The King of Tars

Herkneth to me bothe eld and ying, For Marie’s love, that swete thing, Al hou a wer bigan Bituene a trewe Cristen king line5And an hethen heye lording, Of Dames the soudan. The king of Tars hadde a wive, Feirer might non ben olive — That ani wight telle can. line10A douhter thai hadde hem bituen, Non feirer woman might ben — As white as fether of swan.

The meiden was schast and blithe of chere With rode red so blosme on brere line15And eyghen stepe and gray. With lowe scholders and white swere Hir for to sen was gret preier Of princes proud and play. The los of hir gan spring wide line20In other londes bi ich a side, So the soudan herd it say. Him thought his hert it brast ofive Bot yif he might have hir to wive That was so feir a may.

line25His messangers he gan calle And bad hem wightly wenden alle To hir fader the king, And seyd he wald hou so it bifalle His douhter clothe in riche palle line30And spouse hir with his ring; And yif he nold, withouten feyl, He wald hir win in batayl With mani an heye lording. The messangers forth thai went line35To dou the soudan’s comandment Withouten ani duelling.

Than the king of Tars this understode Almest for wrethe he wex ner wode And seyd thus in sawe: line40“Bi Him that dyed on the rode, Ich wald arst spille min hert blode In bateyl to ben yslawe. Y nold hir give a Sarazin For alle the lond that is mine. line45The devel him arst to drawe, Bot sche wil with hir gode wille Be wedded to him, hirselve to spille. Hir thoughtes nought Y no knawe,

“Ac Y schal wite ar than ye pas.” line50His douhter anon was brought in plas And he axed hir bilive. “Douhter, the soudan of Damas Yernes for to se thi fas And wald thee have to wive. line55Waldestow, douhter, for tresour Forsake Jhesus our Saveour That suffred woundes five?” The maiden answerd with mild mod Biforn hir fader ther sche stode line60“Nay, lord, so mot Y thrive!

“Jhesu mi Lord in Trinité Lat me never that day yse A tirant for to take. O God and Persones Thre line65For Marie love, Thi moder fre, Gif him arst tene and wrake.” The king seyd, “Douhter, be stille. Thou schalt never be wedded him tille For no bost he can make. line70Y schal him sende word ogein That alle his thoughtes ben in vein, For thou hast him forsake.”

Right be the self messangers That com fro the soudan fers line75This wordes he him sent: That sche leved nought on his maners, Sche nold nought leten hir preiers To God omnipotent. He bad him tak another thought, line80For of his douhter no tit him nought For tresore no for rent. The messangers herd him thus seyn; With that word thai turned ogain And to the soudan thai went.

line85As the soudan sat at his des, Yserved of the first mes, Thai com into the halle. Bifor tho princes prout in pres Her tale to telle withouten les line90On knes thai gun doun falle. Thai seyd, “Sir, the king of Tars Of wicked wordes is nought scars. ‘Hethen hounde’ he gan thee calle; And ar he give his douhter thee tille, line95Thine hert blod he will spille, And thine barouns alle.”

When the soudan this wordes herd Also a wilde bore he ferd. His robe he rent adoun; line100His here he rent of heved and berd; He schuld venge him with his swerd, He swore bi Seyn Mahoun. The table so hetelich he smot It fel in to the flore fot-hot line105And loked as a lyoun. Al that he raught he smot doun right — Serjaunt, squier, clerk, and knight, Bothe erl and baroun.

Al thus the soudan ferd, yplight; line110Al that day and alle that night No man might him schast. Amorwe when it was light, His messangers he sent ful right For his barouns wel fast line115That thai com to his parlement Forto heren his jugement, Bothe lest and mast. When the parlement was pleyner, Tho bispac the soudan fer line120And seyd to hem in hast:

“Lordings,” he seyd, “what to red. Me hath ben don a gret misdede Of Tars the Cristen king! Y bede him bothe lond and lede line125For his douhter worthliche in wede To han wed hir with ring, And he me sent word ogain In bateyl Y schuld arst be sleyn And mani an heye lording! line130And certes he schal be forsworn. Wrotherhele than was he been Bot Y therto it bring.

“And therfore ich have after you sent And asembled herer this parlement line135To wite your conseyle.” And alle thai seyd with gode entent Thai were at his comandment, Certeyn withouten feile. Right bi that day a fourtennight line140Thai schul ben alle redi dight With helme, hauberk of meile. And whan thai were so at his hest The soudan made a riche fest For love of his bateyle.

line145The soudan gaderd a rout unride Of Sarrazins of michel pride Opon the king to wende. The king of Tars herd that tide; He gadred his ost bi ich a side, line150Al that he might ofsende. Than bigan wretthe to wake For that mariage might nought take Of that maiden hende. Of bateyl thai gun sett a day, line155Of Seynt Eline the thridde in May, No lenger no wald thai lende.

