  
For richard on that other side lay  
On battle ready every day  
With spryngelles and with mangenelles  
With many arrows and quarrels  
Fast they slange hard stones  
Bekering with them for the nonce  
There was no saracene so stout  
That once the wall durst look out  
The city was so strong within  
That no man might to them win  
The strong gins for the nonce  
To break the walls with the stones  
Their gates and their barbycan  
And be ye sure many a heathen man  
Made them counter hard and strong  
And many a man was slain among  
Of the christian was many slain  
But on the french fell the most pain  
For had king philip true be  
All the siege of that city  
The●e ne had scaped no man  
Hethen king ne sultan  
That ne had be slain down right  
For richard ever upon the night  
When they were gone to their rest  
With his men he was full pressed  
And gave them battle full smart  
That no man might have start  
And slew them down great plenty  
And wild fire they cast in to the city  
The sarasynes defended them fast  
With bow turkeys and with arblaste  
Full hard fight was them between  
So they said that died it seen  
Quarrels and arrows so thick died fly  
As doth the rain that falleth fro the sky  
And the wild fire the folk 'gan burn  
A counsel took the heathen men  
To fight with them upon the field  
They would not the city yield  
Up stood their latemere on the wall  
And cried unto the folk all  
And asked trues of richard there  
But he would not grant in no manner  
And with him might he not speed  
To take trues for no need  
Nay certes said richard than  
Till I have slain the sultan  
And all that been in that city  
The latemere though turned his eye  
To that other side of the town  
And cried trues with great sown  
To the rich king of france  
And he granted with mischance  
For a portion of gold  
And else had the city be yold  
And the saracens all I slain  
But the sultan was full fain  
And all his folk on richard fill  
For that other side was all still  
richard wend philip had fought  
And he and his men died nought  
But made merry all that night  
And were traitors in that fight  
For he loved no crowns to crack  
But to do treason and treasure take  
The king of france to richard send  
That they might them no longer defend  
For hunger of him and his men also  
He must break siege and away go  
Full wroth was king richard then  
And said to that cursed false man  
For covetise and for treasure  
He doth himself dishonour  
That he shall sarasynes respite give  
It is harm that such men live  
He broke siege and died withdraw  
Of treasure and riches he was fawe  
great joy the saracens made among  
With clarions trumpets & merry song  
The next day after than  
Messengers came fro the sultan  
And great king richard in this manner  
And said if thy will it were  
My lord the sultan to the scent  
If thou wilt grant in present  
Thou art strong of flesh and bones  
And he is doughty for the nonce  
Thou dost him great harm he says  
And dystroyest all his countrayes  
And sleest his men and eatest among  
All that thou dost is wrong  
And thou cravest heritage in this land  
But he doth the to understand  
That thou thereto haste no right  
Thou fayest thy god is full of might  
wilt thou grant with spear and shield  
To detreyve the right in the field  
With helm hauberke and brands bright  
On strong steeds good and light  
Whether been of more power  
Thy god almighty or jupiter  
And he me sent to say this  
If thou wilt have an horse of his  
In all the lands that thou hast gone  
Such ne sawest thou never none  
Favell of sypres ne lyarde of pries  
Been not at need as he is  
And if thou wylet this same day  
He shall be brought the to assay  
richard answered thou sayest well  
Such an horse by saint Myghell  
I would have to ride upon  
For mine been weary and foregone  
And I shall for my lords love  
That sitteth on high in heaven above  
And his own horse be good  
With a spear to shed his blood  
If that he will I grant and hold  
In that manner that thou hast told  
As I must to god my soul yield  
I shall meet him in the field  
Bid him send that horse to me  
And I shall assay what he be  
If he be trusty without fail  
I keep none other to me in battle  
The messengers though home went  
And told the sultan in present  
That richard in the field would come him to  
The rich sultan bad to come him unto  
A noble clerk that could well conioure  
That was a master nygromansoure  
He commanded as I you tell  
thorough the fiends might of hell  
Two strong fiends of the air  
In likeness of two steeds fair  
Both like of hew and here  
As men said that there were  
No man saw never none such  
That one was a mare I like  
That other a colt a noble stead  
Where that he were in any meed  
Were the knight never so bold  
When the mare nigh would  
That should him hold against his will  
But soon he would go her till  
And kneel down and souke his dame  
Therwhyle the sultan with shame  
Should king richard quell  
All this an angel 'gan him tell  
That to him came about midnight  
Awake he said gods knights  
My lord doth the to understand  
That the shall come on horse to land  
Fair it is of body I pight  
To betray the if the sultan might  
On him to ride have thou no dread  
For he the help shall at need  
Purney the a tree great and strong  
Though it be forty foot long  
And truss it overthwart his mane  
All that he meeteth shall have their bane  
With that tree he shall down fell  
It is a fiend as I the tell  
ride on him in god's name  
For he may do the no shame  
Take a bridle said the angel  
And make it fast on his mussel  
And be the bridle in his mouth  
ride east west north and south  
He shall the serve at thy will  
When the sultan shall ride the till  
Take here a spear heed of steel  
He hath none armour wrought so weal  
But it be perished be thou bold  
When the angel had thus I told  
In to heaven again he went  
On the morrow the horse was to him sent  
King richard of that horse was blithe  
He let him dight a saddle swith  
Both his arsones were of Iren  
Because they should well duren  
With a chain together fast  
The bridle upon the heed he cast  
As the angel had him taught  
Two good hokes forgot he nought  
In his arson he set before  
With wax he stopped his ears thore  
And said by the apostles twelve  
Though thou be the devil himself  
Thou shalt me help at this need  
Now he that on the road 'gan bleed  
And suffered grymly wounds five  
And sith he rose from death to live  
And after went to hell  
And the fiends might 'gan fell  
And afterward stied in to heaven  
God for his names seven  
One god in persons three  
In his name I conjure the  
That thou me serve at my will  
He shaken his heed and stood still  
King richard made him ready that night  
On the morrow when it was light  
Seven sowdans with great rout  
Of that city were sent out  
And bataylled them in their array  
Of great marvel I will you say  
That day was told without losing  
Of sowdans and of high kings  
There were forty and more  
The least brought with him though  
Twenty thousand and ten  
Against our good christian men  
And ever was twelve of them  
Against one of our christian men  
Well twelve mile a coast  
Say the sarasynes host  
The ground might uneath be seen  
For bright armure and spears keen  
They made sheltron & battle abide  
Messengers between died ride  
To king Phelyp & king richard  
If they would hold forward  
That they made the day before  
The saracens been ready less & more  
Four hundred thousand there been  
King richard 'gan look and seen  
Like as snow lieth on the mountains  
So were full filled hills and plains  
With hawberkes bright & harness clear  
Of trumpets and of tabourere  
To here the noise it was great wonder  
As the world above and under  
Should have fallen so fared the sown  
Our christian host made them bown  
King richard nothing them a dread  
To his folk horse and harness he gradde  
He said fellows for the rood  
Look ye be of comfort good  
For we get the price this day  
Of heathens all the noblaye  
For evermore we have won  
But he that made moan and son  
By'r help and give us might  
Behold how that I shall fight  
With sword spear and axe of steel  
But I this day meet him weal  
Ever more fro hens forward  
