Of thine help gret nede haue we.
Michel ich haue herd speke of the.
Forti thousand thai slowe on a day
Of mine men as ich you telle may.
Mine men thai slowe, mi sone also,
Wharfore, leue frende, y bede the to,
If thou might me of hem wreke,
And the felouns out of mi lond do reke,
Mine feyre douhter thou shalt habbe,
And half mi lond, with-outen gabbe.[1]
In speaking of the formidable Saracen, Emir Costdram, a citizen said to Guy:
That other day he dede ous sorwe anough
Of themperour sone that he slough,
That was so gode and stalworth knight,
That opon hem had geuen mani fight.
In this site so gode knight was non,
That with wretthe durst loke him on.[2]
Guy and his companions, immediately after their arrival, went out against the enemy, and soon gave proof of their wonderful fighting qualities. They routed the Saracens, and in pursuing them Guy overtook Esclandar, who exclaimed:
Artow Gij?
Bi Mahoun that ich leue upon,
Neuer schal ich oway gon,
No neuer schal y blithe be,
Til ich that heued binim the:
Behote ich it haue a maiden of pris,
The soudans douhter that wel fair is.[3]
But Esclandar, after a lance had been driven through him, was obliged to resume his flight. When the victors returned to the city, the emperor said to Guy:
Mi feir douhter, that is of pris,
Ichil the giue to spouse y-wis
Thou schalt ben emperour after me,
Thou art a knight of gret bounte.[4]
