¶ þis kyng of Tancrede he was a wys knyght,
He sauh it was to drede, & he did not alle right.
He sauh Richard an ired, & his mykelle myght,
His folk armed & tired, & ay redy to fight.
He sent his sister Jone with mykelle honeste,
With his barons ilkone, to Mischines þat cite.
Philip was curteise, ageyn dame Jone he ȝede,
Tille hir broþer paleise with grete honour did lede.
AN ilde was þer biside, þat a Sarazin held,
Trouage he gaf bi tide to Cristen men, þei teld.
Allas! said Richard, þat euer it suld so be,
þe Cristen þorgh forward suld grant a Sarazin fre.
A water þat closed it in, þat flum was de la fare,
þe wonnyng of þe Sarazin, þat ilde hight Labamare.
Kyng [Sic.] Richad it wan, & tille his sister it gaf,
þe Sarazins ilk man he slouh alle rif & raf.
¶ An oþer ilde biside, men cald it Griffonie,
Richard þat ilk tide, he did þam alle out flie.
þe wonnyng of þat ilde Richard gon þam reue,
Was non of þam so wilde, þat lenger durst þer leue.
¶ Whan þe folk þis herd, þe burgeis of Meschyn,
þer ȝates ageyn him sperd, & wild not lat him in.
Wherfor þe contek on þis maner it cam,
& for þei did þat chek, an oth he suore to gram,
Bot þe kyng wilde mende þat þei did him þere,
A þing he suld sende, to do als lawe it were:
Fulfille þe testament of kyng William þat was,
þat tille his sister ment for dowerie þat trespas,
