Ac, lordinges,' a seide, 'arme ȝe wel, [Ac] om. ESNC. Lordlingis N. Ac—seide] But not ffor thye M. ȝe] ȝow ESNC; we vs M.]
We scholle besege hem in here castel; [wole E; wyll M. hym besege M. here] his M. Both in iren and in stele SNC.
There we wyll do hym moche woo,And with honger there ham sloo.add. M.] Þe Ascopard be strong & sterk, [Þe] And thogh C; ȝif SN. str. &] stef and SN; thefe C.] [Turnbull line 3175] Mani hondes makeþ liȝt werk!' [ȝyt many C.] [3351 f.:
And mak ȝoure armure redy thare,Wiþ spere & scheeld redy to fare.Rapely were þey redy dyȝt,Manye a þousand off wol hardy knyȝt.E.] Line 3352 Forþ þai wenten ase snel, [For (!) A.] Til þai come to þe castel, [3353 f.:
In to (a add. C) schyppe (shippis N) (þey wenten (he dide hem SN; they dud them C) alleAnd ryueden (ryuen S; aryvid N; armyd þem C) vndyr (at SN) þe castel walle,ESNC.
With theire shippus they comyn allArmed vnder the castell wall.M.] Þar Saber and Beues weren inne, [Þar—Beues] Þat sere (om. CM) B. and Saber ECM.] Þai piȝte pauilouns & bente ginne. [piȝte] here add. E. pau.] logges SN; tentys C. bendyn SN; made C. & b.] wiþ C.
Ne was neuere man in toun ne ffeelde,Þat so moche ffolk sawȝ wiþ spere & scheldeNe men þat blewen so moche boost;Abouten þe castel þey spradden here hoost,add. E.
Ne sey þou neuer in no legeSo grete ost (a add. N) castel (to add. N) besege.add. SN.
Ther sawe neuer man, as y yow telle,A gretter hoost besege a castell.add. C.
Ne sye never men, as I herd say,So gret an hoste, as at the castell lay,add. M.
[(And add. E) sere [As than had M] B. and sere Saber[Al (om. SN) here hoost hadde (þey SN) gaderyd þer[Gaderyd ther oost to gedur C;All theire folke to geder there M]Off [Alemayne (Frensh S; Fraunce N; Colyn M) & [þer frendys C] off oþir (euery SN; yche M; many a C) londeEuere (Of M) þe beste þat (men myȝten (þey SNM; myght be C) fonde.add. ESNCM.
Ten off þoo wiþ inne þe castelWolde ouyrcome ffourty ffayre & wel.add. E.
Þanne wold þey in þe castelOuercom him (ham N) with out ful wel.add. SN.
The myght them (r. here?) in the castellEuer come oute (meny well (r. mangonel?).Sabere hard with oute gret booste,Makyng logges a myghty hooste.add. M.] Line 3356
Saber stod on is tour an hiȝ, [on] in ESNC. is] a SN. Saber—tour] Vppon the toure he was M. an] yn C; ful N.] [Turnbull line 3181]
Al þat grete ost a siȝ; [Al þat] And al þis E; And all the M; And þat S; And the C.]
Gret wonder þer of he hade, [Gretter M.]
Þe holi crois be-fore him he made [holi] om. S. be-fore] on ENCM; vpon S. bade N.]
Line 3360
And swor be his berde hore, [swor] sword (!) M. berde] soo add. E.] [Turnbull line 3185]
Hit scholde some of hem rewe sore. [(That add. M) it scholde (shal SN) rewen hem (som SN) fful (om. M) sore ESNM; That some of þem schulde rewe sore C. hem] om. (!) A. rewe] it add. (!) A.]
