And while they fought to geder in the feld,
Line 2864
The cite sent owt anon in contenent
iij skore knyghtez, Armyd with spere And sheld;
Ther with Generides was wele content:
Line 2867
'lo serys!' quod hee, 'Aftur your own entent,
The felissheppe is yourez that yender ye see,
Now may I suerly entre the Citee.'
Line 2870
And whanne they were all to geder mett,
Line 2871
To the Citee they toke the wey full right, [folio 15b]
And in they went withoute eny lette:
Thanne was ther Ioy, I yow be hight,
Line 2874
In euery strete si[n]ggyng and fyres bright;
And euery creature, both more and lesse,
Gaue a gret lawde onto Generides.
Line 2877
Anon withall the Sowdon for hym sent,
Line 2878
And gaue hym ther his thank in feythfull wise;
ffor he perseyuyd wele in his entent,
he hadde hym do right wurchipfull seruice:
Line 2881
And ther the Sowdon made hym full promys,
Seyng his labour and his grete travell,
That in noo wise he wold hym neuer fayle.
Line 2884
The kyng of kyngges erly vppe he rose,
Line 2885
And sent for men of craft in all the hast,
To make engenys after his purpose,
The wallis to breke, the Citee for to wast;
Line 2888
Whanne this was purveyd for thanne atte last,
Kyng Ermones stode vppe before them All,
And to the kyng he spake in especiall:
Line 2891
'Me think, ser, as after myn avise,
Line 2892
It nedith not to make all this arraye,
To distroye the Cite it is noo grete entrepri[se],
