University of Virginia Library

Leir rex.

Þe fader was þo glad inou & bad ire vnderstonde
To ȝwan sse wolde imaried be mid þe þriddedel of is londe
Þe ȝongeste he esste þo as he adde þe oþere ido
Heo ne couþe of no vicelinge & ne ansuerede noȝt so
Sire heo sede ine leue noȝt þat min sostren al soþ sede
Ac auorneȝe me icholle soþ segge of þis dede
Ich þe louie as þe man þat my fader is
& euere abbe iloued as mi fader & euere wole iwis
& ȝif þou wole ȝut þer vppe more esse & wite of me
Al þe ende of loue & þe ground icholle segge þe
As muche as þou ast al so muche ȝou art worþ iwis
& as muche ich louie þe þe endinge lo is þis
Þe king was þo wroþ inou vor ȝo sede al þat soþ
& sede vor þou ne louest me noȝt as þin sostren doþ
Ac despisest me in min olde liue þou ne ssalt neuere iwis
Part abbe of mi kinedom ne of lond þat min is
Ac þine sostren ssolleþ abbe al vor hor herte is so kunde
& þou ssalt vor þin vnkundhede be out of al min munde
Ac ine segge noȝt ȝif ich may to mariage þe bringe
Þat inele wiþ oute lond wiþ some lutel þinge
Vor þou art mi doȝter & ich abbe more þan þin sostren boþe
I loued þe one þou ȝelst nou my loue wroþe
Þer after euene a tuo he delede is kinedom
& ȝef is tueie doȝtren half & half him sulf nom
& þe eldeste doȝter wiþ here del ȝef viþ oute faile
Þe king of scotlonde & þe oþer þe king of cornwaile
To abbe half is lond wiþ hom atte biginninge
& suþþe al is kinedom after is endinge
& þe gode cordeile vnmaried was so
Vor ȝo nolde vikeli as ire sostren adde ido
Ac god þouȝte ȝut on hire vor hire triwenesse
Vor þe king of france hurde telle of ire godnesse
& bed hire fader granti him þe gode cordeile
Þe king sende word aȝen þat it was wel is wille
Ac he nolde wiþ hire ȝiue tresor ne lond
Vor is tuo eldore doȝtren hit adde al an hond
Þo þe king of france hurde þis he ansuerede þer to
Þat he adde him sulf lond inou & tresour al so
& þat he ne kepte bote hire one wiþ oute alle oþer þinge