The soudan com with his pouwer With bright armour and brod baner, Into the feld to fight line160With sexti thousend Sarrazins fer, That alle the feldes fer and ner With helmes lemed light. The king of Tars com with his ost, With gret pride and michel bost, line165With mani an hardi knight, And aither ost gan other aseyle. Ther might men se a strong bateyle That grimli was of sight.

Ther hewe houndes on Cristen men line170And feld hem doun bi nighen and ten; So wilde thai were and wode That men might sen alle the fen Of Cristen both fremd and ken, The valays ren on blod. line175The soudan and his folk that stounde Hewe adoun with grimli wounde Mani a frely rode. Allas, to wele sped Mahoun! The Cristen men yede al adoun line180Was nought that hem withstode.

The king of Tars seye that sight; For wretthe he was neye wode, aplight. He hent in hond a spere And to the soudan he rode ful right. line185With a stroke o michel might, To grounde he gan him bere. Ther he hadde the soudan slawe Ac ten thousend of hethen lawe Saved him in that were — line190Thai sett him on a ful gode stede That was so gode at everi nede That no man might him dere.

And when he was opon his stede, Him thought he brend so spark on glede line195For ire and for envie. He faught so he wald wede: Alle that he hit he maked blede. “Help, Mahoun!” he gan crie. Mani helme ther was ofweved line200And mani bacinet tocleved And sadles fel emtye; Mani swerd and mani scheld And mani knight lay in the feld Of Cristen compeynie.

line205The king of Tars seye him so ride He fleye and durst nought abide Homward to his cité The Sarrazins folwed in that tide And slough adoun bi ich aside line210That Cristen folk so fre. Thritti thousend ther were yslawe Of knightes of Cristen lawe And that was gret pité. Amorwe for her bother sake line215Trewes thai gun bituen hem take A moneth and dayes thre.

On a day, the king sat in his halle And made grete diol with alle, For his folk were forlore. line220His douhter com clad in palle Adoun on knes sche gan to falle And seyd with sikeing sore, “Sir, lete me be the soudan’s wiif And rere na more cuntek no striif line225As hath ben here bifore. For me hath mani man ben schent, Cités nomen and tounes brent; Allas that ich was bore!

“Fader, Y wil serve at wille line230The soudan, bothe loude and stille, And leve on God almight, Bot it so be, he schal thee spille, And alle thi lond take him tille With bateyle and with fight. line235Certes Y nil no lenger dreye That Cristen folk for me dye — It were a diolful sight!” The king of Tars answerd tho, As man that was in sorwe and wo, line240Unto that bird bright:

“Now douhter, blisced mot thou be Of Jhesu Crist in Trinité The time that thou were bore. For thou wilt save thi moder and me, line245Al thi preier graunt Y thee, Astow hast seyd bifore.” “Fader,” sche seyd withouten duelling, “For Jhesu’s love, Heven king, Yif it thi wille wore, line250Do now swithe that Y war there Ar ani more sorwe arere That ye be nought forlore.”

The king of Tars with gode entent Hastilich after his wiif he sent, line255That levedi that was so hende. When sche was comen in present He seyd, “Dame, our douhter hath ment To the soudan to wende. Do loke what rede is now at thee, line260For now er here bot we thre To save Cristen kende.” The quene answerd withouten feile “Y no schal never therto conseyle Our douhter forto schende.”

line265The maiden was ful of sorwe and wo. “Merci,” sche crid hir moder tho With a wel reweful steven. “Moder, it is nought long ago For me were slawe knightes thro, line270Thritti thousende and seven. Forthi Y wil suffre no lenger thrawe That Cristen folk be for me slawe, With the grace of God in Heven.” Thus, the maiden with wordes stille line275Brought hem bothe in better wille With resoun right and even.

And when thai were thus at on, Messangers thai sent anon Unto that riche soudan, line280To make his frende that were his fon; And for he schuld his men nought slou, His douhter he graunt him than. The messangers nold no leng abide; To the soudan thai went that tide line285And thus thai tel him gan. When tho letters weren yradde, The soudan was bothe blithe and glad, And so was mani a man.

So glad he was in al maners line290He cleped to him of his pers Doukes, princes, and kinges. Into a chaumber thai went yfers To dight unto the messangers Gode stones and riche ringes. line295Bi conseyl of the lordinges alle, The soudan dede bring into the halle Giftes and riche thinges, And gaf to hem grete plenté, To the messangers, with hert fre line300And thonked hem her tidinges.

And seyd he was alle at his wille, Arliche and late, loude and stille, To helpe him at his nede; No more folk nold he spille. line305The messangers went the king tille And told him of that dede. The king and the quene also Bothen hem was wele and wo, In rime also we rede. line310Gret joie thai hadde withouten les For that the soudan wald have pes On Cristen felawerede.

