And Rouland that arte his fere, That so ofte me hatħ anoyed. To Mahounde I make a vowe here, The Soudan swears That to morue, ere I do ete, 1508 they shall both be Ye shulle be slayn̄ botħ qwik in fere, executed the next And lives shalle ye bothe lete.” morning before his Tho saide maide Florepas: dinner. “My fader so derewortħ and de[rh], 1512 But Floripas advises Ye shulle be avysed of this cas, him to detain them as How and in what manere hostages, and My brothir, þat is to prison̄ take, May be delyu«er»ed by hem nowe, 1516 By cause of these two knight«es» sake, That bene in warde here with yoᶙ. Wherefore I counsaile yoᶙ, my fader dere, To have mynde of Sir Ferumbras. 1520 to remember his son Pute hem in youre prison̄ here, Ferumbras, Tille ye haue better space. So that ye haue my brother agayn̄ for whom they might For hem, þat ye haue here; 1524 be exchanged. And certeyn̄ elles wole he be slayn̄, That is to you so lefe and dere.” “A, Floripp, I-blessed thou bee, Thy counsaile is goode at nede, 1528 The Soudan finds her I wolde not leve my sone so free, counsel good, So Mahounde moost me spede, For al the Realme of hethen Spayne, [leaf 38] That is so brode and large. 1532 Sone clepe forth my gaylo«ur» Bretomayne, and orders his gaoler That he of hem hadde his charge, Bretomayn to imprison “Caste hem in your prison̄ depe, them, Mete and drinke gyfe hem none, 1536 but to leave them Chayne hem faste, þat thay not slepe; without food. For here goode daies bene a-gone.” Tho were thay cast in prison depe[140]; [p045 FLORIPAS COMPASSIONATES THEIR SUFFERINGS.]