University of Virginia Library

The King of Cyprus with his court ryding
Endlang the strandis, in ane fair morning,
Beheld ane schipe with wind and waves dryve,
Quhilk on the cost be tempest did aryve,
Whairin war marchandis out of Sarisinis land.
The King descendit to heir of thair tydand.
They schew him that the Caine of Tartarie
With fortie thowsand Turkis was redie
To enter in his land incontinent,
And him persew with weiris vehement;
And said, that thay his ordinance had seine,
Quhilk on the sea war cumand all bedeine.

The King abaissit was [richt] grittumlie,
And for his counsall sent he haistilie;
And quhan that with his lordis he beine advysit,
For his vasselis to send thay have devisit,
That thay within fyve dayis sould compeir
On thair best wyse, on hors and armour cleir;
And to gar provide tounis with victuall,
For to withstand his foes that sould assaill.

This beand donne, the King and eike the Queine
To Bruland went, ane toun with wallis scheine,
And thair within providit for ane ȝeir.
His letters he derectit far and neir
In his cuntrie, and wairnit all his leigis
In ilk toun to provide for the seigis.
Thair com to Bruland be the fyvetine day
Awcht thousand speiris in full gud aray;
Of quhilkis the King held four thousand still,
The uther half they sent the Marches till,
To keip the cuntrie endlang the coast.
The Kingis will fulfillit ather host.

Within schort tyme the Turkis did aryve,
And to Bruland aprochit thay belyve,
And thair the seige full stronglie thay confirme;
The Sowdane with his lordis did determe
To have the toune or ever they fra it raid,
And thairon grit avoues have thay maid.

The King to counsall with his lordis went,
And ordanit folkis in guid abuilȝement
For to assay the Turkis day by day.
The Cyprianis rycht manfullie did assay
The Sarasinis full oft with sword and speir,
And ischit out on them with awfull feir;
On quhais meiting was grit occisioun,
On baith the sydis was slauchter rycht felloun.

The wird of quhilk com to the reallem of France,
Of quhilk the King had [so] grit displesance,
Twa thowsand speiris he sent them to support,
With his Constabill; quhilk redie maid at schort,
And passit [strait] to Cyprus the cuntrie,
To Carados ane walled toune by sea,
Whilk was ane myle from Bruland and no more,
Whair thay on Sarasinis assailȝit sore.

From France to Ingland com this ilk tyding.
When it consavit Philipon the King,
He was displeasit [eik] in great maneir,
The King of Cyprus was his cousing neir.
First with his counsall he did him advyse,
Syne to Clariodus upon this wyse
He said, Ȝe ar ane Knicht of nobill fame,
Throuchout the warld spargit is ȝour name;
My brother of Cyprus and eame I mone support,
Quhairfoir ȝe take with ȝow ane lustie sorte
Of men of armis, aucht hundreth that ar wicht,
And speid ȝow to the thrist with all ȝour micht;
For ȝe sall capitane be and governour
Unto that rout as Knicht of great valoure.
Then said Clariodus, I thank ȝow grittumlie,
Ȝour Heines Sir, that me so nobillie
List to advance into so heich renoune:
Bot I ungainand am; be this resoune,
He sould ane lord be of gritter knowlege
And wit of weirlie experience and age
Nor am I: ȝit to take sic thing on hand,
Nocht this I say, ȝour Heichnes to gainstand;
For I no tyme ȝour command will refuse,
My unsufficience I speke this to excuse.
Thair is no bute heirin to speik no more,
Clariodus most neidis make thore.
The King gart soune his Letters furth adres
For knichtis of grit fame and worthines.
When that the armie cuming was all cleir,
Clariodus, he said, on this maneir,
Thir folkis I beteach in ȝour keiping,
More trusting in ȝour wit and governing
Nor ony uther Knicht in all my ringne;
This companie thairfor I ȝow resigne,
Beseikand ȝow tham wyslie to demane,
Whill ȝe in Ingland visie us againe.
With that he did imbrace Clariodus,
Taking his leave with wordis pitious;
Wha said unto the King, Wald God that I
All ȝour command sall doe so diligently,
Efter my wit and my knowleging,
That to ȝour Heichnes salbe grit pleasing.
With wordis of pitie and of tendernes
He tuike his leave this nicht; and did adres
Unto the Queine, and tuike his leave humblie;
And at Meliades, quhilk secreitlie
Bad him, that he sould quyetlie at eve,
Unto hir wairdrope cum and take his leave.

