To goo and come ageyn to ther seruice,
Line 1887
And euery man in defensable wise,
hors and harnes withoute eny more delay,
To muster withynne a moneth day.
Line 1890
Furst the Sowdon sent his letters owt,
Line 1891
With massengers as fast as they cowde ride,
To kynges and to princes all abought,
The nexst that were marching on euery side,
Line 1894
Desireng them armour to provide
And in all goodly hast for them he sende [MS. sent.]
To come to hym his contre to defende.
Line 1897
These lettres came on to these princez all,
Line 1898
hym for to helpe they grauntid euerychone,
Whanne they were come, furst in especiall
Croves the kyng of Arabye was on;
Line 1901
.ij. thousand knyghtes came with hym alone,
Be side archers a nowmbyr full notabyll,
Whiche for werre Were right good men and able.
Line 1904
The kyng was wele in age I yow ensur,
Line 1905
And anasor his sone was for certeyn
A goodly prince and comly of stature;
Of his comeng the Sowdon was fayn;
Line 1908
Notwithstondyng it was to hym a payn
So ferre owt of his contre to travall,
But his promesse was suche he wold not fayle.
Line 1911
Nexst after hym ther came owt of turkey
Line 1912
A myghti prince, and with hym people grete,
A thousand helmys with hym in companye,
O[f] his contre the best that he cowde gete,
Line 1915
his sonnes bothe with hym were not [MS. not ferre.] for yete,
And for to sey yow soth, and not to feyn,
Trewly they were full semely knygthez twayn;
Line 1918
