Thai sholde be brente Ichon̄. Tho came the bisshop«e» Cramadas But bishop Cramadas And kneled bifore the Sowdon̄, 2776 kneels before him and And charged him by the hye name Sathanas, appeases him. To saven his goddes ychon̄: “For if ye brenne youre goddes he[rh], Ye wynnyn̄ her malison̄, 2780 Than wole no man do yoᶙ che[rh], In feelde, Cite, ne[rh] in town̄.” The Sowdon̄ was astonyed þan And gan him sore repente 2784 Of the foly, that he bygan̄, And els hade he be shente. A thousande of Besaunt«es» he offred þaym to, The soudan makes an By counsail of sir Cramadas, 2788 offering of 1000 To please witħ his goddys tho, besants to his gods. For fere of harde grace. The Sowdone co«m»maunded eu«er»y daye To assaile the tou[rh] witħ caste. 2792 But thay with-in gafe no«t» an Eye, For thai wroghte in wast. When Richard arrived NOWE speke we of Richarde of Normandy, as far as Mantrible, That on message was sente, 2796 he found the bridge Howe he spede and his meyne. barred by 24 chains, Whan he to Mauntrible wente, and Alagolafre He founde the brigge Ichayned sore; standing before it. xxiiij^{ti} were ouere-drawen̄. 2800 [leaf 70] Alagolofure stode there byfore, That many a man hade slawene. Whan Richard saugħ, ther was no gate, Determined not to But by flagot the flode, 2804 leave his errand His message wolde he not lete; unperformed, he knelt His hors was botħ bigge and goode. down and commended He kneled, bisechinge god of his grace, himself to God. A To save him fro myschiefe. 2808 hind appears A white hende he saugħ anoon̄ in þ«a»t place, [p081 RICHARD CROSSES THE RIVER AND OVERTAKES CHARLES.]