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the city, began the fight with the Saracens, who drew up in readiness to receive them.
In the mean time the Emperor who was at sea, returned homeward, and in his way he met a fleet going to the assistance of Brandifer, which bore down upon him with full fail; whereupon, exhorting his companions to behave like men they made ready to receive them, and after a most bloody and obstinate battle, the Emperor got the victory, having slain many of the Pagans, and dispersed their ships.
After this victory, the Emperor commanded his men to put on the arms of the vanquished, as he did himself, thinking thereby the better to fall upon the besiegers his enemies; but the stratagem proved most fatal to him, as we shall hereafter find.
All this while the Christians and Valentine bravely encountered Brandifer, and his men, before the walls of Constantinople, sometimes gaining, and sometimes losing ground: but at length Valentine came to the standard of Brandifer, where an Indian King ran against him with great force, but Valentine avoiding him, struck him with such fury, as cleft him down the middle.
On the other hand, Orson and the Green Knight were not idle, but with their braudished swords cut themselves a passage quite thro' the Pagan army, destroying all that opposed them.
Soon after, news came that a mighty fleet of Saracens were entering the harbour; upon which. Valentine indeed (illegible text)