The first day of Julii tide, The soudan nold no leng abide; line315To the king of Tars he sent Knightes fele and michel pride And riche jewels is nought to hide To gif to his present. The messangers, withouten duelling, line320Com to Tars bifor the king To have his douhter gent. Thai welcomed hem with glad chere — Of gret pité now may ye here — To chaumber when thai went.

line325Thai maden cri and michel wo For thai schuld her douhter forgo And to the soudan hir sende. The maiden preyd hem bothe tho That thai schuld bi her conseyl do, line330To saven Cristen kende. “For Y wil suffre no lenger thrawe That Cristen folk be for me slawe.” To halle thai gun wende And welcomed tho messangers line335That com fro the soudan fers With wordes fre and hende.

Than seyd the quen to hem than, “Hou fareth your lord, the soudan, That is so noble a knight?” line340The messangers answere gan “He farth as wele as ani man, And is your frende aplight.” The quen seyd with milde chere, “Wele better thei mi douhter were, line345Bi Jhesu ful of might. Mi douhter is noght to him to gode; Y vouchesave on him mi blode, Thei sche were ten so bright.”

The messangers dight hem swithe line350With knightes fele and stedes stithe And brought hir into chare. The king and the quen were unblithe, Her sorwe couthe thai no man kithe When thai seye hir forth fare. line355Into chaumber thai went tho When thai were togider bothe to Than wakened alle her care.

The king was in sorwe bounde; The quen swoned mani a stounde line360For her douhter dere. Knightes and levedis ther hem founde And tok hem up hole and sounde, And comfort hem in fere. Thus the quen and the king line365Lived in sorwe and care, morning; Great diol it was to here. Her care was ever aliche newe, Hem chaunged bothe hide and hewe For sorwe and reweli chere.

line370Nou late we ben alle her morning, And telle we of that maiden ying That to the soudan is fare. He com with mani gret lording Forto welcome that swete thing line375When sche was brought in chare. He kist hir wel mani a sithe; His joie couthe he no man kithe — Oway was alle his care. Into chaumber sche was ladde, line380And richeliche sche was cladde As hethen wiman ware.

Whan sche was cladde in riche palle, The soudan dede his knightes calle And badde that maiden forth fett. line385And when sche com into the halle, Bifor the heyghe lordinges alle, Toforn the soudan thai hir sett. Gret diol it was forto se, The bird that was so bright on ble line390To have so foule a mett. Thei that sche made gret solas The sorwe that at hir hert was No might it noman lett.

And whan it was comen to night, line395The levedi that was so feir and bright, To chaumber sche gan wende. And therin anon Y you plight, A riche bed ther was ydight Unto that levedi hende. line400The levedi was to bed ybrought; The soudan wild com therin nought Noither for fo no frende — For nothing wold he neyghe that may Til that sche leved opon his lay, line405That was of Cristen kende.

Wel lothe war a Cristen man To wedde an hethen woman That leved on fals lawe; Als loth was that soudan line410To wed a Cristen woman, As Y finde in mi sawe. The soudan yede to bed al prest, Knightes and levedis yede to rest; The pople hem gan withdrawe. line415That miri maiden litel slepe, Bot al night wel sore sche wepe Til the day gan dawe.

And als sche fel on slepe thore Her thought ther stode hir bifore line420An hundred houndes blake, And bark on hir lasse and more. And on ther was that greved hir sore, Oway that wald hir take. And sche no durst him nought smite line425For drede that he wald hir bite, Swiche maistri he gan to make. And as sche wald fram hem fle, Sche seye ther stond develen thre And ich brent as a drake.

line430So lothliche thai were al ywrought, And ich in hond a gleive brought, Sche was aferd ful sore. On Jhesu Crist was alle hir thought; Therfore the fendes derd hir nought; line435Noither lesse no more. Fro the fendes sche passed sounde, And afterward ther com an hounde With browes brod and hore. Almost he hadde hir drawen adoun line440Ac thurth Jhesus Cristes passioun Sche was ysaved thore.

Yete hir thought withouten lesing Als sche lay in hir swevening (That selcouthe was to rede) line445That blac hounde hir was folweing. Thurth might of Jhesu, Heven king, Spac to hir in manhede In white clothes als a knight, And seyd to hir, “Mi swete wight, line450No tharf thee nothing drede Of Ternagaunt no of Mahoun. Thi Lord that suffred passioun Schal help thee at thi nede.”

And when the maiden was awaked, line455For drede of that, wel sore sche quaked, For love of her swevening. On hir bed sche sat al naked; To Jhesu hir preier sche maked, Almightful Heven king. line460As wis as He hir dere bought Of that swevening in slepe sche thought Schuld turn to gode ending. And when the maiden risen was The riche soudan of Damas line465To his temple he gan hir bring.

