¶ Þanne seide þemeraile,
'Heraud, do be me consaile:
Me stiward þow schelt be.
Erles, barouns, riche & poure,
Al me land folk lasse & more
Line 5
Scholle do after þe.'
Þanne gret werre he began:
Boþe into is hond he wan
Castel and cite
Þat þemeraile hadde lore:
Line 10
King Arguus made þar-fore
Deul and gret pite.
¶ Þo þe king wiste þis,
Þat his stiward nomen is, [C line 10993]
And al his men a-slawe,
Wroþ he was and sori:
His barouns a clepede an hie,
Line 5
And tolde to hem þat sawe.
Þanne answerde an old kniȝt,
'Sire, y nel þe lye no-wiȝt:
A kniȝt of cristene lawe
Þemeraile is souder is he.
Line 10
Þe wer beter þan þis cite
Þat he wer of dawe.
¶ Hore a is and kniȝt ful eld:
Wel gode hit were to flen is scheld. [folio 170b:a]
Sire, þe miȝt me leue:
In al þe lond Sarazin þer nis
Wer he neuer so strong, y-wis,
Line 5
Þat he nolde to-cleue.'
Þe king seide, 'a fend [afend MS.] it is.
To Mahoun i swore, y-wis,
Wel sore y schel him greue.
Min ost schel ensembled be,
Line 10
In is lond schel brenne and sle:
No cite schel ich be-leue.'