Hold me for a faint coward  
But every christian man and page  
Have to night to his wage  
An heed of a black saracene  
thorough god's help and mine  
Such work I will among them make  
Of though that I may overtake  
That fro this time to domes day  
They shall speak of my pay  
Every christian man was armed weal  
Both in Iren and eke in steel  
The king of france with his battle  
Was ready the sarasynes to assail  
And above the sarasynes they road  
Sheltrons pight and battle abode  
And for stopped the land ways  
That they might not flee the countries  
Neither no succour to them come  
But they were slain or nome  
The french men died boost make  
To slay sarasynes and crowns crack  
But in jests as it is told  
There was none of them so bold  
To nigh the sarasynes sheltrone  
Till king richard was I come  
Now cometh richard with his host  
And c●●●ed them by an other coast  
between them and the city  
That none of them might flee  
But they would to the river gone  
Or else the christian should them slone  
Than had richard hosts three  
That one gave assault to the city  
The second with him he lad  
To bring his horse he bad  
That the sultan had him sent  
He said with his own present  
I shall him meet long or night  
He leapt on horse when it was light  
Or he in his saddle died leap  
Of many things he took keep  
He lacked nought that he ne had  
His men brought him that he bade  
A square tree of forty feet  
Before his saddle anon he it seat  
Fast that they should it brace  
That it failed for no case  
And so they died with hokes of Iren  
And good rings that would duren  
Other fastening none there was  
But Iren chains for all that cas  
And they were wrought full well  
Both his gyrthes and his ptytrell  
And a quaintise of the kings own  
Upon his horse was thrown  
Before his arson an axe of steel  
And on that other side a maswele  
Himself was richly begun  
from the crest right to the tone  
He was covered wondrously weal  
All with splentes of good steel  
And there above an hauberke  
A shaft he had of trusty work  
Upon his shoulder a shield of steel  
With three lyardes depainted weal  
And helm he had of rich entail  
Trusty and true was his ventayle  
Upon his crest a dove white  
Sygnyfyaunce of the holy spirit  
Upon a cross the dove stood  
Of gold I wrought rich and good  
God himself Mary and Iohn  
As he was done the road upon  
In sygnyfyaunce for whom he fought  
The spear heed forgot he nought  
Upon his shaft he would it have  
God's name thereon was grave  
Now hearken what oath he swore  
Or they to the battle went there  
If it were so that richard might  
Slay the sultan in field with fight  
At our will everichone  
He and his should gone  
In to the city of babyloyne  
And the king of masydoyne  
He should have under his hand  
And if the sultan of that land  
Might slay richard in the field  
With sword or spear under shield  
That christian men should go  
Out of that land for ever more  
And the saracens their will in would  
Quod king richard thereto I hold  
Thereto my glove as I am knight  
They be armed and ready dight  
King richard to his saddle died leap  
Certes who that would take keep  
To see that sight it were fair  
Their steeds ran with great air  
Also hard as they might dire  
After their feet sprang out fire  
Tabours and trumpets 'gan blow  
There men might see in a throw  
How king richard that noble man  
Encountered with the sultan  
The chief was told of damas  
His trust upon his mare was  
And therefore as the book us tells  
His crupper hinge full of bells  
And his peytrell and his arsowne  
Three mile men might here the sown  
His mare nighed his bells died ring  
For great pride without losing  
Afaucon broad in hand he bore  
For he thought he would there  
Have slain richard with treasowne  
When his colt should kneel down  
As a colt should suck his dame  
And he was ware of that shame  
His ears with wax were stopped fast  
Therefore richard was not aghast  
He struck the fiend that under him went  
And gave the sultan his death with a dent  
In his shield verament  
Was painted a serpent  
With the spear that richard held  
He bore him thorough under his shield  
None of his armure might him last  
Bridle and peytrell all to burst  
His gyrthes and his steropes also  
His mare to ground went tho  
Maugre her heed he made her seche  
The ground without more speech  
His feet toward the firmament  
Behind him the spear out went  
There he fell deed on the green  
richard smote the fiend with spurs keen  
And in the name of the holy ghost  
He driveth in to the heathen host  
And as soon as he was come  
Asunder he broke the sheltrone  
And all that ever afore him stood  
Horse and man to the ground yode  
Twenty foot on either side  
All that he overtook that tide  
On live was there left none  
thorough out he made his horse gone  
As bees swarm out of hives  
The christian men him after drives  
And cried than slay down right  
Both sowdans kings and knight  
When the king of france wist & his men  
That the mastery had the christian  
They waxed bold and good heart took  
steeds bestrode and shafts shaken  
The king of france with a spear  
An heathen king 'gan down bear  
And other earls and barons  
Noble men of great renowns  
Slew the sarasynes down right  
Of england many a noble knight  
Wrought full well that day  
Of salisbury the long spay  
To ground he field with his brand  
And though that he before fond  
next king richard ever he was  
And of multon sir Thomas  
Fouke doly Roberte of leycester  
In the world was not their better  
Where that any of them come  
They spared neither swain ne groom  
That they ne field all a down  
The sarasynes fled in to the town  
For great sorrow that they seen  
The tears ran out of their eyen  
And swith mercy they cried  
And soon they opened the gates wide  
And let them in at their will come  
The christian than the city nome  
Anon hastily therewithal  
They set banners on the wall  
The kings arms of england  
When Salandyn 'gan to understand  
That the city yielded was  
He 'gan to cry and said alas  
The prise of heathens is I done  
And though began to flee full soon  
With him many a baron and knight  
But king richard that was wight  
When he saw the sultan fly  
Abide coward he said on high  
And I shall the prove false  
And thy cursed gods also  
King richard dryved after him fast  
The sultan was sore aghast  
A great wood before him he saw  
thither in a great haste he flaw  
richard went the wood near  
He doubted of encombrere  
He might not in for his tree  
soon he turned his horse eye  
With that he met a heathen king  
His axe he drew out of his ring  
And he hit him on the crest  
That his life no longer last  
Another he reached upon the shield  
The heed flew in to the field  
Syxe he slew of bethen kings  
To tell the sooth in all things  
In his geste as I find  
More than twenty thousind  
Of empty steeds about yode  
Up to the foot lakes in blood  
All astray about they go  
What man would might ride  
That battle lasted till it was night  
But when they had slain down right  
The sarasynes that they might take  
great joy the christian died make  
They kneeled and thanked god in heaven  
And worshipped his names seven  
On both sides were folks Islawe  
But the number of the heathen law  
That lay deed upon the field  
To god they 'gan their souls yield  
There were slain hondredes three  
And of the sarasynes more plenty  
An hundred thousand and yet more  
Lo such grace god sent though  
The christian in to the city gone  
Of gold & silver & precious stone  
They found Enough without fail  
Meet and drink and other victual  
On the morrow when the king arose  
His deeds were rich and his lose  
The sarasynes before him come  
And asked him christendom  
There were crysted as I find  
More than twenty thousind  
churches he let make of Christ's law  
And their maumettes all to draw  
And though that would not christian become  
They were slain all and some  
And departed that treasure  
Among christian with honour  
earl baron knight and knave  
Had as much as they would have  
When this was done I you say  
He let his colt vanish away   

¶ How king richard and the king of france were wroth together/ and how the king of fraun went home to his land.  
