The Talisman | Page 6

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. They delivered their message
in terms of the utmost humility; and without arraigning the justice of

the conqueror in his severe treatment of their countrymen, only
solicited a period to that severity, laying at his feet the treasures with
which they were entrusted, and pledging themselves and their master
for the payment of any further sums which he might demand as the
price of mercy.
"King Richard spake with wordes mild. 'The gold to take, God me
shield! Among you partes [Divide] every charge. I brought in shippes
and in barge, More gold and silver with me, Than has your lord, and
swilke three. To his treasure have I no need! But for my love I you bid,
To meat with me that ye dwell; And afterward I shall you tell.
Thorough counsel I shall you answer, What BODE [Message] ye shall
to your lord bear.
"The invitation was gratefully accepted. Richard, in the meantime, gave
secret orders to his marshal that he should repair to the prison, select a
certain number of the most distinguished captives, and, after carefully
noting their names on a roll of parchment, cause their heads to be
instantly struck off; that these heads should be delivered to the cook,
with instructions to clear away the hair, and, after boiling them in a
cauldron, to distribute them on several platters, one to each guest,
observing to fasten on the forehead of each the piece of parchment
expressing the name and family of the victim.
"'An hot head bring me beforn, As I were well apayed withall, Eat
thereof fast I shall; As it were a tender chick, To see how the others
will like.'
"This horrible order was punctually executed. At noon the