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So hard was sche be-seged soþ for to telle,
& so harde sautes to þe cite were ȝeuen,
þat þe komli kerneles were to-clatered wiþ engines,
& mani of here miȝthi men murdred to deþe.
þerfor þe quen was carful & oft to crist preyed,
to sende hire sum socour þat sche saued were,
for marie his moder loue þat is of mercy welle.
I[n] swiche lif hade sche liued a long time to-fore,
& al duel þat sche drey was for hire douȝter sake.
but seþþe on þe selue niȝt þe soþe forto telle,
þat þe hert & þe hinde & here þridde fere
vnder þe castel in a crag cauȝt here rest,
þe quen was wery for-wept & went to bedde.
a selcoþe sweuen sone in hire bed sche mette;
hire þouȝt þat sche & hire [douȝter] on a dai al-one
weren passed priueli þe paleys bi a posterne ȝate
to pleie hem priueli in þe park þat to þe paleis longed.
hire þouȝt an hundered M̄ were hire a-boute
of lebardes & beres & alle bestes boute number,
Grimli gapande to greue hire & hire douȝter;
& riȝt as þo breme bestes hem boþe schold haue take,
here þouȝt, a wiȝt werwolf & to white beres
hieȝeden harde hem to help in þat ilk nede;
& whanne þo two white beres were com hem nere,
þei semde to hire siȝt tvo semli hertes;
& eiþer of hem a faire figure in here for-hed hadde.
þe huger hert in his hed had, as hire semede,
þe fasoun & þe forme of a fair kniȝt in feld,
& semde hire owne sone þat sche long hade missed.
þat oþer hert, as hire þouȝt þe schap hade of a mayde,
fairest of alle fetures þat sche to-for hadde seie,
& eiþer hert on his hed hadde, as hire þout,
a gret kroune of gold ful of gode stones,
þat semli was to siȝt & schined ful wide.
þan þouȝt hire þe werwolf & þe maide bi-laft;
& þe huge hert him-self hastili þat time,
aȝens alle þe bestes bliue went al-one,
& bar doun bi eche side ay þe boldest formast;
was non so stef him wiþ-stod so sternli he wrouȝt.
þe grettest of þe grim bestes he gat to prison sone;
a lyon & a lybard þat lederes were of alle,
hire þouȝt, þat huge hert hastili hade take,
& putte hem in hire prisoun to peyne hem at hire wille.
þe stoutest & þe sternest he stiȝtled sone after,
þat he ga[r]te þe grettest to hire prison louȝte;
& redli al þo remnant of þe rude bestes
for fere be-gunne to fle as fast as þei miȝt,
ouer dales & dounes for drede of the hert.
sone as þe hende hert hire hade deliuered,
& put here fram alle peril fro þe perilous bestes,
here þouȝt, sche went wiȝtli a-ȝen to þe castel,
& turned vp to þe heiȝest tour to bi-hold a-boute.
þan þout hire, þat hire riȝt arm last ouer rome,
& lelli hire left arm lai al ouer spayne,
& boþe þo komly kingdomes komen to hire wille,
forto herken al hire hest & hire wille worche.
here-of was sche al a-wondred & a-waked sone,
& for drede of hire drem deulfulli quaked,
& wepud wonder sore & wiȝtli hire cloþed,
& romed þan redli al redles to hure chapel,
& godly be-souȝt god to gode turne hire sweuen.