THere they dwelled fourtenyght  
And afterward they them night  
Toward Iherusalem they 'gan ride  
King Phelyp spoke a word of pry●e  
Iherusalem that fair city  
That is so fair and so free  
Though thou it win it shall be mine  
By god said richard & by saint martin  
And as god do my so●ue bore  
Of my winning not half a foot  
I ne shall give the no land  
I do the well to understand  
If thou wilt it have he said then  
Go now forth & win it with thy men  
Mine offering quoth richard lo it he●●  
I will come Iherusalem no near  
And in an arblaste of vyse he ben●●  
A floryn toward the city he sense  
And that was sygnyfyaunce  
Ihesu christ to honouraunce  
For wrath became seek the king of france  
His leches he sent after without distance  
And they said never he should hole been  
But he in to france returned again  
Than his counsel understood  
And said it was true and good  
Their ships they dight more & las●●  
And went home at alhalowmasse  
King richard 'gan to him cry  
And said he died great villainy  
To wend home for maladly  
Out of the land of Surry  
Till done was gods service  
For life or death in any wise  
The king of france none other would do  
But in that manner departed so  
And after that departing forsooth  
Ever after they were wroth   

¶ How king richard and his men made the walls of a city which height chalens/ and how the duke of astryche departed from him/ because of the rebuke he gave him because he would not do as he died/ and how king richard won the castle of daron.  
NOw hearken of richard the king  
How he wrought with his ging  
King richard went his host  
To Jaffa without any boast  
The kings pavilion good and fine  
They 'gan dight with a gryffyne  
Other lords 'gan about spread  
Their pavilions in fair meed  
King richard with his men all  
Of the city let make the wall  
That never was no sarasynes  
So strong wrought with byches  
That castle was strong and rich  
In the world was none him like  
thither might come by the see  
Of all manner goods great plente  
He set every ward with good knights  
Stout in arms strong in fights  
Men might wend the city about  
Many mile without doubt  
King richard dewelled with honour  
Till Jaffa were made and the tour  
from thence to chalens he went  
And found the walls all to rent  
great and fair was the city  
King Ryeharde thereof had pity  
King richard besought the lords all  
Of that city to help to make the wall  
And all the lords everichone  
Granted him his asking anon  
Save the duke of esteryche  
King richard thought to be quick  
King richard began to travail  
About the walls without fail  
So there died many an other  
father and soon eme and brother  
Made moter and laid stone  
With their might everichone  
Every king and every emperor  
Stones bare and mortour  
Save the duke that was full of pride  
He ne would them help at no tide  
Upon a day king Rytharde him met  
And hendly king richard him great  
He bad the duke of his courtesy  
To make of the wall his party  
And he answered in his manner  
My father was neither mason nor carpenter  
And though your wall all to shake  
I shall them never help to make  
King richard was in great error  
Wrath made him to change colour  
The duke with his foot he smote  
Against the breast god it wot  
That on a stone he overthrew  
It was mysdome by saint Mathewe  
Fie on the devils thou foul coward  
In hell be thou hanged hard  
Go quickly out of this host  
The curse have thou of the holy ghost  
By the sides of christ Jesus'  
find I the traitor among us  
Over this same days three  
Myself shall thy bane be  
Traitor we travail day & night  
In ware and wreck and in fight  
And thou liest as foul glutton  
And sleepest in thy pavilion  
Thou drinkest wine good & strong  
And sleepest all the day long  
I shall take from the thy banner  
And cast it in to the river  
Home went the duke full wroth  
His own strife was him loath  
Of that despite he was unblythe  
He trussed his harness as swith  
And swore by Ihesu in trinity  
If he might ever his tymese  
He should of richard him so awreke  
That all the world thereof shall speak  
He held him all to well forward  
In hell be he hanged hard  
thorough his treason and his treachery  
And thorough the waiting of a spy  
He died king richard great shame  
That turned all england to grame  
A little longer and he most  
And had his life by the holy ghost  
Of every duke king and emperors  
He had been lord and conqueror  
All christian and eke panym  
Sold all hold of him  
The duke of estryche hied fast  
Away with his main in haste  
And with him the duke of burgoyne  
The folk of france & the earl of coloyne  
King richard let break his banner  
And cast it in to the river  
And cried on him with voice stepe  
Home shrewd coward and go sleep  
Come no more in no wise  
Never eft in gods service  
The duke of estryche pricked then  
For wrath his heart 'gan burn  
King richard left with his english  
tuscans gascoynes lombards Iwas  
Scots irish and folk of britain  
Genevoys baskes and men of spain  
And made the walls day and night  
Till they were strong pight  
Than king richard with great pine  
Had made the walls of chalyne  
All his host with him he taas  
And went forth a great pace  
The first night in the name of mary  
He lay at a town that height family  
On the morrow he let him arm weal  
Both in Iren and eke in steel  
By the marine forth he went  
To abbare a city full gente  
That was a castle of sarasynes  
Full of stones and of riches  
Both of fat flesh and of lean  
Wheat oats pesyn and been  
King richard it won & sojourned there  
Nine days all planere  
And scent spies by each ways  
For to espy the countrayes  
Of castle daron king richard heard  
All together how it feared  
For it was full of sarasynes  
That were gods enemies  
King richard went thither in haste  
The sarasynes for to aghast  
So he went on his journey  
He came thither by saint james day  
They besieged the daron  
To win the castle and the town  
The castle was made of such stone  
That it dread assault right none  
About the walls was I dight  
They ne had never seen no sight  
The sarasynes cried in their language  
christian hounds of evil rage  
Here ye have fet your doom  
But ye the sooner turn home  
When king richard heard that cry  
He swore his oath by saint mary  
The sarasynes should be hanged all  
Or such a case should befall  
The christian assailed & they defended  
And many a quarrel they 'scended  
All that day and all that night  
They and the christian kept fight  
King richard saw he might not speed  
Than he bethought him of an other read  
King richard took all his english  
And died reap rushes in a marysshe  
To fill withal the dyche of darowne  
To win the castle and the town  
Twenty great gins for the nonce  
King richard sent after to cast stones  
By water they were brought anon  
The matgryffon was that one  
That was set upon an hill  
To break the walls of the castyll  
That other gynne height robynet  
That on an other side was set  
richard fet an other mangenell  
That cast toward an other tourell  
King richard died bind the rushes fast  
And in to the dyche died them cast  
And all plain the dyche made  
The saracens no ward they had  
Wild fire thereon they cast  
The rushes were on fire in haste  
And burned right to the ground  
Soon within a little stound  
Of the christian many an hundred  
Thereof greatly were awondred  
The mangenelles threw always  
And broke the walls night and day  
