orugh thei were strangers,
Florantynys, and Venyciens,
And Esterlyngs, clad[154] in there manere,
Conveyd with seriaunts and othere officers,
Statly horsyd, after the Mair ridyng,
Passyd the subbarbes to mete with the kyng.

[Footnote 154: gladde.]

To the Blake heth whanne they dyd atteyne,
The Mair of prudence in especialle,
Made them hove in renges tweyne,
A strete betwen ech party lik a walle,
Alle clad in whit, and the most principalle,
A fore in red, with the[155] Mair rydyng,
Til tyme that he saw the kyng comyng;

[Footnote 155: theire.]

Thanne with his sporys, he tok his hors anone,
That to beholde it was a noble sight,
How lyk a man he to the kyng is gone,
Right well cheryd of herte, glad, and light;
Obeienge to hym, as hym ought of right:
And after that he cunningly abraid,
And to the kyng even thus he sayd;

"Sovereigne lord and noble kyng, ye be wolcome out of youre rem of
Fraunce, into this youre blessyd rem of Ingelond, and in especial unto
youre most notable Citee of London, otherwise callyd youre chambre, we
thankynge Almyghty[156] God of the good and gracious athenyng of youre
crowne of Fraunce, besechynge of his mercyful grace to sende yow
prosperite and many yeris, to the comfort of alle your lovyng pepill."

[Footnote 156: _Omitted._]

But for to tellen alle the circumstauncys,
Of every thyng shewed in centencs,
Noble devyses, diverse ordinauncys,
Conveid be scripture with ful gret excellence;
Al to declare, y have non eloquence,
Therfore y pray to alle tho that it schal rede,[157]
For to correcte where as they se nede.

[Footnote 157: that shall yt rede.]

First, whan they[158] passyd was the fabour,
Entring the brigge of this noble town,[159]
There was a peler reysyd lik a tour,
And theron stod a sturdy champyone,
Of look and chere, stern as a lyone;
His swerd uprered, prowdly gan manace,
Alle foreyn enemyes from the kyng to enchace;

[Footnote 158: he.]

[Footnote 159: citee.]

And in defens of his estat riall,
The geaunt wolde abyde ech aventure,
And alle assautes that were marcyall,
For his sake he proudly wolde endure;
In tokenynge wher of, he hadde a long[160] scripture,
On either syde declaryng his entent,
Whiche sayde thus, be good avisement.

[Footnote 160: _Omitted._]

[Sidenote: Inimicos ejus induam confusione.]

"Alle tho that ben enemys to the kyng,
I schal them clothe with confucione;
Make hym myghti be vertuos levyng,
His mortall fou to oppressen a