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Bladud rex. Leir rex.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
collapse sectionII. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Bladud rex. Leir rex.

& þat him miȝte suþþe rewe ich wolle telle þat cas
Vor þat men ssolde is enchantement se
He let him makie wengen an hei vor to fle
& þo he was iflowe an hei & ne couþe noȝt aliȝte
Adoun mid so gret eir to þen erþe he vel & piȝte
Þat al to peces he to rod þat betere him adde ibe
Abbe bileued þer doune þan ilerned vor to fle
Þis was þulke time þat þe prophete elye
In israhel prophete was & on vr louerd gan crie
Þat þer ne ssolde þre ȝer ne six monþes þer to
No rein come on erþe & it bi vel al so

50

After king baþulf leir is sone was king
& regnede þritti ȝer wel þor alle þinge
Vpe þe water of soure an cite of gret fame
He rerede & cluped it leicestre after is owe name
Þre doȝtren þe king adde þe eldost het gornorille
Þe midmeste het regan þe ȝongeste cordeille
Þe fader hom louede alle inou & þe ȝongost mest
Vor heo was best & veirest & to hautesse drou lest
Þo þe king to elde com alle þre he broȝte
Þe doȝtren bi vore him to witen of hor þoȝte
Vor he þoȝte his kinedom dele among hom þre
& lete hom spousi wel ȝwar he miȝte bise
To þe eldeste he sede verst doȝter bidde ich þe
Seie me al clene þin herte hou muche þou louest me

51

Min heie godes quaþ þis maide to wittnesse ich drawe echone
Þat ich louie more in min herte þi leue bodi one
Þane my soule oþer mi lif þat in mi bouke is
Þe fader was þo glad inou þo he hurde þis
Mi leue doȝter he sede þo vor þou ast in loue ido
Min olde lif biuore þin & biuore þi soule also
Ich þe wole marie wel mid þe þriddedel of mi londe
To þe nobloste bacheler þat þin herte wile to stonde
Þe oþer doȝter he esste þo þulke sulue askinge
Sire heo sede bi þe heie godes louerdes of alle þinge
Ich louie more þi swete [lif] þan al þat in þe worlde is
& þei al þe world were min & al þe richesse iwis

52

Al & eke min owe lif leuere me were lese
Þan þi lif þat me is so lef ȝif ich miȝte chese