length the King of Mesopotamia or England, by name Filosofus, quarrelled with King Astronomus and began to spoil and burn his lands and to take captives. Then Stilfrid, seeing this, spake to the king, saying: “O thou that art no king! seeing the great wrongs of thy poor people, wilt thou not defend thyself? Know thou this, that, if thou dost not, it will not beseem any brave man to be in thy service.” The king, on hearing this, saith to Stilfrid: “Dear knight! I am his equal in royal race and in shield, but in wealth I cannot equal him, and therefore perhaps I must submit to him and cede some of my territory.” Saith Stilfrid: “O king, I tell thee this: it would be better for thee even to die with us, than meanly and cowardly to live; and if, O king, thou wilt hearken to me, I will give thee such counsel, that, please God, thou shalt give me thanks.” The king saith: “I will gladly hear thy counsel, but I fear to wage war with him.” Stilfrid saith: “Command the lords and nobles, that are thy subjects, to be summoned, and march out into the field against him.” So he commanded all his court to arm and equip themselves for war,