The robynet and the matgryffowne  
And that they hit they cast down  
So within a little stound  
The next wall was cast to ground  
And filled full the great dyche  
Eft with rushes hastelyche  
though might our knights well  
Entre in to daron castle  
The earl of leycester sir Roberth  
The trustiest body of middle earth  
He was the first without fail  
The castle daron to assail  
Up he left his banner  
And smote on the destrere  
The sarasynes with mysaventoure  
Fled in to the high tour  
That was both strong and stark  
All of the sarasynes work  
And many stood without  
And fought fast without doubt  
Against the earl sir Robarde  
They gave many a dent hard  
Many a helm there was weved  
And many a basinet all to cleaved  
Sheldes cloven fill a two  
And many a stead sticked also  
Roberte turnam with his faucowne  
'Gan there to crack many a crown  
The long spay the earl of rychemonde  
Slew many an heathen hound  
All that their swords araught  
It fell at the first draft  
There died many christian men  
But of heathen such ten  
Among them came king richard  
To fight well he nothing spared  
Many one in a little stound  
With his axe he laid to ground  
All on foot he 'gan to fight  
The sarasynes of him had a sight  
How plenteous was his payment  
None ne might withstand his dent  
They went quickly without fable  
And slew their steeds in the stable  
The fairest horse and stead  
That ever bare knight at need  
Flesh wheat flower and larder  
All together they set on fire  
They had liefer to do so  
Than with their victual to help their foe  
By the breath king richard aspyde  
He slew down right on every side  
All that he might overtake  
None amends must they make  
He began to assail the high tour  
With wight men of great valour  
The sarasynes in the tour on high  
saying their ending day was nigh  
Wild fire soon in haste  
Among the christian it was cast  
The wild fire flow about so smart  
That many a christian man it heart  
They might no longer suffer that thrawe  
Anon they began them to withdraw  
A mile from daron castle  
They cast abroad many a fire barrel  
And soon after in a little space  
thorough the help of god's grace  
The castle fell on fire all  
From the tour to the uttermost wall  
The houses brent and the burdys'  
Gr●te smoke there arose iwis  
The sarasynes were almost attaint  
And in the smoke well nigh adraynt  
Ten hundred there cried at one word  
Mercy king richard good lord  
Let us go out of this tour  
And thou shalt have a great treasure  
With life and limb let us go  
A thousand we give the to  
Nay quod richard by Ihesu christ  
By his death and by his uprist  
Ye shall never downe come  
Till paid be that ransom  
And yet thereafter be at my will  
Whether I will you save or spill  
Or ye shall right there starve  
Alorde they said we shall the serve  
At thy will we will us do  
With that we must come the to  
To hung or draw burn or slay  
Our freedom lord is in the  
King richard granted them than  
And commanded the christian man  
That the sarasynes be kept with sorrow  
For to the son arise on the morrow  
It was done as I in book find  
King richard let them fast bind  
Upon a plain before the wall  
King richard let them lead all  
And he that paid a thousand pound  
For his heed he might pass sound  
He that would so much give  
To a certain day he let him live  
And he that paid no ransom  
As quick his heed was smitten down  
Thus king richard won daron  
God give us all his benison  
And his soul rest and ro  
And ours when it cometh thereto   

¶ How king richard smote down an image of marble/ and how he slew five sarasynes that were within the said image and of many other matters.  
AFter the winning of darowne  
The king went to an other town  
To gatries with a fair main  
For to besiege that city  
Now hearken how he it wan  
And ye shall here of a doughty man  
A stout warrior and a quaint  
That never was found in heart faint  
He that was lord of Catrys  
Had been a man of pries  
And fell to fight against his foe  
That same time it was not so  
For he was so fallen in eld  
That he might none arms weld  
Bus as he died after quaintise  
hearken now in which wise  
amids the town upon a stage  
He let make a marble image  
I crowned stoutly as a king  
And bad his folk old and yinge  
That they should never been a know  
To christian men high ne low  
That they had no lording of dignity  
But that image in that city  
King richard the warrior keen  
There assault he began by dene  
Spryngelles and mangenelles he bent  
And stones to the city sent  
The sarasynes mercy cried  
They would cast pv the gates wide  
If it were king Richard's will  
That he would not the people spill  
And he granted without les  
They had entry all in peace  
King richard asked at the first word  
Of the city where was the lord  
They answered richard the king  
That they ne had no lording  
But the image of marble fine  
And mahowne and their god appolyne  
King richard stood so saith the book  
And on the image he 'gan for to look  
How hewge he was wrought and stern  
And said to them all yern  
O saracens without fail  
Of your lord I have marvel  
If I may thorough help of my lord god  
That bought us all with his blood  
With a shaft smite his neck asunder  
And ye shall see that wonder  
Will ye believe all upon my lord  
Ye than they said all at one word  
Than king richard let him dight a shaft  
Of a trusty tree and of kind craft  
And for it should been strong and last  
He let bind thereto well fast  
endlong four yards of ire  
And sith richard the great sire  
Let set thereon a crownall keen  
When it was ready on to seen  
Favell of Cypress was forth fet  
And in the saddle he him set  
And road his course to the stage  
And in the face smote the image  
The heed though flow the body asunder  
And slew five sarasynes there under  
The sarasynes said than  
He was a devil and no man  
And all became christian thore  
young and old less and more  
And hastily without losing  
Their old lord they 'gan forth bring  
And told all his compasement  
King richard lough with good intent  
And gave him the city to weld  
Though he lived adamas held  
To chalyns he went again  
Forth by the marine sooth to say  
There he sojourned seven night  
With many a doughty knight  
They pight pavilions fair and well  
For to besiege a strong castle  
That was a mile beside lyem  
Three mile from castle pylgrem  
With thick walls & tourelles of pride  
The castle was cleped lefryde  
The sarasynes saw the king was come  
For dread they wend to been I nome  
Their hearts were full of woe  
All by night away they flow  
The gate they unshut full yern  
And flow away by a postern  
For all this middle earth  
They ne durst abide king richard  
This noble castle verament  
King richard won without dent  
From thence he went to gebolyn  
That hospitalers had dwelled therein  
And templars both in fere  
And kept the city many a year  
When Bawdewyn was slain with brand  
Salandyn took the town in hand  
In that city was saint Anne I bore  
That our lady was of I bore  
They pight the kings pavylyownes  
With force within the towns  
And slew the sarasynes all and same  
That would not leave on Christ's name  
There came the first wicked tiding  
To cure delyon richard our king  
Of england his brother Iohn  
That was the fiends flesh and bone  
thorough help of the barons soon  
The chancellor had I nome  
And would be with mastery of hand  
Crowned king of england  
At estertyde there afterward  
