University of Virginia Library

Þe child weped al-way wonderliche fast,
but þemperour had god game of þat gomes lore,
& comande þe couherde curteysli and fayre,
to heue vp þat hende child bi-hinde him on his stede.
& he so dede deliuerly þouȝh him del þouȝt,
& bi-kenned him to crist þat on croice was peyned.
þanne þat barn as biliue by-gan for to glade
þat he so realy schuld ride & redeli as swiþe
Ful curteisle of þe couherde he cacces his leue,
& seþþen seyde, “swete sire i bes[e]che ȝou nowþe,
For godes loue, gretes ofte my godelyche moder,
þat so faire haþ me fed & fostered till nowþe.
& lellyche, ȝif our lord wol þat i liif haue,
sche ne schal nouȝt tyne hire trauayle treuly for soþe.
& gode sire, for godes loue also greteþ wel oft
alle my freyliche felawes þat to þis forest longes,
han pertilyche in many places pleide wiþ ofte,
hugonet, & huet þat hende litel dwerþ,
& abelot, & martynet hugones gaie sone;
& þe cristen akarin þat was mi kyn fere,
& þe trewe kinnesman þe payenes sone,
& alle oþer frely felawes þat þou faire knowes,
þat god mak hem gode men for his mochel grace.”
of þe names þat he nemned þemperour nam hede,
& had gaynliche god game for he so grette alle
of his compers þat he knew so curteysliche & faire.
& þan be-kenned he þe kouherde to crist & to hal alwes,
& busked forþ wiþ þat barn bliue on his gate.
þe kouherde kayred to his house karful in hert,
& neiȝ to-barst he for bale for þe barnes sake.
& whan his wiif wist wittow for soþe,
how þat child from here warde was wente for euer-more,
þer nis man on þis mold þat miȝt half telle
þe wo & þe weping þat womman made.
sche wold haue sleie hire-self þere soþly, as bliue,
ne hade þe kind kouherde conforted here þe betere,
& pult hire in hope to haue gret help þer-of after.
but trewely of hem at þis time þe tale y lete,
of þemperour & þe bold barn to bigynne to speke.