Meliades unto hir chalmer went,
And all hir ladies unto thair bedis sent,
Saying, scho was disposit hevilie,
Whairfor scho wald that nicht [all] quyetlie
Repose hir in hir wardrop at hir ease.
This Ladie, quhom na joyes micht appease
For the departing of Clariodus,
With ane regrating wondour dolorus
Adoune scho set hir at hir bed feit,
Full sorrowfull, and bristing out of greit,
Bedewing all hir gudlie visage faire
With teiris bricht, out letting siches sair,
As scho that mundane joy [wald ay] denud.
Romaryn bad hir be in comfort gud,
And preichit hir with wirdis of plesance;
Saying, Madame, in heart take no pennance,
For ȝe sould rather glaid and mirrie be,
Considdering that he passis in suplie
Of Cristine men, the Sarasinis to resist.
All this micht not hir from weiping desist,
Bathit in teiris wox hir bricht visage;
Scho said, Let be, how sould my wo asswage,
When he that is the flour of chivalrie,
So luifing me, and I him so tenderlie,
Sall pairt from me into so far cuntrie,
Nocht witing efter if I sall him se;
Now quhat sall wird of me fra he be gone?
My heart is deid and cauld lyke ony stone;
Ha Romareine, aleace, quhat sall I say,
How sould I leive, my heart is all away!

Thus weipit scho and waillit pitiouslie,
That ony wicht micht rewth have and mercie
Hir to behold, or ȝit in chalmer be;
Thair is no wicht so crewell but pitie,
That micht from teiris hold, or ȝit conteine
Of weiping, fra this Lady he had seine.
Softly scho said, Romaryn go espy,
Furth at the garding postrum quyetly,
If that my Knicht be cumit thair or nocht.
This Romaryn hes hir commandement wrocht,
And fand him at the ȝet, and him resavit;
Syne up to wardrope passit unpersavit,
[Where that his Ladie lay on couch alone]
Deadlie of cheir as in her lyfe war none.
Adoune he sat besyd hir on his kne,
For love of God, he said, Madame, let be
Ȝour cair and woe, and take to ȝow glaidnes;
For out of dread, I have more hevines
For sorrow of ȝow nor dowbill of my smert
Albeit that daith sould take me be the heart;
Ȝe aucht be glaid, Madame, of this voyage,
For all my freindis of this ilk passage,
This wait I weill, thay sould it mirrie maik,
And sorie be if it I sould forsaike;
Quhilk if I had for ony dreid refuisit,
Of couardice men wald me have accusit,
Than had I beine degradit and unabill
To love ane Kingis dochter amiabill.
Madam, have mercie on ȝour awin woe;
Gif ȝe no list, aleace, for to do so,
For love of God then mercie have on me,
That may for pitie not susteine to se
The sorowful sicht of ȝow my Ladie sweit.
With that the Knicht anone brist out to greit,
That he no wirdis mo as then micht speke
For inwart wo; it seamit his heart sould breke,
So did the swird of sorrow throw it glyd.
Thir loveris weiping [so] on everie syd,
Ouercum with painis innumerabill,
With sighis and sobis uncoverabill
Within thair breists, that long they spake na thing,
For nather of them could ane word out bring;
With hir was nocht, bot ay, Aleace, my Knicht!
And he againe, Aleace, my Ladie bricht!
And thus thay fure quhile it was neir the day,
Than [wakefull] Romaryn did often say,
The nicht was fullie gone, [the] day aprochit;
Quhilk wird outhrow [baith] thair heartis brochit
Scharp as ane lance, quhilk neidit not I weine,
For sorrow aneuch was ellis thame betwine.
Then said Clariodus, My Lady bricht,
Thair is no mair, Fairweill, and have gud nicht;
I recommend me to ȝour ladyheid,
Oft prayand God preserve ȝour gudlieheid;
Think on my faith, think on my trew service,
Think on ȝour Knicht. And quhen Meliades
Saw no refuge, bot he wald pairt hir fro,
In swoune scho fell for inward paine and woe.
In armis softlie tuike Clariodus,
And with ane cheir full sad and dollorus,
On bed hir laid full tenderlie and soft,
And with his hands he held hir heid on loft,
Beholding on hir gudlie visage cleir,
Whairon the rolling teiris did appeare,
As bricht dew dropis upon the lillie quhyte;
Quhairof the deadlie woe can no man indyt,
Nor half the cair of Sir Clariodus;
His hard regrat to heir was pitious.
With cauld rose water com Romaryn fast,
And on hir face and handis did it cast;
Bot lang scho lay with deadlie visage greine,
That it was rewth and pitie for to seine.
And quhen that scho ouircom, scho did up braid,
Whair beine my Knicht Clariodus? scho said.
Quoth he, My heartis Ladie I am heir,
For love of God make now sum better cheir,
And think that we sall meit ȝit efter this,
Quhen we sall have ineuch of joy and blis;
My only Ladie traist withoutin dreid,
That for ȝour saike againe I sall me speid
Into all haist; and eik ȝe sal beleive,
That I so laith am ȝow [thus] for to greive,
That lang I sall not byd from ȝour presence,
For unto me ane death is ȝour absence.
Forsuith scho said, Clariodus, I trow
That of this warld depairts from uther now
The trewest lovers, and the maist faithfull eike;
And of ane thing my Knight I ȝow beseike,
Thocht ȝe be far fra me in ane strange ringne,
That ȝe be neir to me in sweit thinking;
And all of sabill salbe myne aray
Whill ȝe returne, thairfor make no delay;
Ȝe sall have heir of gold ane diamant,
When ȝe it se of me be memorant.
And he gave hir ane rubbie bricht of hew;
With that imbracing can thir lovers trew,
And kissit utheris with tearis distelling,
And so weill long thay stud without speiking.