Than answered king richard  
What devil he said how is this  
Telleth Iohn no more pries  
He weeneth that I live to long  
Therefore he will do me wrong  
And if he knew I were on live  
He would not with me strive  
I shall me so of him awreke  
That all the world thereof shall speak  
If Iohn him crown that ester tide  
Where will he me than abide  
There is no king in crystente  
Certes that shall his warrant be  
I ne may believe for no need  
That my brother will do this deed  
Yes certes said the messengere  
He will so do by saint rychere  
King richard all this tiding  
Held in heart but losing  
From gebolyne forth he went  
To betanye a castle gente  
And slew their many an heathen man  
And that noble city he won  
There come other messengers  
That told richard stout and fierce  
That Iohn his brother would bear  
Crown at ester he 'gan to swear  
The king was loath to withdraw his hand  
Till he had I won the holy land  
And slew the sultan with dent of sword  
And avenged Ihesu our lord  
And he bethought him after then  
He would leave there his men  
And with a privy main  
In to england would he  
And appease that war anon  
between him and his brother Iohn  
And came again in hyenge  
For to fulfil his beginning  
And also he thought in his heart  
A stout saracene 'gan in start  
That aught king richard ransom  
For the winning of daron  
He spoke to richard apartylyche  
Among his people that were rich  
Sir king thou shalt me quite skere  
And all thine other hostagere  
thorough thy quaintise and thy begin  
I shall the do great treasure win  
More than an hundred thousand pound  
Florence of gold hole and sound  
Of the sarasynes treasure  
And moche more other store  
Thereto I lay to hostage my life  
And my children and my wife  
But I do the win that pray  
On an evil death must I day  
King richard said thou mystruaunt  
So as thou believest on termagant  
Tell me now what folk there is  
I believe it is full faintise iwis  
That leadeth so treasure without jails  
Sir there been five hundred camayles  
And five thousand there been & more  
Asses and great mules also  
That leadeth gold to Salandyn  
Of great treasure and of fine  
Of wheat and of spycerye  
Of silk and sendell great plenty  
richard said so god me dame  
Is there moche folk that to yeme  
Ye sir he said there been before  
Knights riding sixty score  
And after cometh such ten  
Of doughty heathen men  
I heard them speak in their rouning  
They were afeard of the english king  
King richard said that they should find  
Though there were twenty thousind  
I would them meet everichone  
Though I were myself alone  
Without help of any man  
I would them flee or quick tan  
Doo say me anon right  
Where shall I find them to night  
Here beside miles ten  
Thou might find the heathen men  
There they will rest and abide  
Till more folk comeryde  
Horse and harness he cried anon  
Cure delyon now is time to gone  
Before went his templars  
His gascoyens and his hospytalers'  
Horse and men were cried in hyenge  
And went forth with richard our king  
Than said the long spay unto the king  
Sir make here thy dwelling  
They been lodged in the town  
I will go and espy their rowne  
And brew them a drink with woe  
Now I will to them go  
And tell them that king richard  
Is fast in to englondewarde  
They will me leave with the best  
And they will then go to their rest  
And than sir may ye wend  
And take them all slepende  
Fie a devil said the king  
God give the evil ending  
I am no traitor take good keep  
To slay men when they sleep  
By clear day upon the fields  
Thou shalt see spears and shields  
Be it earls barons or kings  
All they shall have their endings  
The saracene our king richard answereth  
There is no man in the middle earth  
Duke baron ne knight  
Is none so hardy ne so wight  
Ne none so moche of renown  
Well mayst thou be height richard cure delyon  
Therefore I will not it forhele  
There been of sarasynes twice so feel  
As thou hast folk in this country  
Sertaynly I warn the  
richard said god give me shame  
Therefore and my heart be lame  
For one of my christian men  
Is worth of sarasynes nine or ten  
The more there been the more shall we slow  
And awreke Ihesu christ of his foe  
Forth went there a spy after then  
And espied the heathen men  
He espied their compassing  
And told it richard our king  
He cried horse and harness there  
And dight them and made them yare  
Anon leapt the king richard  
On his stead that height lyarde  
His english and his templars  
They leapt anon on their destrers  
And went in to the heathen host  
In the name of the holy ghost  
All the sarasynes with one noblaye  
To the sultan would their way  
King richard smote them among  
There began a blissful song  
But to term agaunt and to mahowne  
They cried help to sir plutowne  
King richard 'gan down bear  
Them thorough the heart with a spear  
And so he served an admyrayle  
And five dukes without fail  
afterward his axe he drew  
Many an heathen man he slew  
Some he clove unto the saddle right  
And slew both swain and knight  
A king he clove unto the arsowne  
There halp him nought mahowne  
An earl he smote on the iron hode  
That at the breast the axe withstood  
There was full many a saracene  
That he sent to hell pine  
They destroyed many a stead  
So swiftly they 'gan speed  
His templars and his hospitalers  
Came there on fair destrers  
So long they fought saith the story  
That they had the victory  
thorough help of his christian knights  
stiff in arms strong in fights  
And as many he slew alone  
As they died everichone  
And many escaped with deaths wound  
That lived after but a stound  
They would him no more meet  
richard by the way ne by street  
Now may ye here of the winning  
That wan richard our king  
Horse of price and many a camayle  
five thousand & five hundred sans fail  
Syxe hundred horse of great coursers  
All charged with rich tresers  
That were in coffers fast I bound  
With fine silver and gold full round  
Mules he had three thousand and more  
That pans and spices bore tho  
And five hundred of ass  
Bare wine and oil more & lass  
And also many of wheat read  
There richard died a noble deed  
When he all that treasure won  
He went home to his man  
In to betanye that city noble  
With that treasure and with that moble  
He gave to high and to low  
Of his purches good enough  
He gave them steeds and coursers  
So richard parted his purches in fierce  
Him betydde a well fair case  
Of all christendom lord he was  
Soon after in a little stound  
There came two messengers of mound  
The bishop of chester was that one  
That other the abbot of saint albone  
And brought letters specyell  
I sealed with the barons seell  
They him told that king Iohn  
Would do him the crown upon  
At easter by the common doom  
But ye the rather come home  
For the king of france with envy  
Was risen in normandy  
Than said richard by god's pain  
The devil hath now to much main  
For all their boost and their deraye  
Yet they shall bow some day  
There they dwelled till halowmasse  
And than he 'gan to Jaffa pass  
For seven year and for more  
He 'gan the castle to astore  
five thousand I find in book  
He let there that castle look  
For to keep well that land  
Out of Salandynes hand  
Till that come again he might  
from england god it dight  
And than he thought to Acrys ward  
That doughty body king richard  
Of Salandyn now begin I geste  
That maketh noise and great hest  