Than seyd the soudan to that may, “Thou most bileve opon mi lay And knele now here adoun And forsake thi fals lay line470That thou hast leved on mani a day, And anour Seyn Mahoun! And certes, bot thou wilt anon, Thi fader Y schal with wer slon Bi Jovin and Plotoun! line475And bi Mahoun and Ternagant Ther schal no man ben his waraunt — Empour no king with croun.”

The maiden answerd with mild chere To the soudan as ye may here: line480“Sir, Y nil thee nought greve. Teche me now and lat me here Hou Y schal make mi preiere When ich on hem bileve. To Mahoun ichil me take line485And Jhesu Crist mi Lord forsake, That made Adam and Eve, And seththen serve thee at wille Arliche and lat, loude and stille, A morwe and an eve.”

line490Than was the soudan glad and blithe, And thanked Mahoun mani sithe That sche was so biknawe. His joie couthe he no man kithe; He bad hir gon and kis swithe line495Alle thine godes on rawe. Sche kist Mahoun and Apolin, Astirot and Sir Jovin. For drede of wordes awe, And while sche was in the temple line500Of Ternagant and Jubiter, Sche lerd the hethen lawe.

And thei sche al the lawes couthe And seyd hem openliche with hir mouthe, Jhesu forgat sche nought. line505Wher that sche was, bi northe or southe, No minstral with harp no crouthe No might chaunge hir thought. The soudan wende night and day That sche hadde leved opon his lay line510Bot al he was bicought, For when sche was bi herselveon, To Jhesu sche made hir mon, That alle this world hath wrought.

The soudan dede cri that tide line515Overal bi ich a side A turnament to take And duhti men on hors to ride, And dubbed hem in that tide And knightes gan he make. line520The trumpes gun forto blowe; Knightes priked out o rouwe On stedes white and blake. Ther might men se sone and swithe, Strong men her strengthe kithe line525For that maiden sake.

The Cristen maiden and the soudan In the castel leyen than The turnament to bihold. And tho the turnament bigan, line530Ther was samned mani a man Of Sarrazins stout and bold. To sen ther was a semly sight Of thritti thousend of helmes bright (In gest as it is told). line535Thai leyden on as thai were wrothe With swerdes and with maces bothe Knightes bothe yong and old.

Wel mani helme ther was ofweved And mani bacinet tocleved line540And knightes driven to grounde. Sum ther fel doun on her heved And sum in the diche lay todreved And siked sore unsounde. The turnament last tho yplight line545Fram the morwe to the night Of men of michel mounde; Amorwe the soudan wedded that may In the maner of his lay, In gest as it is founde.

line550Atte his bridale was noble fest, Riche, real, and onest — Doukes, kinges with croun. For ther was melodi with the mest Of harp and fithel and of gest line555To lordinges of renoun. Ther was geven to the menstrels Robes riche and mani juweles Of erl and of baroun. The fest lasted fourtenight line560With mete and drink anough, aplight Plenté and gret fousoun.

That levedi, so feir and so fre, Was with hir lord bot monethes thre Than he gat hir with childe. line565When it was geten, sche chaunged ble; The soudan himself that gan se — Jolif he was and wilde. Ther while sche was with child, aplight, Sche bad to Jhesu ful of might line570Fram schame He schulde hir schilde. Atte fourti woukes ende The levedi was deliverd o bende Thurth help of Mari milde.

And when the child was ybore, line575Wel sori wimen were therfore, For lim no hadde it non, Bot as a rond of flesche yschore In chaumber it lay hem bifore Withouten blod and bon. line580For sorwe the levedi wald dye, For it hadde noither nose no eye Bot lay ded as the ston. The soudan com to chaumber that tide And with his wiif he gan to chide line585That wo was hir bigon.

“O dame,” he seyd biforn, “Ogain mi godes thou art forsworn! With right resoun Y preve The childe that is here of thee born line590Bothe lim and lith it is forlorn Alle thurth thi fals bileve! Thou levest nought wele afine On Jubiter no on Apoline, A morwe na an eve, line595No in Mahoun no in Ternagant. Therfore is lorn this litel faunt. No wonder thei me greve!”

The levedi answerd and seyd tho, Ther sche lay in care and wo, line600“Leve sir, lat be that thought; The child was geten bitwen ous to. For thi bileve it farth so, Bi Him that ous hath wrought! Take now this flesche and bere it anon line605Bifor thine godes everichon That thou no lete it nought, And pray thine godes al yfere, Astow art hem leve and dere, To live that it be brought.

line610“And yif Mahoun and Jovin can Make it fourmed after a man With liif and limes aright, Bi Jhesu Crist that this warld wan Y schal leve thee better than line615That thai ar ful of might. And bot thai it to live bring Y nil leven on hem nothing Noither bi day no night.” The soudan toke that flesche anon line620Into his temple he gan to gon Ther his godes were dight.