Depairtit thus the Knicht Clariodus,
And his Ladie, with sighis dollorus.
It sould me vex and eik my auditouris,
For to indyte the half of thair dolouris;
Furth of the chalmer went this wofull wicht,
With sorrowsull teiris blindit was his sight;
To the postrum Romaryn him convoyit,
And he, that with melancholie was anoyit,
Streinȝit hir hand and micht na wirds out bring,
And to his chalmer went with sair sighing,
And upon groufe fell on his bed adoune,
Making ane sorrowfull lamentatioun;
Quhilk war ouer tedious heir for to rehearse,
Quhairfor I will not put it into verse.
He tuike na claithis off, he list not to sleip,
Bot quhile the day he did compleine and weipe.

Romaryn unto hir Ladie went, and said,
Madam, take comfort and anon be glaid,
Ȝour Knicht is trew, and will belyve returne
As he hes heicht, and will not long sojorne;
And furth scho preichit hir ane fair sermoune:
Syne in hir bed scho hes hir laid adoune,
Whair scho maid ane regrat lamentabill,
Whilk to ane bissie mynd is importabill
To beir, to aprehend, or to indyte;
And eik hir wo me irkis for to wryte,
For never quhill scho saw hir Knicht againe
Scho dansit, sang, or wore ane hew bot ane,
And that was sabill, signe of steidfastnes;
For so hir heart was cled with hevines,
That scho no list to cum in companie,
Bot solitar to walke all quyetlie.

As goldin Phebus the bricht illuminar,
Ascendit in the orient preclair,
And his diurnall course had new begune,
Full lustillie up raise this Mars his sone,
The flour of armis nixt God armipotent;
Clariodus, I meane, full diligent
Addressit him at morne to his jurnay,
With all the hast and labour that he may.
When he had servit God and taine disjune,
The trumpits blew to hors ane mirrie tune;
He lape on hors, and all his companie;
The Court did him convoy rycht honorabillie,
With all the nobill folkis of the toun:
Thus raid they furth with trumpit and clarioun
Whill thay sex myle had him convoyit,
Thay tuike thair leave, baith burges and barrnet,
And hame returnit to Windischore againe.

Clariodus anone the flude hes taine,
He schippit in and all the reall sorte,
And soune they did arive at Bruland porte;
So weill to tham did Eolus his part,
Keiping the wind from everie contrair airt,
That be the help of him and Neptunus,
Withouttin storme or raine tempesteous,
Into the port of Carados thay aryve,
And from the schipe went unto land belyve;
Whom soune persavit hes the garitouris,
That in the toune and wallis lay and bouris,
And tauld the King of sic ane companie
Had in thair port aryvit haistilie.
Blyth was the King and glaid, for weill he wist
That they war freindis, his foes to resist.

When the grit Constabill of France hard tyding
Of Sir Clariodus suddant aryveing,
Rycht glaid he was, for divers to him schew
Of his valiant deidis and his vertew;
Whairfor on hors ascendit he anone,
And diverse lordis maid with him to gone,
And with grit honour met Clariodus,
With knichtis valiant and verteous,
Saying, That he was welcum in that land:
And ather hes taine uther be the hand,
And tenderlie maid thair aquentance;
Syne to the toune returnit with plesance,
And royallie in at the portis raid.
The Frensch Constabill hes grit instance maid
Unto Clariodus, with him to go
To supper, and his tender cousingis two;
He grantit him, and baid his companie,
The fairest luging and the maist gudlie
Of all the toun, and thair harberie take;
Foure louetennents thairefter gart he make,
To put his folkis in rewle and governance;
To supper syne thay passit with plesance.
And so among all uther commoning,
He speirit of the tounis beseiging;
And syne of thame within and thair defence,
And of the Cainis hé magnificence,
Of everilke skirmage and new debait
Of Cyprianis and of Saraseinis of lait.
The Constabill utart everie thing at richt,
Wha wan the feild, and quha was put to flicht.
Whilk commoning was plesant and joyous
Unto the heiring of Sir Clariodus,
Wha tuike his leave when the supper was done,
And to his folkis haistit him full soune,
And bad them all be readie be the day,
Inarmit weill, and into gud aray,
For he wald let them wit of his cuming.
Thay grantit glaidlie all to his biding.