Wroth he was and full sore amoved  
For his treasure was thus rob  
And for his men were thus I slain  
Therefore was him nothing fain  
And said he would awreked be  
When he might his time see  
So that time came a spy in  
And told thus to Salandyn  
A lord be now blithe of mode  
I the bring tidings good  
To thy heart a blithe present  
King richard is to Acrys went  
For over he will to england  
Him is I come such a sonde  
That john his brother I the swear  
Will his crown bear  
Jaffa he hath stored a right  
With many a baron & hardy knight  
fifteen thousand I wot well  
That shall keep the town & the castle  
If he may so well speed  
Till he come from his stead  
Salandyn was ofre in weal and woe  
But never so merry as he was though  
The spy he gave an hundred besauntes  
That the tidings brought to presauntes  
And a right fair destrere  
And rob furred with blaundemere  
Than would he no longer abide  
He sent about on every side  
Upon limb and upon life  
Upon children and upon wife  
That they come to him believe  
To help him out of land drive  
King richard and his tail  
To him came an admyrayle  
Many a duke and many a king  
And many an other great lording  
Of egypt and of araby  
Of capadose and of barbary  
Of cry and of asclomoyne  
Of ynde and of babyloyne  
Of great grece and tire also  
Of many empires & kingdoms to  
Of all the heathen kings that I find  
from the greeks see unto ynde  
Charles the king ne Alysaunder  
Of whom was made moche slander  
Ne had never half the host  
As in the country lay in coast  
five mile it lay in breed  
And more I ween so god me read  
And twenty it was of length  
This was an host of great strength  
There men might see great wonder  
Of people that were without number  
Jaffa they have about I set  
Many a christian man to let  
There were in a little thrawe  
On both parties much folk I slawe  
So stout and hard was the battle  
That it fared without fail  
As it had been from heaven light  
So clear it was of swords bright  
The christian men well fought  
To slay the sarasynes they had in thought  
They fared as of the earth they sprung  
So many there were of old and young  
That no slaughter of swords keen  
In that battle might been seen  
though the christian fled in to the castle  
And kept the gates swith well  
The saracens the city nome  
To their well and to their doom  
Than began many a saracene  
The castle wall to undermine  
And the christian for the nonce  
To frusshe them both body and bones  
The sarasynes yode about the wall  
And shot in over all  
And our men to them as swith  
Many of them they made unblythe  
They sought where they might best  
grieve the christian men most  
At the last a gate they fond  
Not fast shot in they sonde  
There they found a strong meeting  
Of lances and swords carving  
To ground they laid a thousand men  
Of ours there were slain but ten  
Though they were never so stout  
At the gate they put them out  
That day might they not speed  
The sarasynes for no need  
A knight by the moan clear  
The christian sent a messengere  
To king richard to Acrys city  
And bad him for god's pity  
That he should to help come  
And else they were all I nome  
They told him all the hard cas  
Of the sultan how it was  
And but ye come to them anon  
They been but deed everichone  
richard answered though a plight  
Full well know I the sultans fight  
He will make but a deraye  
At the walls and go his way  
I will not for him to them wend  
But soon I will them succour send  
He cleped to him his nephew  
A baron of great virtue  
That height Harry of champagne  
And bade him wend to Jaffa plain  
And said take with the this host  
And abate the sultans boost  
Horse and harness he 'gan cry  
Among the host they should high  
And with sir Harry for to wend  
And Jaffa help to defend  
Against the cursed Salandyne  
And awreke you of the saracene  
On the morrow went sir Harry  
And many a good knight hardy  
Gascoyne's spaniards and lumbarde  
For the bidding of king richard  
They went forth by the marine  
Till they came to palastryne  
The sarasynes host there they seen  
All the country full I ween  
Of their coming the sawdan herd  
swith toward them he feared  
When duke Harry this wist  
He fled again by Ihesu christ  
And he made no taring  
Till he came to richard our king  
And said he never saw ne heard  
In all this wide middle erred  
Not half deal the people of men  
That Salandyn hath by down & den  
No tongue he said may them tell  
I ween they come out of hell  
Than answered king richard  
Fie a devils thou foul coward  
He shall I never by god above  
Trust to french man's love  
The christian men that in Jaffa beth  
They may wite the of their death  
thorough thy defaude I am a dread  
My good barons been bestead  
Now for the love of saint mary  
swith show me my galye  
All though that ever love me  
To ship now for charity  
All that ever weepen bear might  
To ship the went anon right  
And hied them to Jaffa ward  
With the doughty king richard  
hearken now how my tale goth  
Though I swear to you none oath  
I will you read romans none  
Of pertenope ne of yponydone  
Ne of Alysaunder ne of Charlemagne  
Ne of Arthur ne of Gawayne  
Ne of Lancelot de lake  
Ne of bevis ne Guy of Sydrake  
Ne of Vry ne of octavian  
Ne of Hector the strong man  
Ne of jason neither of Hercules  
Ne of Aeneas neither of Achilles  
They ne wan never parmafaye  
In their time by their day  
And anon of them so doughty deed  
Ne so strong battle ne of felowrede  
As died king richard without fail  
At Jaffa at that strong battle  
With his axe and his sword  
Assoil his soul Ihesu lord  
It was before midnight  
Moon and star shone well bright  
richard was to Jaffa come  
With his galayes all and some  
And hearkened toward the castle  
If he might here taboure or flagell  
And he nought could espy  
By voice ne by mynstrelsye  
What quick man in the castle ware  
though became his heart full of care  
Well sore than wept king richard  
Wrong his hands and tore his bard  
A Ihesu now thy succour  
To long I have made soiour  
Now slain is Roberte mortemere  
That was earl of leycestere  
Every here of him was worth a knight  
And Roberte turnam that was so wight  
And sir Brandys and sir Pyttarde  
That in battle was wise and hard  
And all my good barons  
The best of all my regions  
They been slain and all to tore  
How might I longer live therefore  
I might have saved all mine  
If I had comen betime  
Certes I shall never be blithe man  
Till I be awreked on the sultan  
Thus sighed king richard aye  
Till it came against the day  
A wait there stood at a cornel  
And piped a note with a flagell  
He ne piped but one sith  
Many an heart he made blithe  
He looked down and saw galyes  
King richard and his navies  
Ship and sail well he knew  
A merry note than he blewe  
And cried seygnyours or sus sus  
King richard is come among us  
When the christian heard this  
Their hearts became light I iwis  
Earls barons squires and knight  
To the walls ran right  
And saw king richard their lord  
And welcomed him with blithe word  
And said lord welcome in god's name  
All our sorrow is turned to game  
richard had never in heart iwis  
Half deal so moche bliss  
Horse and harness he cried there  
Against the sarasynes for to far  
We ne have life but one  
Sell we it dear both flesh & bonen  
For to challenge our heritage  
Slay we the sarasynes on evil rage's  
Who so him doubteth for menace  
Ne see he never in god's face  
