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 guests were
summoned to wash by the music of the waits. The king took his seat
attended by the principal officers of his court, at the high table, and
the rest of the company were marshalled at a long table below him.
On the cloth were placed portions of salt at the usual distances, but
neither bread, wine, nor water. The ambassadors, rather surprised at
this omission, but still free from apprehension, awaited in silence
the arrival of the dinner, which was announced by the sound of pipes,
trumpets, and tabours; and beheld, with horror and dismay, the unnatural
banquet introduced by the steward and his officers. Yet their sentiments
of disgust and abhorrence, and even their fears, were for a time
suspended by their curiosity. Their eyes were fixed on the king, who,
without the slightest change of countenance, swallowed the morsels as
fast as they could be supplied by the knight who carved them.

"Every man then poked other;
They said, 'This is the devil's brother,
That slays our men, and thus hem eats!'

"Their attention was then involuntarily fixed on the smoking heads
before them. They traced in the swollen and distorted features the
resemblance of a friend or near relation,