Clariodus reposit him that nicht,
And on the morne, be the day waxit licht,
He ischit furth with all his companie,
Enarmit at all peices nobillie,
And on the Heathine host full hardilie
He maid ane haistie onset, with ane cry,
The mightie God namand upon height;
With that they ruschit on them with sic micht
Throuchout the host alsweith raise the affray,
For thay war taine all out of [gud] aray.
Our Cristine men so fearcelie them assaillit,
That baith in strenth and hardiment thay faillit.
Bot throw the bugills and the clariouns soundis,
Returnit all this false heard of Mahoundis,
And cruellie set on Clariodus:
Bot he, that was both wyse and chevalrus,
Loude his anseinȝe he did among them cry,
And with his hé renownit companie,
With speiris scharp so manlie with them delt,
Whill monie of thame anone the deid hes felt;
Of quhilk up raise the clamour and the sound,
That all the wallis rang of Bruland toun,
And all the toun of Carrados also;
The King himself unto the wallis did go,
The Constabill of France with monie knicht.

Be this the day upcleirit and wox licht,
Whair thay micht weill behold the battell,
Wha did defend, and wha did best assaill.
Ferce was the fight, and awful for to se,
On ather syd thair was bot Do or die.
Clariodus with michtie speir in hand
Assailȝeit so, no man micht him gainstand,
Bot ather man or hors ȝeid to the eard,
Among the Heathen so manlie he him steird.
When monie ane speir he brokin had asunder,
He drew his sword, and focht that it was wonder
Him to behold, quhilk as ane lyoun wod
Never seicit to sched his foes bluid.
Befor his face, loe, heir ane knicht goes doun,
And thair ane uther lyis into swoune,
The thrid on arsoun gapis as he war deid,
Fra sum he carves the arme, and sum the heid,
That of his deidis grite plesour had the King,
And so had all the peple auld and ȝing.
The French Constabill persavit everilk deill,
How no helme micht gainstand his brand of steill,
And how the Heathin he huntit to and fro,
Howbeit thay war fighteris monie mo,
Saying, He wenit into threttie knichts
Had never beine the curage nor the michts,
That he saw into that Knicht that day.
His hé honour on all sydis praisit thay.
Ane Heathin Knicht that was of maist renoune
On Saraseinis syd, prysit ane champioun,
That to the Caine was verie neir cousigne,
Quick throw the thikest of the preise did thring,
And set upon Clariodus the gud;
He, as [ane] lyoun, asper, feirce and wod,
Ane speir recoverit [lyand] neir him by,
And met the Knicht so wonder feircelie,
And so him raife all throuch the bodie out,
That to the eard he duschit doun but doubt.
With that on height he cryit on his ansinȝe,
And he, quhom that no Turkis micht dereinȝe,
Set on them new with all his companie
With so grit curage and so hardilie,
And cryit upon the Heathine with ane schout,
And with thair steillit brandis that war stout,
Thay said thair sydis for till sow full saire,
And dang thame doune in draves heir and thair,
Whill all the feilds with deid bodies war spred,
And all the Heathinis gave thair bake and fled.

Be that the nicht aprochit was and neir,
That skantlie men as than micht know thair feir;
Quhairfor he left the chase as [for] that nicht,
And enterit in the toune with wallis wicht
Of Carados againe to his luging.
The Constabill with folkis auld and ȝing,
Of all the toune him met triumphantlie,
[Who had that day behavd so valiantlie,]
Him welcuming with nobill feist and cheir,
Being to the toun convoyit on blyth maneir.
The fair begining maid Clariodus
Upon the Heathene, that was utragius;
Whome I leave in the weiris on this wayis,
And speike I will of fair Meliades.

