University of Virginia Library

Now speke we of Iosian, þe maide,
Þat com to hire fader & saide:
‘Sire,’ ȝhe seide, ‘whar Beues be,
Þat me miȝte him nouȝt fern i-se?’
‘Douȝter,’ a seide, ‘a is ifare
In to his londe and woneþ þare,
In to is owene eritage,
And haþ a wif of gret parage,
Þe kinges douȝter of Ingelonde,
Ase men doþ me to vnderstonde.’
Þanne was þat maide wo ynouȝ,
In hire chaumber hire her ȝhe droȝ
And wep and seide euer mo,
Þat sum tresoun þar was y-do:
‘Þat me ne telde ord and ende,
What dai awai whanne a wolde wende.’
Of Mombraunt þe king Yuor,
A riche king of gret tresore,
Whan he owhar to werre wolde,
Fiftene kinges him sewe scholde:
Comen a is Iosian to wedde;
Aȝen hire fader so a spedde,
Þat he hire grauntede to is wiue
And al is londe after is liue.
Þo Iosian wiste, ȝhe scholde be quen,
Hit was nouȝt be hire wille, i wen;
Hire were leuer haue had lasse
And haue be Beues is contasse.
Naþeles, now it is so,
Hire fader wil ȝhe moste do,
Ac euer ȝhe seide: ‘Beuoun,
Hende kniȝt of Souþ-Hamtoun,
Naddestow me neuer for-sake,
Ȝif sum tresoun hit nadde make:
Ac for þe loue, þat was so gode,
Þat i louede ase min hertte blode,
Ichaue,’ ȝhe seide, ‘a ring on,
Þat of swiche vertu is þe ston:
While ichaue on þat ilche ring,
To me schel noman haue welling,
And, Beues!’ ȝhe seide, ‘be god aboue,
I schel it weren for þe loue!’

Whan hit to þat time spedde,
Þat Yuor scholde þat maide wedde,
He let sende wiþ outen ensoine
After þe soudan of Babiloine
And after þe fiftene kinge,
Þat him scholde omage bringe,
And bad hem come lest & meste,
To onoure þat meri feste.