If thai wole reneye he[rh] goddis the[rh] if they would And leven on myghty Mahounde.” renounce their FERUMBRAS with grete araye gods. Ferumbras led Rode forthe, Mahounde him spede, 1052 out his troops; Tille he came nyȝe the[rh] Charles lay until arriving near By syde in a grene mede. Charles’s camp, he In a woode he buskede his men ordered them to Prively that same tyde, 1056 halt in a wood, and And with his felowes noon but ten advanced with only To kinge Charles he gan ride ten of his men to the And said “si[rh] kinge, that Arte so kene, camp of Charlemagne, Upon trwes I come to speke with the, 1060 If thou be curteis, as I wene, Thou wolte gr«a»unte a bone to me, That I migħte fight vppon̄ this grene, and offered him to With Rouland, Olyvere and Gye, 1064 fight at once against Duke Neymes and Oge[rh] I mene, Roland, Oliver, Guy, Ye and Duke Richarde of Normandye, Duke Naymes, Ogier With al sex attones to fight. the Dane, and Richard My body I prof[rh] here to the 1068 of Normandy. And requyre the, kinge, thoᶙ do me right, As thou art gentille Lord and fre; And if I may conquere hem in fere, If he should conquer To lede them home to my Faderis halle; 1072 them, he would lead And if thai me, I gr«a»unte the here, them away to his To be thy man, body and alle.” father’s hall; if he The kinge Answered with word«is» mylde should be conquered, And saide “felowe, þat neditħ nought, 1076 he would be his man. I shalle fynde of myn̄ a Childe, That shal the fynde that thou hast sought.” The kinge lete calle Sir Roulande The king sent for And saide “thou most with this man figħt, 1080 Roland and ordered To take this bataile here on honde, him to undertake Ther-to God gyfe the grace and myghte!” the combat. Roland Roulande answered with woordis boolde refuses, And saide “Sir, have me excuse[d+]!” 1084 [p032 ROLAND REFUSES TO UNDERTAKE THE COMBAT.]