University of Virginia Library

Whan þemperour had herd holly þise wordes,
he wax neiȝh out of wit for wraþ þat time,
& for dol a-doteþ & doþ him to hire chaumber,
& busked euene to hire bed but noþing he no fond,
wiþ-inne hire comly cortynes but hire cloþes warme.
wiȝtly as a wod man þe windowe he opened,
& souȝt sadli al a-boute his semliche douȝter,
but al wrouȝt in wast for went was þat mayde.
& whanne he miȝt in no manere meliors þer finde,
he deraied him as a deuel & dede him out a-ȝeine,
& asked of alisaundrine anon after þanne,
“þou damisele, deliuerli do telle me now ȝerne,
whider is mi douȝter went ȝhe nis nouȝt in bedde.”
alisaundrine for þat cas was sorwful in herte,
& seide, “sire, i seiȝ hire nouȝt seþ hieȝ midniȝt,
I wene sche went to william for wraþ of my sawe,
sendeþ swifteli þedir to scheche hire at is inne.
& ȝif william be nouȝt went witeþ ȝe forsoþe,
Mi ladi for ani lore lengeþ in þis cite ȝut.
& ȝif william be went neuer leue ȝe oþer,
Mi ladi lengeþ him wiþ for lif or for dede.”
þemperour for treie & tene as a tyraunt ferde,
wax ney wod of his witte & wroþliche seide,
“a! has þat vntrewe treytour traysted me nouþe,
For þe welþe & welfare i haue him wrouȝt fore,
& fostered fro a fundeling to þe worþiest of mi lond?
& for his dedes to-day i am vndo for euer;
eche frek for þis fare false wol me hold,
& þe grewes for gremþe ginneþ on me werre,
& eche weiȝh schal wite þat þe wrong is myne.
þer-fore bi grete god þat gart me be fourmed,
& bitterly wiþ his blod bouȝt me on þe rode,
alle men vpon molde ne schuld mak it oþer,
ȝif þat traytour mow be take to-day, er i ete,
he schal be honged heie & wiþ horse to-drawe!”
þemperour ful kenely dede kalle kniȝttes fele,
and oþer semly seriauns sixti wel armed,
het hem wiȝtli to wende to williams inne,
& ȝif þei found out þat freke for out þat bi-tidde,
to bring him bliue bounde fast him to-fore.
þai durste non oþer do but dede hem on gate,
& souȝte him wiþ sore hertes so wel þei him louede.
feiȝþli when þei founde him nouȝt fayn were þei alle,
& turned aȝein to þemperour & told he was a-weie.
þan brayde he brayn-wod & alle his bakkes rente,
his berde & his briȝt fax for bale he to-twiȝt;
& swowned sixe siþe for sorwe & for schame,
þat fals he schold be founde ful ofte he seide “allas,”
& banned bitterli þe time þat he was on liue
þanne kinges & kud dukes conforted him beter,
bede him sese of his sorwe & swiftili wende,
& telle þemperour of grece treuli þe soþe,
& meke him [in] his merci for his misse-gilt.
& he ketly for al kas after cunseyl wrouȝte,
& goþ to þemperour of grece vnglad at his herte,
kneleþ to him karfully & mercy him krieþ,
and told him as titly al þe treuþe sone,
how his douȝter was went wiþ on þat he fostred,
& preide him par charite þat he him wold wisse,
In what wise þat he miȝt best him a-wrek.
& whan þis tiding was told troweþ þe soþe,
In þat cite was sone many a sori burne,
for missing of þat mariage al murþe was seced,
riuedliche þurth rome & reuþe bi-gunne.
þe gode emperour of grece was a-greued sore,
of þat fortune bi-falle but for he sei þat oþer
so meken in his mercy for þat misgilt,
þe liȝtere he let þer-of ac lourand he seide;
“sire, be god þat me gaf þe gost & þe soule,
wist i now witerli þis were wrouȝt for gile,
alle þe men vpon mold no schuld make it oþer,
þat i nold brenne þi borwes & þi burnes quelle,
& sece neuer til þi-self were chamly destruyed.
but i wene wiþ þi wille was neuer wrouȝt þis gile,
þere-fore þe cunseil þat y kan i schal þe kiþe sone,
do quikliche crie þurth eche cuntre of þi king-riche,
þat barouns, burgeys, & bonde & alle oþer burnes,
þat mowe wiȝtly in any wise walken a-boute,
þat þei wende wiȝtly as wide as þi reaume,
þurth wodes & wastes & alle maner weies,
forto seche þat seg þat he haþ so bitraied;
& þat mayde him mide Meliores þi douȝter.
& to make eche man þe more beter wilned,
bi-hote hoo-so hem findes to haue so gret mede,
Riche to be & reale redly al his liue time.
& ho-so hastely nouȝt him hieȝ þis hest to worche,
do him in hast be honged & wiþ horse to-drawe.
& loke þat hirde-men wel kepe þe komune passage,
& eche brugge þer a-boute þat burnes ouer wende,
& to seche eche cite and alle smale þropes,
& vnparceyued passe þei nouȝt ȝif þi puple be treuwe.”