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Þe comli quen þan takeþ meliors by þe hande,
& bi-fore went william & after-ward þe quene;
brouȝt hem to a choys chaumber vnder þe chef toure,
þ[er]e were beddes busked for eny burn riche.
& tvo baþes were boun by a litel while,
& a-tired tryli to trusty trewe lordes.
sone þe quen kauȝt a knif & komli hire-selue
william & his worþi fere swiftli vn-laced
out of þe hidous hidus & in a hirne hem cast.
& whan þei were cloþed worþli in here wedes,
alle men vpon mold miȝt sen a fair coupel
þan was bi-twene william & þis worþi mayde.
þe quen hire clipt & kest & gret comfort made,
& seþþen bliue dede hem baþe boþe tvo wel faire,
& greiþed hem gaili in garnemens riche,
& manli made hem atte hese wiþ alle metes nobul,
& wiþ þe de[r]worþest deintes of drinkes þat were;
to munge more nis no ned nouȝt missed þei þanne.
whan þei merili at mete hade made hem at ese,
þat comli quen to william curtesli saide,
“swete sire, ȝe me saye what signe is þe leuest
to haue schape in þi scheld to schene armes?”
“bi crist, madame,” sede þe kniȝt “i coueyte nouȝt elles
but þat i haue a god schel[d] of gold graiþed clene,
& wel & faire wiþ-inne a werwolf depeynted,
þat be hidous & huge to haue alle his riȝtes,
of þe couenablest colour to knowe in þe feld;
oþer armes al my lif atteli neuer haue.”
þe quen þan dede comaunde to carfti men i-nowe,
þat deuis him were diȝt er þat day eue,
to wende in-to werre in world where him liked;
þat was perles a-parrayl to proue of alle gode.