Quhen it was manifest to this trator Knight,
The Kingis brother, full of fraud and slicht,
How that Clariodus with ane armie
In Cyprus land was [thus] in chevalrie,
The Count of Estur home to his cuntrie
Was went also, his barnage for to see,
He feinȝit letteris of his awin indyte,
Throw his [foull] invy, malice and dispyte,
As they had cumit from Clariodus
Unto the Kingis dochter, beiring thus,
That scho the King sould poysoun presentlie,
That thay the cuntrie micht posseid thairby.
Quhilk letteris in a bag they had bein closit,
And with ane mynd wonder evill disposit,
Unto the King he went in secreit wayis;
The Queine intill ane uther chalmer lyis
Richt weill at ease, and wist nocht of this thing.
This tratour Knicht hes schawin to the King,
That Sir Clariodus had letters sent
Unto his dochter Meliades the gent,
To poysoune him, that thay micht be his airis;
And so the tressoun furth to him declairis,
And schew him furth thir letteris oppinlie,
That he himself had dyttit traitourouslie,
And said, that in ane taverne quhair he lay,
Ane messinger thair ludgit in the way,
And in his drukinnes, as did befall,
Out of his bulgit schuik his letters all;
Ane varlot of the taverne thame up tuike,
And brocht them me upon the morne to luike,
And of this mater of me he was so red
[When of the letters I him questioned]
He him absentit and hes fled away;
Quhairfor in hast, without ony mair delay,
I com to warne ȝow of this false treasoun.
The King him trowit, and without reasoun,
For hastilie credit he wald gif all tyme,
An war it anents never so grit ane cryme,
Quhilk is ane fault full grit into ane King;
He braid unto his sword, rycht haistining,
And wald have went his dochter for to sla.
This tratour wist if he went out sa,
That redderis sould have maid impediment,
For all hir lovit that upon hir blent.
Na, Sir, he said, my counsall ȝe sall doe,
Sum burriouris ȝe sall gar cum ȝow to,
And tham command to worke at my bidding,
And I sall caus but ony persaving,
That scho be taine and slaine without the toun,
And thus sall endit be hir false treasoun;
I taike on me to taike him efterwart,
And of sik justice gif to him his part.

The King neir wode in his melancholie,
Hes gart be brocht thir murtherers in hy,
And them commandit under all heist paine,
That his ane dochter sould with thame be slaine,
That litill wist, aleace, of this mater,
For paine inewch was at hir heart full neir
For the lang absence of Clariodus.

This traitour Knicht hes furth delyverit thus,
And went to the chalmer of Meliades,
And cryit furth on hir this hastie wayis
Unto the King. And scho but mair abaid
Obayit him, and on hir kne abraid,
Sum deill affrayit, furth scho did hir marke
In treases with hir kirtill and hir sarke,
For scho was ay obedient, meike and wyse,
And beningne alse, as heart could [eer] devyse,
Trusting hir father had beine at sum malice;
My deirest on, scho said, quhat may ȝow pleis?
The King, he said, wald speike with ȝow allone.
He wald not let Romaryn with hir gone.
And quhen, aleace, thistender innocent,
Thus with hir Eame throw the hall is went,
He hir delyverit hes or he wald stint
To the murderer, quhilk haistilie hir hint
On felloun wayis, rycht rudlie with rusching,
Nocht handillit as the dochter of a King,
Bot as trespassour with awfull cheir and schore;
Hir tender bonis thay stronglit all so sore
Scho wald have cryit; bot scho micht not, alleace,
So with hir courtche they wompillit all hir face,
Stopping hir mouth so hard and cruellie
[That] scho micht uneis draw hir breath gudlie:
So furth at ane privie postrum hir led
Suiftlie to ane forrest as the traitour bad,
To murther hir quhar na man micht tham se.

Ah! be this warldis instabilitie
Wha sould in riches or hie estate beleive,
Sen nane the chance of fortoune [can] echeve!
Hir variance and unstabillitie
Alyke is redie to heich and law degre;
For febilnes oft cumis efter micht,
And efter dayis cumis the dewlie nicht,
And oft tymis joy cumis efter sorrow and caire,
And efter winter cumis the sumer fair;
Throw wyldnes of [the] frostis and of haill,
Murnis full oft the merie nichtingall,
And blythlie singis on the ilk branch againe
Quhair scho befor had weipit hard for paine:
So men full oft throw walth and grite riches
Fallis in povertie and in febilnes,
Whom efter fortoune glaidlie dois restore
To mair honour nor ever thay war before;
And ȝit thairefter slydis doune fra hir quheill,
From weill to woe, and syne from wo to weill.
This transitorie joy it micht not lest,
Heir is no ease bot trubill and unrest;
For alse unsiker is heir ȝour dwelling,
All changing is our joy fra abyding.