Take me mine axe in mine hand  
It was made in england  
No more their armure I ne doubt  
Than it were a pilch clout  
The sooth to say men shall see  
thorough gods help in trinity  
He was the first that on land died leap  
Of a dosyn he made an heap  
He 'gan to cry with voice clear  
Where been these heathen pantenere  
That have the city of Jaffa I nome  
With my pole-axe I am come  
For to warrant that I have do  
Wassayll he said I drink you to  
He laid on I say you a plight  
And slew the sarasynes down right  
The sarasynes fled and went mate  
Full fast out at the castle gate  
In heart they were full of sorrow  
That them thought the gate to narrow  
And ran to the walls of the town  
By every side they leapt down  
And everich cried in this manner  
hearken now and ye shall here  
Malkan sterran nayre arbru  
Loire fermoyre touz memoru  
That is for to say in english  
The english devil I come is  
And but we flee out of his way  
An evil death shall we die to day  
They fled out of the town anon  
Therein abode not so much as one  
But four hundred or five  
They were soon brought out of live  
They leapt on their destreres  
And at the gate set porters  
King richard leapt on favel  
Well armed in iron and in steel  
And road him out at the gate  
The king of egypt he met therate  
With sixty thousand of sarasynes fierce  
With arms bright and broad banners  
richard a duke on the helm hit  
Down to the ground he him slit  
Another he smote on the iron hood  
That at his breast his sword stood  
His templars and his barons  
Fared right like wood lions  
And slew the Saracens swith  
As grass falleth before the sith  
The sarasynes saw no better won  
But fled away everichone  
To Salandynes great host  
That fifteen mile lay in coast  
Syxty thousand as I you say  
The sultan lost that same day  
For their armure fared as wax  
Against king Richard's axe  
Many a saracene & high lording  
Yielded them to richard our king  
richard put them in hostage though  
There were a thousand prisoners & more  
The chase lasted swith long  
Till the time of evensong  
richard road after till it was night  
So many of them to death he dight  
That no number it may account  
How many of them it would amount  
richard left without the town  
And pight there his pavylyowne  
And that night with mild heart  
He comforted his barons smart  
And ye shall here on the morrow  
How there was a day of sorrow  
For the greatest battle I understand  
That never was in any land  
And ye that this battle will lere  
hearken now and ye shall here  
As king richard sat at his soupere  
And gladded his barons with mild cheer  
And comforted them with ale and wine  
Two messengers came from Salandyn  
And stood king richard before  
With long beards and with hore  
Of two mules they were a light  
In gold and silk they were I dight  
Either held other by the hand  
And said king richard now understand  
Our lord Salandyn the high king  
Hath the sent this asking  
If that thou were so hardy a knight  
That thou durst him abide in fight  
Till to morrow that it day ware  
Of bliss thou should been all bare  
For thy life and for thy barons  
He will not give two skalons  
He will the take with strength of hands  
For he hath folk of many lands  
Egyens and of turkye  
Of moryens and of araby  
Basyles and embosyens  
Well eager knights of defence  
Egypcyens and of surrye  
Of ynde moror and of capadocye  
Of medes and of asclamoyne  
Of samary and of babyloyne  
Two hundred knights without fail  
five hundred of amarayle  
The ground ne may them uneath bear  
The folk that cometh the to dear  
By our rede do right well  
And turn again to Jaffa castle  
In safe ward thou might there be  
Till thou have sent after thy main  
And if thou see thou may not stand  
Turn again to thine own land  
In anger richard took up a loaf  
And in his hands it all to roof  
And said to that saracene  
God give the well evil pine  
And Salandyn your lord  
The devil him hang with a cord  
For your counsel and your tiding  
God give you well evil ending  
Now go and say to Salandyn  
In despite of his god appolyn  
I will abide him betime  
Though he come to morrow or prime  
And though I were but myself alone  
I would abide them everichone  
And if the dog will come to me  
My bollaxe shall his bane be  
And say that I him desire  
And all his cursed company in fere  
Go now and say to him thus  
The curse have he of sweet Jesus'  
The menssengers went to Salandyn  
And all the beginning told him  
Salandyn marveled then  
And said it was none earthly man  
He is a devil or a saint  
His might found I never faint  
Anon he made his ordaining  
For to take richard the king  
Thereof richard took no keep  
But all night lay and sleep  
Till against the dawning  
Than heard he a shill crying  
thorough gods grace an angel of heaven  
though said to him with mild steven  
Arise and leap on thy good stead favel  
And turn again to Jaffa castle  
Thou haste slept long I enough  
Thou shalt find hard and tough  
Or thou come to that city  
Thou shalt be wrapped & thy main  
After the battle without leas  
With the sultan thou make thy peas  
Take trues and let thy baronage  
Unto the flome do their viage  
To Nazareth and to Bedlam  
To calvary and to Iherusalem  
And let them wend after then  
And come thou after with thy shipmen  
For enemies thou hast I understand  
There in thine own land  
Up said the angel & well the speed  
Thou ne hadst never more need  
richard arose as he would weed  
And leapt on favell his good stead  
And said lordings or sus or sus  
Thus hath us warned sweet Jesus'  
On arms he let cry there  
Against the sarasynes for to far  
But Salandyn and his tem  
Was between Jaffa and them  
That was to richard moche pain  
That he ne might his host ordain  
Before he pricked on favel  
His spear died bite full well  
Therewith he slew without doubt  
Three kings of the sultans rout  
His horse was stiff himself was good  
Horse ne man him nought withstood  
For to hew many an heathen cors  
He died his might and his horse  
He that had seen his countenance  
Would him have had in remembrance  
They 'gan on him as fast drive  
As bees done from the honey hive  
Whom that he hit with his sword  
Never after ne spoke he word  
The english and french 'gan after ride  
To fight they were fresh that tide  
Upon the sarasynes fast they dung  
With swords and with lances strong  
And smote hard with their might  
And slew the sarasynes down right  
And there was full little keep  
So many of them were laid on sleep  
That no slaughter without fail  
Ne might been seen in that battle  
A mire there was without Jaffa  
A mile long without lass  
Maugre them king richard that sire  
Three thousand drove in to the mire  
The foul cursed heathen men  
Lie and bathe them in the fen  
And though that would come up  
Drank of Richard's own cup  
What adreynt and what I slawe  
The sultan lost of the heathen law  
Syxty thousand in a little stound  
In the french it is I found  
though king richard went again  
To recomfort him with his men  
Now he was here now he was there  
To help them with his power  
Ne saw men never as I you tell  
One man so many to ground fell  
And in the most peril of the battle  
King richard saw without fail  
His eem sir Harry of champagne  
Field down of his horse in the plain  
The sarasynes had him under hand  
To slay him fast they 'gan fond  
It had been his day last  
Had not richard comen in haste  
richard cried with an high voice  
