Florip«e» hem resceyved w«i»t«h» honou[rh] And thanked Roulande fele sythe, 2740 Floripas thanks That she saugħ Gye hir paramou[rh], Roland for bringing That wolde she him qwite and kith«e». back Sir Guy, Thai eten̄ and dronken and made hem gladde, Hem neded ther aftyr fulle sore 2744 Of suche, as god hem sente hade, I-nowe for iiij moonþes and more. and proposes that he Florip saide to Roulande than, shall choose himself “Ye moste chese you a love[177] 2748 a mistress from Of alle my maydyns, white as swan̄.”— amongst her maidens. Q«uo»d Rouland “þat were myscheve; But Roland refuses to Oure lay wole not, þat we w«i»t«h» youe dele, take any that is no Tille that ye Cristyn̄ be made; 2752 Christian. Ner of your play we wole not fele, For than̄ were we cursed in dede.” NOWE shall ye here of Laban̄. The soudan, on Whan tidyngg«es» to him we[rh] comen̄, 2756 hearing such bad news, Tho was he a fulle sory man̄. Whan he herde, howe his vitaile were nomen̄, And howe his men were slayne, And Gye was go safe hem̄ froo, 2760 [leaf 69] He defyed Mahounde and Apolyne, again defies his gods, Iubiter, Ascarot and Alcaron̄ also. He co«m»maundede a fire to be digħt and threatens to With picche and Brymston̄ to bren̄. 2764 throw them into the He made a vowe with alle his mygħt, flames. “Thai shal be caste ther-Inne!” The prestes of he[rh] lawe ther-on̄, Thai criden̄ oute for drede 2768 And saide “alas, what wole ye done? The worse than moste ye spede!” The Sowdon̄ made a grete othe And swore by his hye trone, 2772 That though hem were never so lotħ, [p080 RICHARD ARRIVES AT MANTRIBLE.]