Schir Thomas is returnit to the King,
And said, Be glaid, Sir, take gud conforting,
Ȝe ar delyverit weill and hastilie
Of ȝone wickit and deidlie enemie,
I thinke to delyver ȝow eik also
Of him that is the worker of this wo;
Ȝe sall the morne gar call to ȝow the Queine,
And all ȝour maist familiaris bedeine,
And schaw to them the cace how it is went;
And gif that thay be not thairwith content,
Ȝe sall them punisch as it weill effeiris,
Sen that ȝe know the danger that appeiris.
When this was donne he passit to his bed,
Thinkand that he his purpose weill had sped.

The King, in his melancolike passioun,
The nicht all ower turnit up and doune,
And in his breist ay wirking to and fro
This suddane vengance and [alse] haistie wo
Upon his dochter and himself in eike,
For sake of hir that seamit wyse and meike,
And syne so sweit and fair ane creature,
And so weill taught and lovit abone measoure,
And was his only bairne withoutin mo;
Unsufferabill was his paine and wo
For his awin chyld of fatherlie pitie,
That scho the caus of sic ane treasoune be.

Romarein trowit, that scho so long abaid,
The King in tender commoning hir had
Of plesand materis, so that scho thocht not lang;
And this scho thocht, aleace, scho thocht all wrang,
It was not so, it was the more pitie,
Scho being of so wounderfull bewtie.

Upon the morne the King sent for the Queine,
And tauld hir of Meliades the scheine,
And quhat was wrocht; thair is no mair to tell,
With pitious cry scho to the eard doun fell
In swouning cauld, and with ane deidlie face,
And of hir ladies oft was the Aleace!
Then nobill knichts with wofull heartis ran,
And held hir up with visage paill and wan.

When this is knowin in castell and in toun,
The clamour raise with lamentatioun
Amongis the pepill, with hiddious noyis and beir
[For sake of her, that was their Princess deir,]
Them selfs demainand that pitie was to see,
Wringand thair handis, and cryand for pitie,
Beitting thair breistis and face sorowfullie,
And tormenting them selfs without mercie.
No wofuller in Troy raise up the soun,
For Hectoris daith, thair mightie champioun;
Nor quhen the Greikis enterit in thair ire
In ower thair wallis, and set thair toun on fyre,
And slew Priam, and brint Paladeon,
Nor was into the court of Philipon,
With lamentatioun, and with sorrowfull cry,
For hir that was the richt lodstar and gy
Of vertew, bewtie, and of gentilnes,
Fredome, renoune, honour, and nobilnes.
Wo worth the King, thay cry, and his counsell,
Doing this deid so wickit and cruell,
Quhilk sall this realme turne to distructioun
By the vengence that sall from hevine stryke doun
Upon [thir] wretchis for the blood saikles
Of hir that in all vertew stude maikles
Into this wyde warld without comparisoun;
Fy on the murtherers! fy on the false trasoun!
Fy on the cruell daith for ever more!
The skaith is done that no man may restore.
Bot had it beine kend to the pepill thair,
How that Sir Thomas kindlit had thair cair,
He hade beine rent thair with ane thowsand handis,
That ȝit the mater na thing understandis.
Romaryn rave hir hair out with hir neives,
And with hir cairfull voice the court scho deives,
Smyting hir face that sorow was to se.
Now of this lamentatioun let I be,
And speik I will of fair Meliades,
How that scho was demainit, and quhat wayis.

When that thir four murthereris anone
War with the Ladie to the forrest gone,
And had hir brocht unto the samine steide,
Whair [that] they thought to put hir to [the] deid,
Thay said, Ladie, richt heir mone ȝe die;
Hir countinance than pitie was to se;
Trembling for dreid, abaisit of hir cheir,
With quaiking voice scho said, My frindis deir,
Why sould I die? Have ȝe that in command?
What have I donne? Thay said, without demand
We wait no caus, but we commandit ar
To slay ȝow heir, dreidles we want no mair.
Then fell scho on growse richt pitiouslie
Befor thir murthereris, asking ay mercie
Full rewthfullie, with lamentabill voice,
For love of Jesus that diet on the crose,
With ȝour waponis have pitie me to ding,
Thinke that I am the dochter of a King,
Let manlie pitie enter in ȝour hearts,
To doe to me, ane sillie woman, smarts,
And thinke that of ane woman ȝe war borne;
Mercie, for him that wore the croune of thorne,
Of me, alleace, that may ȝow not gainstand,
That now ȝour scharpe swordis hes in [ȝour] hand.
Thay said, No buite is for to carpin so,
We mone our selfs be slaine or ellis ȝow slo.
Then towart hir they went with awfull fair.
Now grant me this, scho said, I aske no mair,
Let me heir to God do my oratioun,
Syne this mone be my last devotioun.
Go speid ȝow soune, quoth thay, and tarie nocht.
Alleace, hir spirit than was all on flaucht.
Doune on hir kneis scho sat full humbillie,
Quaiking as aspe, and schaiking pitiouslie,
For dreid of daith asrayit out of measure
Fra that scho saw [that] thair was no favour.
Scho said, O Lord, that sittis in hevinis hé,
Of mercie King, thow mercie have on me;
As thow disdainit for me thy creature
To licht into the glorious virgine pure,
And sufferit for me deidlie woundis fyve,
And raise upon the third day [syne] to lyve,
And syne asscendit to the hevinis with glore,
Thow grant me this that meikle I implore;
As I am innocent of this mateir,
Have mercie on me, Lord, I thé require,
And save me from thir tormentouris fell,
Quhilk in this wood with waponis wald me quell.

