And when he had done all that behoved him, he set out again and travelled day by day till he got to Aden.  Now that is a Kingdom wherein Christians are held in great detestation, for the people are all Saracens, and their enemies unto the death.  So when the Soldan of Aden heard that this man was a Christian and a Bishop, and an envoy of the Great King of Abash, he had him seized and demanded of him if he were a Christian?  To this the Bishop replied that he was a Christian indeed.  The Soldan then told him that unless he would turn to the Law of Mahommet he should work him great shame and dishonour.  The Bishop answered that they might kill him ere he would deny his Creator.

When the Soldan heard that he waxed wroth, and ordered that the Bishop should be circumcised.  So they took and circumcised him after the manner of the Saracens.  And then the Soldan told him that he had been thus put to shame in despite to the King his master.  And so they let him go.

The Bishop was sorely cut to the heart for the shame that had been wrought him, but he took comfort because it had befallen him in holding fast by the Law of Our Lord Jesus Christ; and the Lord God would recompense his soul in the world to come.

So when he was healed he set out and travelled by land and by sea till he reached the King his Lord in the Kingdom of Abash.  And when the King beheld him, he welcomed him with great joy and gladness.  And he asked him all about the Holy Sepulchre; and the Bishop related all about it truly, the King listening the while as to a most holy matter in all faith.  But when the Bishop had told all about Jerusalem, he then related the outrage done on him by the Soldan of Aden in the King’s despite.  Great was the King’s wrath and grief when he heard that; and it so disturbed him that he was like to die of vexation.  And at length his words waxed so loud that all those round about could hear what he was saying.  He vowed that he would never wear crown or hold kingdom if he took not such condign vengeance on the Soldan of Aden that all the world should ring therewithal, even until the insult had been well and thoroughly redressed.

And what shall I say of it?  He straightway caused the array of his horse and foot to be mustered, and great numbers of elephants with castles to be prepared to accompany them;[NOTE 4] and when all was ready he set out with his army and advanced till he entered the Kingdom of Aden in great force.  The Kings of this province of Aden were well aware of the King’s advance against them, and went to encounter him at the strongest pass on their frontier, with a great force of armed men, in order to bar the enemy from entering their territory.  When the King arrived at this strong pass where the Saracens had taken post, a battle began, fierce and fell on both sides, for they were very bitter against each other.  But it came to pass, as it pleased our Lord God Jesus Christ, that the Kings of the Saracens, who were three