Biforn his goddes he gan it leyn And held up his honden tuein, While men might go five mile. line625“A, mightful Mahoun,” he gan to seyn, “And Ternagaunt, of michel meyn, In you was never no gile. Seyn Jubiter and Apolin, Astirot and Seyn Jovin, line630Help now in this perile.” Oft he kneled and oft he ros And crid so long til he was hos And al he tint his while.

And when he hadde al ypreyd, line635And alle that ever he couthe he seyd, The flesche lay stille as ston. Anon he stert up at a breyd, And in his hert he was atreyd, For lim no hadde it non. line640He biheld on his godes alle And seye ther might no bot bifalle; Wel wo was him bigon. “O Sir Mahoun,” he gan to grede, “Wil ye nought helpe me at this nede? line645The devel you brenne ichon!”

He hent a staf with grete hete And stirt anon his godes to bete And drough hem alle adoun, And leyd on til he gan to swete line650And gaf hem strokes gode and gret, Both Jovine and Plotoun. And alder best he bete afin Jubiter and Apolin, And brac hem arm and croun, line655And Ternagaunt that was her brother — He no lete never a lime with other No of his god Mahoun.

And when he hadde beten hem gode won Yete lay the flesche stille so ston, line660An heye on his auter. He tok it in his hond anon And into chaumber he gan gon, And seyd, “Lo, have it here. Ich have don al that Y can line665To make it fourmed after a man With kneleing and preier, And for alle that ichave hem bisought Mine godes no may help me nought. The devel hem sett afere!”

line670And than answerd that gode wiman Wel hendeliche to that soudan: “Leve sir, here mi speche. The best rede that Y can, Bi Jhesu Crist that made man, line675Now ichil you teche. Now thou hast proved god thine, Yif me leve to asay mine Whether is better leche. And, leve sir, prey thee this: line680Leve on Him that stronger is For doute of more wreche.”

The soudan answerd hir thore. In hert he was agreved sore, To sen that selcouthe sight. line685“Now, dame, ichil do bi thi lore. Yif that Y may se bifore Thi God is of swiche might With ani vertu that He can Make it fourmed after a man, line690With liif and limes aright, Alle mi godes ichil forsake And to Jhesu thi Lord me take, As icham gentil knight.”

Wel blithe was the levedi than line695For that hir lord the riche soudan Hadde graunted hir preier. For hope he schuld be Cristen man, Sche thonked Him that this world wan And Mari His moder dere. line700Now ginneth here a miri pas Hou that child ycristned was With limes al hole and fere, And hou the soudan of Damas Was cristned for that ich cas — line705Now herken and ye may here.

Than seyd the levedi in that stounde, “Thou hast in thi prisoun bounde Mani a Cristen man. Do seche overalle bi loft and grounde; line710Yif ani Cristen prest be founde, Bring him bifor me than And Y schal ar tomorwe at none Wite what Jhesu Crist can done More than thine maumettes can.” line715Anon the prisouns weren ysought; Thai founden a prest and forth him brought Bi hest of that soudan.

He com bifore that levedi fre, And gret hir feir opon his kne, line720And seyd with sikeing sore, “Madame, yblisced mot thou be Of Jhesu Crist in Trinité That of Mari was bore.” The levedi seyd, “Artw a prest? line725Tel me sothe yif that tow best. Canstow of Cristen lore?” “Madame,” seyd the prest anon, “In verbo Dei ich was on, Tuenti winter gon and more.

line730“Ac dame,” he seyd, “bi Seyn Jon, Ten winter song Y masse non And that me liketh ille. For so long it is now gon Ichave ben in thi prisoun of ston line735With wrong and gret unskille.” The levedi seyd, “Lat be thi fare. Thou schalt be brought out of thi care And tow wilt held thee stille. For thurth thine help in this stounde, line740We schul make Cristen men of houndes — God graunt it yif it be His wille.”

Than seyd the soudan’s wiif, “Thou most do stille withouten striif A wel gret priveté. line745Hali water thou most make, And this ich flesche thou take, Al for the love of me, And cristen it withouten blame In the worthschipe of the Fader’s name line750That sitt in Trinité.

“For in Him is mine hope aplight, The Fader that is ful of might Mi sorwe schal me slake. Yif it were cristned aright, line755It schuld have fourme to se bi sight With lim and liif to wake.” That levedi comand anon Hir maidens out of chaumber gon For dred of wraying sake. line760The prest no leng nold abide; A feir vessel he tok that tide And hali water he gan make.

