Lucas de Lucie, & Roberd de Coynguers,
þise grete Philip of France, & alle his conseilers.
THE erle of Almarle said, "Richard our Inglis kyng [Nuncium Ricardi editum in curia regis Franciæ.]
"His luf is tille ȝow laid, & luf is his gretyng,
"þat ȝe wille tak to herte, þe grete noyse & crie
"Fro Acres þat comes so smerte, lorn is so doelfullie.
"Our Cristen men ere lorn, þe Sarazins alle aboue,
"þerfor Richard beforn praies ȝow for loue,
"For him þat on þe croice died for mankynde,
"Bes boþe at a voice, in one ȝour wille be mynde,
"To help þe Cristen men, þat Jhesu Criste bouht,
"Ageyn þe oste paen, þat him lufed neuer nouht.
"Richard him atires, his wille þerto is fest,
"So mykelle he þider desires, þat he may haf no rest.
"If ȝe of him haf help, & he for ȝow socour,
"Alle þis world salle ȝelp of ȝour grete honour.
¶ Whan þe duzepers herd þe bodword of Richard
To Philip, þei ansuerd, "his sond ȝe salle reward.
"He bedes ȝow luf inouh, ȝe þank him of his sond.
"So noble bot on of ȝow is non, be water no land.
"Richer kyng is non in þis world bot ȝe,
"No valianter of bon in Cristendam als he.
"Large er þo londes, þat his eldres wonnen,
"þe dedes of þer hondes þorgh reames er ronnen.
"Siluer he has inouh, his fader has him fonden
"Knyghtes to do his prouh, with skrite tille him er bonden.
"To whom Acres salle be ȝolden also tite,
"His felauschip to fle, to God ȝe do despite.
