This allusion is fully explained in the old romance of Richard Coeur de
Lion. The King travelling as "a palmer in Almaye," from the Holy Land,
was seized as a spy and imprisoned. Being challenged to a trial of
pugilism by the King's son, he slew him. The King to avenge his son's
death let in a hungry lion upon the royal prisoner. The King's daughter,
who loved the captive, sent him forty ells of white silk "kerchers" to
bind about him as a defence against the lion's teeth and claws. The
romance thus proceeds:


The kever-chefes he toke on hand,
And aboute his arme he wonde;
And thought in that ylke while
To slee the lyon with some gyle
And syngle in a kyrtyle he strode
And abode the lyon fyers and wode,
With that came the jaylere,
And other men that with him were
And the lyon them amonge;
His pawes were stiffe and stronge.
His chamber dore they undone
And the lyon to them is gone
Rycharde aayd Helpe Lord Jesu!
The lyon made to him venu,
And wolde him have alle to rente:
Kynge Rycharde beside hym glente
The lyon on the breste hym spurned
That about he turned,
The lyon was hongry and megre,