Now the Saracens were full of rancour about that stone that had been
theirs, and which had been set
Up in the church of the Christians; and
when they saw that the Prince was dead, they said one to another that now
was the time to get back their stone, by fair means or by foul. And that
they might well do, for they were ten times as many as the Christians. So
they gat together and went to the church and said that the stone they must
and would have. The Christians acknowledged that it was theirs indeed, but
offered to pay a large sum of money and so be quit. Howbeit, the others
replied that they never would give up the stone for anything in the world.
And words ran so high that the Prince heard thereof, and ordered the
Christians either to arrange to satisfy the Saracens, if it might be, with
money, or to give up the stone. And he allowed them three days to do
either the one thing or the other.
What shall I tell you? Well, the Saracens would on no account agree to
leave the stone where it was, and this out of pure despite to the
Christians, for they knew well enough that if the stone were stirred the
church would come down by the run. So the Christians were in great trouble
and wist not what to do. But they did do the best thing possible; they
besought Jesus Christ that he would consider their case, so that the holy
church should not come to destruction, nor the name of its Patron Saint,
John the Baptist, be tarnished by its ruin.
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