But pork was not likely to be plentiful in a country whose inhabitants had an abhorrence for swine's flesh; and "Though his men should be hanged, They ne might, in that countrey, For gold, ne silver, ne no money, No pork find, take, ne get, That King Richard might aught of eat.
An old knight with Richard biding, When he heard of that tiding, That the king's wants were swyche, To the steward he spake privyliche-- "Our lord the king sore is sick, I wis, After porck he alonged is; Ye may none find to selle; No man be hardy him so to telle! If he did he might die.
Now behoves to done as I shall say, Tho' he wete nought of that.
Take a Saracen, young and fat; In haste let the thief be slain, Opened, and his skin off flayn; And sodden full hastily, With powder and with spicery, And with saffron of good colour.
When the king feels thereof savour, Out of ague if he be went, He shall have thereto good talent.
When he has a good taste, And eaten well a good repast, And supped of the BREWIS [Broth] a sup, Slept after and swet a drop, Through Goddis help and my counsail, Soon he shall be fresh and hail.' The sooth to say, at wordes few, Slain and sodden was the heathen shrew.
Before the king it was forth brought: Quod his men, 'Lord, we have pork sought; Eates and sups of the brewis SOOTE,[Sweet] Thorough grace of God it shall be your boot.' Before King Richard carff a knight, He ate faster than he carve might.
The king ate the flesh and GNEW [Gnawed] the bones, And drank well after for the nonce.
And when he had eaten enough, His folk hem turned away, and LOUGH.[Laughed] He lay still and drew in his arm; His chamberlain him wrapped warm.
He lay and slept, and swet a stound, And became whole and sound.
King Richard clad him and arose, And walked abouten in the close." An attack of the Saracens was repelled by Richard in person, the consequence of which is told in the following lines:-- "When King Richard had rested a whyle, A knight his arms 'gan unlace, Him to comfort and solace.
Him was brought a sop in wine.
'The head of that ilke swine, That I of ate!' (the cook he bade,) 'For feeble I am, and faint and mad.
Of mine evil now I am fear; Serve me therewith at my soupere!' Quod the cook, 'That head I ne have.' Then said the king, 'So God me save, But I see the head of that swine, For sooth, thou shalt lesen thine!' The cook saw none other might be; He fet the head and let him see.
He fell on knees, and made a cry-- 'Lo, here the head! my Lord, mercy!'" The cook had certainly some reason to fear that his master would be struck with horror at the recollection of the dreadful banquet to which he owed his recovery; but his fears were soon dissipated.
"The swarte vis [Black face] when the king seeth, His black beard and white teeth, How his lippes grinned wide, 'What devil is this ?' the king cried, And 'gan to laugh as he were wode.
'What! is Saracen's flesh thus good?
That never erst I nought wist! By God's death and his uprist, Shall we never die for default, While we may in any assault, Slee Saracens, the flesh may take, And seethen and roasten and do hem bake, [And] Gnawen her flesh to the bones! Now I have it proved once, For hunger ere I be wo, I and my folk shall eat mo!"' The besieged now offered to surrender, upon conditions of safety to the inhabitants; while all the public treasure, military machines, and arms were delivered to the victors, together with the further ransom of one hundred thousand bezants.

After this capitulation, the following extraordinary scene took place.

We shall give it in the words of the humorous and amiable George Ellis, the collector and the editor of these Romances:-- "Though the garrison had faithfully performed the other articles of their contract, they were unable to restore the cross, which was not in their possession, and were therefore treated by the Christians with great cruelty.

Daily reports of their sufferings were carried to Saladin; and as many of them were persons of the highest distinction, that monarch, at the solicitation of their friends, dispatched an embassy to King Richard with magnificent presents, which he offered for the ransom of the captives.

The ambassadors were persons the most respectable from their age, their rank, and their eloquence.