Then many a wise man answered, 'Thou hast wrought in no wise amiss, Might innocence win its guerdon, then thou never hadst come to this.' Then all with one voice they counselled that the gates be opened wide, And that he should bid their bravest forthwith unto jousting ride. 290 And they quoth, 'So to fight were better than thus our ramparts high To defend 'gainst our king, and the armies twofold that around us lie, For the most part they are but children who ride with their king to-day, And 'twere easy to take a hostage, so wrath oft is turned away. And the king he shall be so minded, that if here knightly deeds be done, 295 He shall free us perchance from our peril, and the ending of wrath be won. Far better in field to seek them than forth from our walls be brought As their captives--Nay, e'en to their tent-ropes, methinks, we with ease had fought Were it not for the King Poidikonjonz, 'neath his banner the bravest fight; And there is our greatest peril, the captive Breton knights, 300 Duke Astor it is who leads them, and foremost in strife are they; And the king's son is there, Meljakanz; higher his fame to-day Had Gurnemanz been his teacher! Yet never he feareth fight; But help have we found against them,'--Now their rede have ye heard aright. Then the prince he did as they counselled, the portals he open brake, 305 And the Burgers who ne'er lacked courage their way to the field would take. Here one jousted, and there another; and the armies they made their way With high courage towards the city, right good was their vesper-play. On both sides the troops were countless; manifold was their battle-cry, And Scotch and Welsh might ye hearken, for in sooth here I tell no lie. 310 And stern were their deeds of knighthood as fitting so stern a fight, And bravely those heroes battled, till weary each gallant knight.