That they were Genoese and bound for Tyre......
"A month have we now sailed the stormy seas
And would make Tyre ere nightfall"........Swiftly spake
Sir Alan laughting, "No great feat were that
An ye do hoist more sail......With this light breeze
We well may sail together down the coast......
But first bring ye your vessel's head to wind,
My Lord King Richard would have speech with you,
Lay to! and smartly now, lose no more time."
But, said the man in his slow drawling speech,
"Nay Sir! Needs must we drop behind your fleet,
We be so heavy laden scarce we sail".......
Quoth Alan suddenly, "Where are your crew?
I see and hear but one of ye alone......
Let all stand up and shew yourselves, that we
May hear your lingo, be it French or Greek........
Or as I do suspect, true Saracen."
"Nay, nay!" the steersman spake, with a dark frown,
"With no man else save me shalt thou now speak;
We were last night storm driven, so this morn
The crew lie down below and take their rest."
Whereat cried Alan, drawing off in haste,
"Certès! I think ye are curst Saracens,
Naught less".........Loud laughed the sneering latimer,
"Go fellow! Get ye gone and do thy best......
I tell you we are Genoese and care
For thy King Richard and his galleys all
Not e'en a fig........nor think him worth two fleas"........
So came Sir Alan rowing back in haste.
But at this change of note our men did doubt
The truth of what they heard........One of our crew,
A galley-man, persisted that he knew
Well who they were. He said when at Beyrut
A prisoner, since escaped, he saw this ship
Lading with many stores, both food and gear,
To go to Akka to help the besieged.......
"One hundred camel-loads ofarms, my Liege,"
He said unto the King who questioned him,
"Slings, bows, darts, arrows, and besides, Greek fire,
Any amount in bottles, and what's more,
Two hundred venemous serpents of great size
To kill us Christians.........Also went aboard
Eighty picked Turks, young men well trained to fight,
And seven Sar'cen Admirals, fair Sire.......
Oh, I do know this ship........I give ye leave
To cut my head off, hang me from the yard,
Boil me in oil, or flay me......what ye will........
But I will prove these rogues are Saracens.......
Send but a galley swiftly.......See, my Lords!
My Lords! They make away, press sail on........Soon
They'll slip right through our fingers......Let us row
Up on their quarter, yet without salute
As though we would attack......Then watch ye all,
So shall we get plain proof what men they be,
Or if we may believe the lying dogs."
The Lion-Heart gave order at full speed
A galley should give chase; which seeing pass,
Saluting not, quite close on their port bow,
The men on board the ship began to throw
Darts and short arrows. Marking this, the King
Bade us now beat to quarters and attack.
Quoth he, 'Sir Alan, of thy news I'm blithe....
My men, let's see ye arm in double haste.......
Steer thou my galley, Alan Trenchlemer,
It is but fit thou tak'st thy namesake's helm.......
I will myself now board these paltry rogues,
Mine axe shall see no Saracen escapes."
He armed in haste and in a galley leapt
That was made ready........."Row ye fast, my men!
Who shews faint heart and slackens may he drown!
There's booty in yon ship for all of us;
We'll share alike........Pull hard, my hearties all!"
Then rowed the mariners, and sung the while
As hard and well they tugged at their long oars,

"With a heavelow and a rumbelow
We make our galley fast to go,
E'en as an arrow from the bow,
        Or quarrel from an arbalast,
        May the foul fiend blast the boat that's last!
Row, fellows, row!
Shall we go slow?
        There's Turks to kill,
        Good drink to swill,
        Our pouches fill
With gold, and so
Row, fellows, row!
Pull hard, pull well!
Send the Turks to hell!
There's the devil to pay if the dogs get away!
Then with long, long pull,
And a strong, strong pull,
With a heavelow and a rumbelow
Pull we all together, so on we go!"
Not long was it ere we o'erhauled the ship,
Then, after many darts cast from each side,
The dromond slacked her speed, before not great,
For the light breeze now failed her utterly
And she moved slowly, nor yet used her oars.
Our galley-men then rowed round the great ship
Repeatedly to find some vantage point;
But howso oft they rowed and hard they looked,
They saw not how the vessel to attack.......
She towered above us, solid and compact.
O marvellous stout her timbers! And her crew
Handled her smartly, throwing many darts;
What was far worse, they flung that hellish fire (5)
That is called Greek fire, which is burning oil
Compound with naptha, and perchance, some pitch........
What e'er it be it hath the vilest stench,
With livid flames that eat both flint and steel,
And torturing cling to those by them o'erwhelmed,
Nor may it be by water quenched, for naught
May it extinguish save much sprinkled sand
And vinegar outpoured.........This fiery rain
They showered upon us did much daunt our hearts;
Nor ceased they their sharp javelins to cast,
Which for our part our men did relish not,
Not liked they the great ship's stupendous height;
For bad enough it is to fight against
A foe on equal ground, whereas a dart
Thrown from above doth always tell much more
On those below, since its iron point falls down
With double force on those who are beneath.......
Hence somewhat did our ardour slacken, till
With a great roaring voice King Richard cried,
His fierce mood roused, his face with rage enflamed,
"What! Will ye let this ship get clean away,
Untouched, unscathed ? What sort of knaves are ye ?
Shame on ye! Shame! Ye lubbers! Cowards grown
From sloth and luxury........Our triumphs gained,
Our hard-won victories......Are these nothing worth?
The whole world knows that ye have ta'en the Cross......
And will ye now turn back? Hauled 'neath the keel,
Whipped naked through the Camp each man should be........
Ye do deserve to hang, the whole of ye........
D'ye hear me, rascals? Rally! Ha! God's wrath!
Dire punishment in this world and the next
Shall be your lot an ye let them escape
Hence with their lives........Why, men! Here is your foe
Thrown in your arms, yet ye would let him go!
Ye shall divide the spoil, each man his share.......
Shame on ye, rally! Or serve me no more,
I want no cowards round me"..........Fierce he swore.......
Making a virtue of our pressing need;
For our men feared more Richard's fiery wrath
Than they now feared the foe, we steadily
Pressed on to the attack. Some of our folk
Leapt eagerly head first into the sea

Notes:
5. See R. de Hoveden Vol. II. p. 206. Bohn trans. note. [Back]