At missomer tide that ded was don Thurth help of God that sitt in trone, line765As Y you tel may. The prest toke the flesche anon And cleped it the name of Jon In worthschip of the day. And when that it cristned was line770It hadde liif and lim and fas And crid with gret deray, And hadde hide and flesche and fel And alle that ever therto bifel, In gest as Y you say.

line775Feirer child might non be bore — It no hadde never a lime forlore, Wele schapen it was, withalle; The prest no lenge duelled thore And yede and teld the soudan fore line780Ther he was in the halle. That levedi ther sche lay in bed That richeliche was bischred With gold and purpel palle. The child sche take to hir blive line785And thonked our levedi with joies five The feir grace ther was bifalle.

And seyd, “Lord, ich pray Thee, Almighti God in Trinité, So give me might and space line790That Y may that day yse Mi lord wald ycristned be, The soudan of Damas.” Than cam the soudan that was blac, And sche schewed him the child and spac line795With liif and limes and face. Sche seyd, “Mahoun no Apolin Is nought worth the brostle of a swin Ogain mi Lordes grace!”

The soudan seyd, “Leman min, line800Ywis icham glad afin Of this child that Y se.” “Ya, sir, bi Seyn Martin Yif the halvendel wer thin Wel glad might thou be.” line805“O dame,” he seyd, “how is that? Is it nought min that Y bigat?” “No, sir,” than seyd sche, “Bot thou were cristned so it is — Thou no hast no part theron ywis, line810Noither of the child ne of me.

“And bot thou wilt Mahoun forsake And to Jhesu mi Lord thee take, That tholed woundes five — Anon thou do thee Cristen make — line815Thou might be ferd for sorwe and wrake While that thou art olive. And yif thou were a Cristen man Bothe weren thine,” sche seyd than, “Thi childe and eke thi wive. line820When thou art dede, thou schalt wende Into blis withouten ende, Thi joie may no man kithe.”

The soudan seye wele bi sight That Jhesu was of more might line825Than was his fals lawe. He seyd, “Dame, anon right Ichil forsake mi god aplight — Thai schal be brent and drawe. Ac telle me now par charité, line830And for the love thou has to me, What schal Y seyn in sawe? Now ichave forsaken mi lay. Tel me now what is your fay, And ichil lere wel fawe.”

line835Than seyd that levedi hende and fre, “Understond, sir, par charité, On Jhesu Cristes lay: Hou He was and ever schal be O God and Persones Thre, line840And light in Mari that may, And in hir bodi nam flesche and blod, And hou He bought ous on the rode, Opon the Gode Friday; And hou His gost went to Helle line845Satanas pousté for to felle And brought mankin oway.

“The thridde day in the morning To live He ros withouten lesing As He com of the rode, line850And gaf His frendes comforting And steye to Heven as mightful king Bothe with flesche and blod. As it is founden in holy writ, On His Fader right hond He sitt, line855And is wel mild of mode; As it is writen in the crede, He demeth bothe the quic and ded The feble and eke the gode.

“And al this warld schal todrive, line860And man arise fram ded to live, Right dome to understond. And than schal Jhesu, withouten strive, Schewe His blodi woundes five That He for ous gan fond. line865And than schal He withouten mis Deme ich man after he is, Erl, baroun, and bond. Leve heron,” sche seyd than, “And do thee make a Cristen man line870For no thing thou no wond.”

Than seyd the soudan, “Dame, be stille. Y schal be cristned thurth Godes wille Ar than the thridde day. Loth me were mi soule to spille. line875Preye now the prest, he com ous tille And teche me Cristen lay As priveliche as it may be. That no man wite bot we thre Als forth as ye may. line880And ani it wist heye or lowe, Thou schalt be brent and Y todrawe And we forsoke our fay.”

Anon the prest answerd than Hendeliche to that soudan line885“Sir, icham redi here With alle the pouwer that Y can For to make thee Cristen man And Godes lay to lere.” His hond opon his brest he leyd, line890“In verbo Dei,” he swore and seyd, “Unto you bothe yfere, Wel trewe and trusti schal Y be With alle that ever falleth to me To help with mi pouwere.”

line895Amorwe, when the prest gan wake, A wel feir fessel he gan take With water clere and cold, And halwed it for the soudan sake And his preier he gan make line900To Jhesu that Judas sold And to Marie, His moder dere, Tho that the soudan cristned were, That was so stout and bold, He schuld gif him might and space line905Thurth his vertu and his grace His cristendom wele to hold.

And when it was light of day The riche soudan ther he lay Up bigan to arise. line910To the prest he went his way And halp him alle that he may That fel to his servise. And when the prest hadde tho Dight redi that fel therto line915In al maner wise, The soudan with gode wille anon Dede off his clothes everichon To reseyve his baptize.

The Cristen prest hight Cleophas; line920He cleped the soudan of Damas After his owhen name. His hide that blac and lothely was Al white bicom thurth Godes gras And clere withouten blame. line925And when the soudan seye that sight, Than leved he wele on God almight; His care went to game. And when the prest hadde alle yseyd And haly water on him leyd, line930To chaumber thai went ysame.

