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Beues prikede Arondel a side,
Aȝen Ascopard he gan ride
And smot him on the scholder an hiȝ,
Þat his spere al to-fliȝ,
And Ascopard wiþ a retret
Smot after Beues a dent gret,
And wiþ is o fot a slintte
And fel wiþ is owene dentte.
Beues of is palfrai aliȝte
& drouȝ his swerd anon riȝte
And wolde haue smiten of is heued;
Iosian be-souȝte him, it were beleued:
‘Sire,’ ȝhe seide, ‘so god þe saue,
Let him liuen & ben our knaue!’
‘Dame, a wile vs be-trai!’
‘Sire, ich wil ben is bourȝ, nai!’
Þar a dede Beues omage
And be-com is owene page.
Forþ þai wenten alle þre,
Til þat hii come to þe se;
A dromond hii fonde þer stonde,
Þat wolde in to heþene londe,
Wiþ Sarasines stout & fer,
Boute þai nadde no maroner.
Þo hii siȝe Ascopard come,
Hii þouȝten wel, alle & some,
He wolde hem surliche hem lede,
For he was maroner god at nede.
Whan he in to þe schipe cam,
His gode bat an honde he nam,
A drof hem out and dede hem harm,
Arondel a bar to schip in is arm,
And after in a lite while
Iosian and hire mule,
And drowen vp saile al so snel
And sailede forþ faire & wel,
Þat hii come wiþ outen ensoine
To þe hauen of Coloine.
Whan he to londe kem,
Men tolde, þe bischop was is em,
A noble man wis afin,
& hiȝte Saber Florentin.
Beues grete him at þat oas
And tolde him what he was.
Þe beschop was glad afin
And seide: ‘Wolkome, leue cosin!
Gladder I nas, seþe ich was bore,
Ich wende, þow haddest be forlore.
Who is þis leuedi schene?’
‘Sire, of heþenesse a quene,
And ȝhe wile, for me sake,
Cristendome at þe take.’
‘Who is þis wiþ þe grete visage?’
‘Sire,’ a sede, ‘hit is me page
And wile ben icristnede also,
And ich bidde, þat ȝe hit do!’

Þe nexste dai after þan
Þe beschop cristnede Iosian.
For Ascopard was mad a koue;
Whan þe beschop him scholde in schoue,
A lep anon vpon þe benche
And seide: ‘Prest, wiltow me drenche?
Þe deuel ȝeue þe helle pine,
Icham to meche te be cristine!’