He leapt on horse when it was light; Ere he in his saddle did leap Of many thinges he took keep.-- His men brought them that he bade, A square tree of forty feet, Before his saddle anon he it set, Fast that they should it brase, &c. Himself was richely begone, From the crest right to the tone,[2] He was covered wondrously wele All with splentes of good steel, And there above an hauberk. A shaft he had of trusty werk, Upon his shoulders a shield of steel, With the libards[3] painted wele; And helm he had of rich entaile, Trusty and true was his ventaile: Upon his crest a dove white, Significant of the Holy Sprite, Upon a cross the dove stood Of gold ywrought rich and good, God[4] himself, Mary and John, As he was done the rood upon,[5] In significance for whom he fought, The spear-head forgat he nought, Upon his shaft he would it have Goddis name thereon was grave; Now hearken what oath he sware, Ere they to the battaile went there: 'If it were so, that Richard might Slay the Soldan in field with fight, At our wille evereachone He and his should gone Into the city of Babylon; And the king of Macedon He should have under his hand; And if the Soldan of that land Might slay Richard in the field With sword or speare under shield, That Christian men shoulde go Out of that land for evermo, And the Saracens their will in wold.' Quoth king Richard, 'Thereto I hold, Thereto my glove, as I am knight.' They be armed and ready dight: King Richard to his saddle did leap, Certes, who that would take keep To see that sight it were sair; Their steedes ranne with great ayre,[6] All so hard as they might dyre,[7] After their feete sprang out fire: Tabors and trumpettes 'gan blow: There men might see in a throw How king Richard, that noble man, Encountered with the Soldan, The chief was tolde of Damas, His trust upon his mare was, And therefor, as the book[8] us tells, His crupper hunge full of bells, And his peytrel[9] and his arsowne[10] Three mile men might hear the soun. His mare neighed, his bells did ring, For greate pride, without lesing, A falcon brode[11] in hand he bare, For he thought he woulde there Have slain Richard with treasoun When his colt should kneele down, As a colt shoulde suck his dame, And he was 'ware of that shame, His ears with wax were stopped fast, Therefore Richard was not aghast, He struck the steed that under him went, And gave the Soldan his death with a dent: In his shielde verament Was painted a serpent, With the spear that Richard held He bare him thorough under his sheld, None of his armour might him last, Bridle and peytrel all to-brast, His girthes and his stirrups also, His ruare to grounde wente tho; Maugre her head, he made her seech The ground, withoute more speech, His feet toward the firmament, Behinde him the spear outwent