Neuer eft worþ non loued of me
Þat ouȝt sigge bot gode of þe.'
Þemperour þan to Gij seyd,
'Þi wille þou do bi þat mayde.'
Sir Gij kist þemperour þo,
Line 3385
& to þe cite þai ben y-go.
Þo wist wele Gij bi þan,
Bitreyd [or Bitrayd, a being altered from e?] him hadde his foman;
Ac no semblaunt þerof he no made,
No no þing to him seyde. [C line 3222]
Line 3390
An armorwe erliche
Þemperour aros, sikerliche;
Anon he seyd to Gij his speche:
'Herken to me, y þe biseche.
In þis morning anon
Line 3395
We worþ aseyled of our fon,
Of Sarrazins þat misbileued be;
Alle for soþe y telle it to þe.
Þe soudan himselue wil þer be.
A spie for soþe teld it me,
Line 3400
Þat hij þe cite wil asayli,
& þat hij þennes nil parti,
Al fort he haue nome þis cite,
Or þat it destrued be.'
Þemperour seyd, 'sir Gij þe fre,
Line 3405
Als so þou wilt it schal be.
Þe cite alle op þe y do
Wiþ Cristes blisceing þer-to.
Ȝif hij ous seyl we schul ous were;
Þe cite is strong, þai mow it nouȝt dere.'
Line 3410
Gij þat constable cleped him to,
Þat gode kniȝt was, & wise also:
Tristor he hete wiþ þe berd blowe,
Lord & douke of Almayne, y trowe.
'Sir Tristor,' he seyd, 'listen to me:
Line 3415
Aseyled we worþ, siker þou be.