When scho had prayit lang upon this wyse,
To God scho hir betaught, and syne did ryse;
Syn to hir tormentouris scho did returne:
And thay that hard hir praying thus and murne,
And hard hir pitious lamentatioun,
Hir bening wordis and hir orisoun,
Weill knew of gylt that scho was all saikles;
Whairfor they rewit on hir hevines;
They went altogither, and was advysit
To banisch hir, quhilk soune they have devisit,
And thocht thay wald hir nocht saikleslie slo;
And, thus according, [unto] hir they goe:
And scho, that weinit to have bein deid anone,
Fell into swound alse cauld as ony stone;
And quhen scho overcome, scho cryit Mercie:
Thay said, Lady, for rewth we will apply
To save ȝour lyfe, bot ȝe sall banischit be;
For verilie we think it grit pitie,
To slay ane Ladie of so grit bewtie.
Scho thankit them on kneis heartfullie,
And with hir armis small thair legs imbract,
And height to take the sea in all heast,
Saying, Fair siris, I may ȝow never aquite,
That me to leive hes grantit sik respite;
Rewardis I have none to give ȝow heir,
Sic as I have sik sall ȝe have but weir;
Scho hir denudit of hir vestur thair,
And left no thing upon hir bodie faire
Except hir sark bot scho to them it gave;
Thay neidit nothing at hir [for] to crave,
For scho them frelie offerit but disdaine
All that scho tursit, but hir litill chaine.

When this was donne thay to toun tham adresst;
And scho in middes of the wyld forrest
Full waine of wemen was left hir alone;
Hir visage was all [weit and] wobegone,
In sarke allone, withoutin cloathes moe,
At midnicht mirke, and wist not quhair to go.

To Shir Thomas thay turnit hame againe,
And tauld him that the Ladie thay had slaine.
With wordis fair so flatterit he the King,
He was content quhen he hard this tyding;
The auld servandis haill he gart remove,
That to the King [leill] favour had or love;
Whom he suspectit gart banisch furth totell,
And quhom he lovit thay still in Court did dwell:
So be his wickit wayis of trasoune,
He brocht this realme neir to confusioun.
He dreid the Count of Esturis ham cuming;
Quhairfor he sent to him but tarying
Counterfute letters upon the Kingis name,
That he sould dwell in his cuntrie at hame
Ay quhill he send to him ane wryting [cleir,]
Or ellis that he sould cum on no maneir.

This Lady naikit in the wood allone
Full pitiouslie did weipe and make hir mone,
Beseikand God to send hir help and grace
To schape out of that dreidfull wildernes.
Scho passit furth and wist not quhair to go,
Into the wood ay turnand to and fro
Forward and bakward amongs the thornis keine
Whill all to rent on breeris hir sarke beine;
And quhen scho hard ocht steiring hir besyde
Into ane busch full darne scho wald hir hyde,
Quaiking for dreid that folk sould hir espy
And murther hir, alleace, scho wist not quhy;
Whyllis scho wald ly still and tak [gude] keip,
And uther quhyllis out throw the hedgis creipe,
Whill that hir hyd as lustie lillie quhyt,
Whairon to luike was sumtyme grite delyte,
Was all to rent and carvin heir and thair
With thornie pikis wounding hir full sair;
Hir tender hyd and [lustie] snow quhyt skine,
As Mayis blossome, smoth, [and] quhyt and thine,
Was all depaint, allace, of reid cullour,
As mixteoun of rose and lillie flour,
Throw blood that was [from] hir bodie berest,
As scho with scurgis had beine all to best.

