Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 2.djvu/205

Rh of the despairing citizens. Knowing his extraordinary merit, they humbly petitioned him to undertake their defence, and free them from the imminent peril in which they stood. "My friends," replied he, "this cannot be done, except by a strong hand; and you perceive, I am unarmed. It is in vain therefore to expect that I should go out to fight." "My lord," observed one of the citizens, "but a few days since a knight was buried in this sepulchre, clad in most admirable armour; take it, and save our city." The knight assented; received the arms of the deceased, and encountering the enemy, put them to flight. He then restored the arms to their original destination. But certain men, envious of the fame which he acquired by the exploit, accused him before the judge of having despoiled the dead of his armour contrary to law. "My lord," answered he, "of two evils, the greater is to be avoided . Now I could not defend your city without armour; and having taken that of the deceased, I