When he com ther the levedi lay, “Lo, dame,” he gan to say, “Certeyne, thi God is trewe.” The levedi thonked God that day; line935For joie sche wepe with eyghen gray, Unnethe hir lord sche knewe. Than wist sche wele in hir thought That on Mahoun leved he nought For chaunged was his hewe. line940For that hir lord was cristned so, Oway was went al hir wo — Hir joie gan wax al newe.

“Mi lord,” sche seyd with hert fre, “Sende now this prest in priveté line945To mi fader the king, And pray him for the love of me That he com swithe hider to thee With alle that he may bring. And when mi fader is to thee come, line950Do cristen thi lond alle and some, Bothe eld and ying. And he that wil be cristned nought, Loke to the deth that he be brought, Withouten ani duelleing.”

line955The soudan tok the prest bi hond And bad him wende and nought no wond To the king of Tars ful gare, And do him al to understond Hou Jhesu Crist thurth His sond line960Hath brought hem out of care, And bid him bring with him his ost Priveliche withouten bost — For nothing he no spare. And Cleophas, with gode entent, line965To do the soudan’s comandment To Tars he gan fare.

And when the prest, Sir Cleophas, Com to the court thurth Godes grace Withouten ani duelling, line970He teld the king alle that cas: Hou the child ded born was, A misforschapen thing, And thurth the preier of his wiif Hou God hadde sent it leme and liif line975In water ate cristening, And hou that hethen soudan Was bicome a Cristen man Thurth the might of Heven king.

He radde the letter that he brought, line980And in the letter he fond ywrought — In gest as Y you say — Hou that the soudan him bisought To com to him and lat it nought Opon a certeyne day, line985And bring with him alle his ost To take his lond bi everich cost, And serche in his cuntray; Who that wold nought cristned be, He schuld be honged opon a tre line990Withouten ani delay.

Blither might no man ben. He cleped his barouns and the quen And told hem thus in sawe Hou the soudan stout and kene line995Was cristned withouten wene And leved on Cristes lawe, “And therfore he hath don sent me bi sond He wil do cristen alle his lond Yif that he might wel fawe, line1000And he that wil nought take cristening, No be he never so heye lording, He schal hong and drawe.

“And therfore Y pray you now right, Erl, baroun, douk, and knight, line1005Do alle your folk bide With helme on heved and brini bright That ye ben alle redi dight To help me at this nede.” Thai sent over al bi ich a side line1010For mani Cristen men that tide That duhti were of dede. The king him dight for to wende With sexti thousende knightes hende That was a feir ferred.

line1015The king com withouten lett The selve day that him was sett To the soudan wel gare. And when thai were togider mett, A miri greteing ther was gret line1020With lordinges lasse and mare. Ther was rewthe forto sen Hou the levedi fel on knen Biforn hir fader thare; Ther was joie and mirthe also line1025To here hem speken of wele and wo Her aventours als thai were.

The soudan dede his barouns calle And seththen anon his knightes alle And after alle his meyné, line1030And when thai come into the halle, He seyd, “Hou so it bifalle, Ye mot ycristned be. Miselven, ich have Mahoun forsake And Cristendom ich have ytake, line1035And certes so mot ye. And hye that wil nought so anon Thai schul be heveded erverichon Bi Him that dyed on tre.”

When he hadde thus ytold line1040Mani Sarrazin stout and bold That in his court were, Mani seyd that thai wold, And mani seyd that thai nold Be cristned in non maner. line1045Tho that Mahoun wald forsake, Cristen men he lete hem make And were him lef and dere; And he that dede nought bi his rede Anon he dede strike off his hed line1050Right fast bi the swere.

The soudan had in prisoun dight Ten thousend Cristen men, yplight, Of mani uncouthe thede. He dede hem liver anon right line1055And tho that were strong and wight, He gaf hem armour and stede; And tho he seye that might nought so, He gaf hem mete and drink therto And alle that hem was nede. line1060Ther might men se with that soudan Mani blithe Cristen man, In gest as so we rede.

When he hadde don thus that tide, Over al his lond bi ich aside line1065The word wel wide sprong. Five hethen kinges that tide And mani hethen douke unride With pople gret and strong Thai sent aboute ner and fer line1070Opon that soudan for to wer, And seyd for that wrong, Bi Mahoun and Ternagaunt, Ther schuld nought ben his warant Bot ben drawe and hong.

line1075Tho fif kinges of prout parayle Dight hem redi to that bateyle; Wel stout and strong thai were. Hou the soudan gan hem aseyle And what thai hete withouten feile, line1080Now herken and ye may here. King Canadok and King Lesias, King Carmel and King Clamadas, And King Memarok her fere. Opon the soudan with wer thai went, line1085His men thai slough, his tounes brent With strengthe and gret pouwer.