A help god and the holy croyse  
Mine eem to day fro shame thou shield  
from death of these dogs wild  
lordings he said lay on  
Ne let these dogs escape non  
I myself shall prove to smite  
If my pole-axe will ought bite  
though men might see with main  
How he shed blood and brain  
Upon the place that green was  
Many a soul went to sathanas  
The templars came to succour  
There began an hard shower  
They laid on as they were wooed  
The valleys ran all on blood  
The long spay was a doughty knight  
As he were wood he 'gan to fight  
The king of martok he met in the field  
With a spear he smote him in the shield  
That he tumbled without fail  
Top sail over his horse tail  
That on his heed he light  
And broke his neck I you plight  
The earl of leycester sir Robarde  
The earl of rychemonde & king richard  
There as these three knights road  
That day was the way all broad  
That four carters might meet  
So many of them there lost the sweet  
On both parties was many a body  
Slain that was full hardy  
At the last with great pain  
They wan the earl of champagne  
And brought him upon his stead  
That swith good was at need  
And bad he should by him ride  
Right by his own side  
With that came a messenger reek  
With king richard for to speak  
And said sir for charity  
Turn again to Jaffa city  
Covered is both mount and plain  
King Alysaunder ne Charlemagne  
Ne had never half the rout  
As is the city now about  
Ye may in to the city ride  
In field what hap so ever betide  
And I you warn without fail  
That moche is paired of your battle  
The patriarch I taken is  
And Iohn nevell I slain iwis  
William of Arasyn and Gerarde  
And bartram the braundies the good lumbarde  
All these been slain and many more  
King richard bethought him tho  
And began to cry turn arere  
Every man with his banner  
And of sarasynes thousands many one  
To him gathered everichone  
And slew favel under him  
though was richard wroth & grim  
His axe from the arson he drew  
The sarasynes therewith he slew  
That had sticked under him his stead  
Therefore they lost their heads to meed  
On foot he was and on foot he laid  
Many an hundred under him dayed  
All that his axe take might  
Down he slew anon right  
What before and what behind  
A thousand sarasynes in book I find  
He slew when he was on foot  
That came there never none to boat  
Salandynes two sons came ride  
And ten thousand sarasynes by their side  
And began to cry to king richard  
Yield the traitor thou foul coward  
Or we shall the slay in this place  
Thou liest quod richard by god's grace  
And with his axe he smote him so  
That his middle he carved in two  
There half the body fell down  
And that other half abode in the arsowne  
Of the said richard I am sicker  
His brother came to that byker  
Upon a stead with great raundowne  
As though the world should fall down  
And gave richard a wound thorough the arm  
That died richard moche harm  
For on the spear heed was venom  
And richard stoutly smote to him  
That horse and man he field to ground  
Lie there quoth richard heathen hound  
Ne shalt thou never tell Salandyne  
That thou didst me my life to tyne  
Than five dukes of hethenesse  
Came with their host more and less  
And beset about richard our king  
And thought all to death him bring  
But richard within a little thrawe  
The five dukes he hath I slawe  
And many an hundred after then  
All swith doughty heathen men  
At the last though it were late  
richard wan to Jaffa gate  
though were our christian well sicker  
That they should win that byker  
The earl of leycester sir Robarde  
Brought him his stead lyarde  
King richard in the saddle died leap  
though fled the sarasynes right as sheep  
richard road after till it was night  
And slew all that he take might  
There was slain in plain and den  
ten hundred thousand heathen men  
though might richard without leas  
Wend to the city of Jaffa in peace  
though he thanked the king of glory  
And mary of that victory  
For sith the world was begun  
A fairer battle was never won  
On the morrow he sent sir Sabevyle  
And sir Roberte of waturuyle  
Huberte and Roberte of turnam  
Ganter offorte and Iohn the saint Iohn  
That himself and five of his men  
Would fight against five hundred & ten  
In wild field they would fight  
And govern their goods right  
And if they win thus that land  
Ever in to christian men's hand  
If the sarasynes might them slay  
The land should ever their own be  
And if they will not their own says  
Say that three year and three days  
I ask terms of the sowden  
To wend to my land and come again  
The messengers forth 'gan wend  
And told the tale word and end  
And the sultan would grant the battle  
five hundred against richard sans fail  
On the morrow if he would come  
The trues should been I nome  
And thus told the messengers  
To king richard that was so fierce  
The next day the sultan made forward  
Trues to take with king richard  
thorough all the land to the flome  
To Acrys that would come  
All the same three year  
christian men far ne near  
Might go to Iherusalem  
To the sepulture and to bedlam  
To olyvete and to nazarell  
To Jaffa and to maiden castle  
And to all other pilgrimages  
Without harm or damages   

¶ How king richard was slain before the castle gaylarde/ and how the castle was won/ and all were slain that were therein.  
THus king richard the doughty man  
Peas made with the sultan  
And sith he came I understand  
The way toward england  
And thorough treason was shot alas  
At castle gaylarde there he was  
The duke of estryche in the castle  
With his host was dight full well  
richard thought there to abide  
The weather was hot in summer tide  
At gaylarde under the castle  
He wend he might have keled him well  
His helm he abbated there  
And made his visage all bare  
A spy there was in the castle  
That espied richard right well  
And took an arblaste swith strong  
And a quarrel that was well long  
And smote king richard in tene  
In the heed without ween  
richard let his helm down fall  
And bad his men dight them all  
And swore by the see and the son  
Till the castle were I won  
Ne should neither meet ne drink  
Never in to his body sink  
He set up robynet that tide  
Upon the castles side  
And on that other half the one  
He set up the matgryffone  
To the castle he threw stones  
And broke the walls for the nonce  
And so within a little tide  
In to the castle they 'gan ride  
And slew before and behind  
All though that they might against them find  
And ever was the quarrel by the lead  
sticked still in Richard's heed  
And when it was drawn out  
He died soon without doubt  
And he commanded in all thing  
To his father men should him bring  
That they ne let for nesshe ne hard  
Till he were at the font everarde  
At font everarde wytterly  
His bones lie his father by  
King Harry forsooth he height  
All england he held to right  
King richard was a conqueror  
God give his soul moche honour  
No more of him in english is wrought  
But Ihesu that us dear bought  
Grant his soul rest and ro  
And ours when it cometh thereto  
And that it may so be  
say all amen for charity    

¶ Thus endeth the story of the noble king richard ever de lion. imprinted at London in the Fleetstreet at the sign of the son by Wynkyn de word/ printer unto the most excellent princess my lady the kings mother. In the year of our lord god. M. CCCCC.ix.   

 Wynkyn de Worde printer's device 
W C  
Wynkyn. de. word.