University of Virginia Library

Ricardus

So þat to sir philip king of france hii come
& as stalwarde noblemen þe toun of acres nome
King Richard & king philip vpe þe heþene men þere
Mani was þe gode dunt þat king richard ȝaf er
Endleue hundred ȝer of grace & ninti & to
King richard þis noble kniȝt acres nom so
& harlede so þe sarazins in eche side aboute
Þat þe ssrewen ne dorste in non ende at route

694

So þat king philip was anuyd þor alle þing
Þat þer nas of him word non bote al of richard þe king
Vaste he let trossi to france uor to drawe
Sori was þe king richard to lese is felawe
He bed him ȝerne vor to abide þoru him al to do
Ac þe oþer nolde vor no þing ac to fraunce wende so
King richard bileuede þer & so nobliche he wroȝte
Þat al þut lond þer aboute In is poer he broȝte
Me nuste longe þer biuore neuer eft in heþenesse
Of so noble kniȝt ne prince ne do so muche prowesse
Me ne mai noȝt al telle her ac wo so it wole iwite
In romance of him imad me it may finde iwrite
So þat þe deuel adde þer to gret envie
& in is broþer herte Ion broȝte an tricherie
Vor he esste of heyemen of þis lond sikernesse ilome
& homage to be king bote is broþer aȝe come
Þe bissop of eli þat þis lond adde to loke
& þe triwemen of þe lond vaste it vorsoke
& sede þat arþure of brutaine is eldore broþer sone
Kundere eir was þan he bi pur lawe & wone

695

Þe erl Ion worrede vpen hom þat aȝen hom were out
He wuste þat þe king of france ne louede is broþer noȝt
Þeruore he wende ouer se & is man he bicom
To helpe him aȝen is broþer to winne the kinedom
So þat þe king & he king richardes lond
Destruede vaste in normandie & here in engelond
Þis word com to king richard in sirie as he was
He suor he wolde awreke be of þis vil trespas
He bileuede is noble dede of þe holi lond alas
& triwes nom of saladin vor þis luþer cas
Þre ȝer þat ech þing were in peis hom bituene
& wende him toward engelond to awreke him of is tene
Alas alas þulke stounde uor he ne dude neuereft note
In þe holi lond ne com aȝen ar he was issote
Sir Marchion de mount ferre a gret louerd islawe was
In alimaine þer biuore in a wonder cas
Þer uore as king richard þoru alimaine com
Þe duc of ostrich anon mid is poer him nom
& sede þat sir Marchion aslawe was þoru is rede
To þe king of alimaine vaste he let him lede
Þe beste bodi of þe world in bendes was ibrouȝt
Ac þe king of fraunce ne þe erl Ion it ne of þoȝte noȝt
Vor hii destruede in engelond is lond þoru alle þing
& in normandie also vor Ion wolde be king

696

King henri of alimaine bed king richard þo
To deliueri him ȝuf he wolde be is man euere mo
& bere him truage eche ȝer ac uor none þinge
King richard nolde is lond ne him sulue in þraldom bringe
Oþer vorewarde he bed him ek ac he it euere vorsok
So þat atte laste þe vorewarde me tok
Þat an hundred þousend marc & vifti þousend þerto
King Richard ssolde ȝiue of prison to ben ydo
Þe hundred þousend marc were ipaid biuore hond
& wel narwe igadered here in engelond
Vor broches & ringes & ȝimmes al so
& þe calis of þe weued me ssolde þerto
& greye monekes þat newe come & pouere þo were
Ȝeue al hor wolle þerto of one ȝere
Þo þe hundred þousend were ipayd biuore hond
King richard of þe oþer del god ostage fond
& deliuered was of prison & hiderward wende bliue
Endleue hundred ȝer of grace & ninty & fiue
Ac god sende wreche gret in þulk sulue ȝere
Vpe þe duc of ostrich uor verst vorbarnd were
Þe hexte tounes of is lond & suþþe maniman
& no man ne miȝte wite war of þat fur bigan

697

Þat water suþþe heye aros & muche is lond asencte
& mo þan ten þousend men wonderliche adrencte
Þe þridde time þo grene corn in somer ssolde curne
To foule wormes muchedel þe eres gonne turne
Þe heiemen suþþe of is lond bigonne deye vaste
& þe meste miscas com to him sulf attelaste
Vor he vel of is palefrey & brec is fot bi cas
So suart so eni crowe amorwe is fot was
Þo þat is leches sede þer nas red bote on
Oþer smite of is fot oþer he was ded anon
He het it do hasteliche ac non me ne fond
Of alle is men þat wolde sette þer on hond
A kene ax him sulf he huld þerto atte laste
& mid strengþe het is chamberlein þer on smite vaste
Þer on he smot þrie þe wrecche to gret pine
So þat he smot of þan vot mid gret wo atte fine
Þer after he adde sorwe ynou ne miȝte noman more
& attelaste deide in sorwe ynou & sore
Ac þe vifti þousend marc he uorȝef er
Of king richard & is ostages deliuerede þer
Þo king richard com to engelond þer was ioye inou
Mid ioye & procession þat folc aȝen him drou
He pleyede nywe king at ome þo he hom com
Verst þe castel of notingham vpe is broþer he nom

698

& suþþe is oþer londes & deseritede him al clene
& alle þat wiþ him hulde hii nere noȝt to bimene
& nom wuche he miȝte finde ac biȝonde se
Erl Ion was sore adrad & ne dorste come aȝe
Þo þe king adde al ido & ibroȝt is fon þer doune
Is estre he huld at winchestere & nobliche ber croune
& tok þe erchebissop of canterburi þis lond to wardi her
& wende to normandie mid al is poer
Vor þer was þe king of france & dude him ssame ynou
Ac þo he wuste he was icome to fraunce sone he drou