The king of Tars and the soudan, Day of bateyle thai gun tan Ogein tho kinges five. line1090Ac ever ogein a Cristen man, Ten hethen houndes wer than Of Sarrazins stout and stithe. Now herkneth to me bothe old and ying Hou the soudan and the king line1095Amonges hem gun drive, And hou the Sarrazins that day Opped hevedles for her pay — Now listen and ye may lithe.

The Cristen soudan that tide line1100Toke a spere and gan to ride To Canadok that was kene. And Canadok with gret pride, With a spere gan him abide To wite and nought atwene. line1105So hard thai driven togider there That her launces bothe yfere Brosten hem bituene. The soudan drough his fauchoun gode The kinges heved with alle the hode line1110He strok off quite and clene.

King Lesias of Tabarie To the soudan he gan heye, For Canadok his felawe. With a spere that was trusti line1115He rode to the soudan wel an hey And thought him have yslawe. The king of Tars bituen hem rod And Lesias strok he abod (As Y finde in mi sawe) line1120And smot him so on the scheld That top seyl in the feld; He made him overthrawe.

He lepe on hors and gan to ride And slough adoun bi ich aside line1125That he bifor him founde. Wham that Lesias hit in that tide, Were he douk or prince o pride, He gaf him dedly wounde. The king of Tars com with a spere line1130And thurth his sides he gan it bere That ded he fel to grounde. Than sett the Sarrazins up a cri “A, Mahoun, ful of meistri, Help ous in this stounde!”

line1135When King Carmel herd that, him was wo; To fight anon he was ful thro. A spere an hond he hent. He priked his stede and dede him go. He thought the king of Tars to slo line1140Er he thennes went. He smot the king of Tars that tide Thurth his hauberk a wounde wide That neighe he hadde him schent. The king out of his sadel fel; line1145The blod out of his wounde gan wel That mani man hem biment.

For sorwe the soudan wald wede; When he seighe his woundes blede, He rode to him with mayn. line1150He and the Cristen ferred Brought the king of Tars his stede And sett him up ogayn. And when he was on hors braught Alle that ever he araught line1155He clef him to the brayn. King Carmel tho to him went And gaf him swiche another dent That ner he hadde him sleyn.

And when the soudan that yseighe line1160Al wode he wex for wrethe neye — He rode to King Carmele. He smot him on the helme an heighe That thurth the breyn it fleighe That no leche might him hele. line1165King Clamadas com rideing than With a glaive to the soudan, And thought with him to dele, And smot him oboven the scheld That neighe he feld him in the feld line1170Among tho houndes fele.

The king of Tars in that stounde Hadde spite of that hethen hounde That was so stout and beld. He swore, “Bi Him that tholed wounde line1175The dogge schal adoun to grounde That fightes thus in feld.” He rode to him anon right And smot to him a strok of might — Atuo he clef his scheld line1180And thurth his hert the swerd gan glide; The blod ran out bi ich a side And so he him aqueld.

Than was King Memaroc in gret peyn, For his four felawes were sleyn line1185And in the feld todreved. He priked his stede opon the pleyn And fleye oway with might and mayn For dred to hide his heved. The soudan seyghe him oway ride; line1190He priked after him in that tide, For no thing he it bileved, And smot him so above the scheld That helme and heved fleyghe in the feld Ful wightlike off it weved.

line1195When the Sarrazins seyghen alle That Memarok was to grounde yfalle And namore up arise, “Allas, Mahoun!” thai gan to calle, “Whi latestow Cristen hewe ous smale? line1200Wicke is thi servise!” Thai fleyghe for dred alle yfere And dreynt hem in o river So sore hem gan agrise. The bateyle last swithe long line1205Til it were time of evensong Er thai might win the prise.

The Sarrazins flowe bi ich aside; The Cristen folk after gan ride, And schadde hem breyn and blod. line1210Ther was non that might him hide That he nas sleyn in that tide With fight ogeyn hem stode. And tho that yold hem to the pes, The soudan swore withouten les line1215Bi Him that dyed on rode, He that nold nought forsake his lay, He schuld forlesse that ich day The bal up in the hode.

Thritti thousende ther were take line1220Of Sarrains bothe blo and blac And don in his prisoun. And he that wald his lay forsake, Cristen men he lete him make With gret devocioun. line1225And thai that wald be cristned nought, Into a stede thai weren ybrought A mile withouten the toun And Cristen men withouten wene Striken off her hevedes al bidene.

line1230Thus the ladi with hire lore Broughte hire frendes out of sore Thorw Jhesu Cristes grace. Al the while that thei weore thare The joye that was among hem yare line1235No mon may telle the space. Whon thei weore out of world iwent Bifore God Omnipotent Hem was diht a place. Now Jhesu that is ful of miht line1240Graunt us alle in Hevene liht To seo Thi swete face. AMEN.