[Sidenote: Nebuchadnezzar becomes his foe.] Nabigo-de-noȝar nuyed hy{m} swyþe. 1176 He pur-sued i{n} to palastyn w{i}t{h} proude men mony, & þer he wast wyth[60] werre þe wones of þorpes. He herȝed vp alle isr{ae}l & hent of þe beste, [Sidenote: He besieges Jerusalem, and surrounds the walls.] & þe gentylest of Iudee i{n} I{e}r{usa}l{e}m biseged, 1180 Vmbe-walt alle þe walles wyth wyȝes ful stronge, At vche a dor a doȝty duk, & dutte hem wyth-i{n}ne; [Sidenote: The city is stuffed full of men.] For þe borȝ watȝ so bygge baytayled alofte, & stoffed wyth-i{n}ne w{i}t{h} stout men to stalle hem þ{er}-oute. 1184 Þe{n}ne watȝ þe sege sette þe Cete aboute, [Sidenote: Brisk is the skirmish.] Skete skarmoch skelt, much skaþe lached; At vch brugge a berfray on basteles wyse, [Sidenote: [Fol. 73b.]] [Sidenote: Seven times a day are the gates assailed.] Þat seuen syþe vch a day asayled þe ȝates, 1188 Trwe tulkkes i{n} to{ur}es teueled wyth-i{n}ne, In bigge brutage of borde, bulde on þe walles; [Sidenote: For two years the fight goes on, yet the city is not taken.] Þay feȝt & þay fende of, & fylt{er} togeder Til two ȝer ou{er}-torned, ȝet tok þay hit neu{er}. 1192 [Sidenote: The folk within are in want of food.] At þe laste vpon longe, þo ledes wyth-i{n}ne, Faste fayled hem þe fode, enfaminied monie; Þe hote hunger wyth-i{n}ne hert hem wel sarre, Þen any dunt of þat douthe þat dowelled þ{er}-oute. 1196 Þe{n}ne wern þo rowtes redles i{n} þo ryche wones, [Sidenote: Meager they become.] Fro þat mete watȝ myst, megre þay wexen, [Sidenote: For so shut up are they that escape seems impossible.] & þay stoken so strayt, þ{a}t þay ne stray myȝt A fote fro þat forselet to forray no goudes. 1200 Þe{n}ne þe ky{n}g of þe kyth a cou{n}sayl hy{m} takes, Wyth þe best of his burnes, a blench forto make; [Sidenote: But on a quiet night they steal out, and rush through the host.] Þay stel out on a stylle nyȝt er any steuen rysed, & harde hurles þurȝ þe oste, er enmies hit wyste, 1204 Bot er þay at-wappe ne moȝt þe wach wyth-oute, [Sidenote: They are discovered by the enemy.] Hiȝe skelt watȝ þe askry þe skewes an-vnder, [Sidenote: A loud alarm is given.] Loude alarom vpon lau{n}de lulted watȝ þe{n}ne; Ryche, ruþed of her rest, ran to here wedes, 1208 Hard hattes þay hent & on hors lepes; Cler claryou{n} crak cryed onlofte. [Sidenote: They are pursued and overtaken.] By þat watȝ alle on a hepe hurlande swyþee, Folȝande þat oþ{er} flote, & fonde hem bilyue, 1212 Ou{er}-tok hem, as tyd, tult hem of sadeles, Tyl vche prynce hade his per put to þe grou{n}de; [Headnote: THE KING OF JUDAH IS MADE PRISONER.]