That nicht scho passit with so grit pennence,
Praying to God with bening sufference.
And be the morrow cleirit up alyte,
Out of the forrest scho was passit quite;
Then went scho furth in warld scho wist no quhair,
Whill that for fault of meit scho hungerit sair.
Syne of ane litill hous scho gat ane sight,
To quhilk scho did hir speid with all hir might,
Whair scho ane woman fand, to quhome scho said,
Fair dame, for love of that ilk blissit maid,
That bure the birth that sufferit for us deid,
Refresch me with ane litill peice of breid,
And gif me of ȝour almous for to eit,
That am in poynt to swone for want of meit.

This woman was bot rud of conditioun,
And hir beheld so maiglit up and doune,
Scho said, Evill woman fra my dore ȝe go,
And ask them meit that thé demainit so.
Then weipit scho that was full will of reid,
And furth scho past, asking of God remeid.
Richt far scho went and saw na kynd of toune,
For fault of foude scho was in poynt to swone;
Febill scho wox, and full of hevines,
That had beine in rest with all tendernes;
Be surfute of travell and hir grit rebute,
Quhilk was not wonit to gang upon hir fute,
Hir tyrrit lymis no farther micht hir beir;
Whairfor in heart scho had full mikle feare.
Bot, as God wald, ane uther hous scho saw,
And as scho micht scho towardis it could draw,
And fand the gudwyfe standing in the dore;
Scho said, Have mercie on me ane woman pure,
That far hes gaine without cloathis or fude;
For love of him that stervit on the rude,
Ȝe me refresch with sum pairt of ȝour meit,
As I that hungrie am and faine wald eit.

This woman was in heart merciabill;
When scho had hard hir wordis lamentabill,
Scho hir beheld that fair was for to se,
Replenischit with wonderfull bewtie,
Hir plesant port, hir sweit and louesum face,
Hir bricht hairis wyde wavelling out of lace,
Hir snow quhyt face with bloud all reid depaint,
Hir self so made, so weirie and so faint,
Hir lustie visage all with teiris weite,
As bricht dew dropis on the lillie sweit;
So sore with mercie hir heart was owercum
Hir to behold weiping so allone,
Scho grat for rewth, and tuike hir in hir hous,
Saying, My doghter how hes it happinit thus?
I trow sum folk that hes beine evill advisit,
For ȝour grit bewtie hes ȝow thus supprysit.
Nay, said this Ladie, traist ȝow verilie,
That I am undeflorit of my bodie
Of all filthines or sic corruptioun;
Fair dame, have mercie on my infortoun,
And schaw me how my leving I sall wine,
And quhat labour first I sall [to] begyne;
I wald doe service faine for my living,
And sall be leill, doubt ȝe na uther thing.
Ane peice of gray breid the wyfe hes to hir brocht,
The quhilke to eate [scho] wounder gud it thocht,
That breid of maine to hir was never so sweit,
Quhilk plesantlie scho tuike and [soon did] eate:
Ane drinke of water than to hir scho gave,
Saying, My dochter, so mote God me save,
I wald wisch ȝow unto sum gud maistres,
Bot ane poure woman is myself doubtles,
I may ȝow not susteine [long] heir with me;
I have ane cummer dwelling by the sea,
That deallis with marchandice and hes riches,
And mister hes of servantes as I ges,
I traist scho sall resave ȝow in service;
Scho is alse full of vertew and gentrice:
Bot ȝe ar naikit, and thairfor, Alleace!
And I have no gud claithes in this place
Ȝow for to geive; bot for my saullis heill,
For love of God sumthing sall I [ȝow] deill.
Ane old sakcloath [belyve] scho brocht hir thair,
And hes it put upon the Lady faire,
And with ane corde it fessonit hir about.
On humbill wayis scho thankit hir but doubt,
Saying, Fair dame, God ȝow forwaird and quyte,
And gif to ȝow the kinrike of delyte,
For it that ȝe have gevine me richt heir,
Of meit, and cloathes, and meritabill cheir.

This Gudwyfe raise, and said, My dochter fair,
Now goe with me. Togidder then thay fair
Unto the sea strandis whill thay [be] come;
Scho fand hir cummer at hir hous at home,
Scho helsit hir, and on this wayis scho said,
Commer, I have brocht [heir] to ȝow ane maid
That wald have service, and ȝe have mikill to do,
I dare be bought that vertewouse is scho;
Scho is weill taught, and full of gude maneir,
Scho gainis weill to be ȝour chalmerer.
Ha, gude cummer, that is weill said of ȝow!
Ane chalmerer! and waits not quhair nor how
That scho is cumit, or gif that scho be leill,
I have no will with strangeris to dealle.
This Lady said, Fair lady, have ȝe no dreid,
I sall keipe lawtie baith in word and deid.
The Gudwyfe, both for rewth and for pitie,
And for the prayer of hir commer, sche
Hes hir resavit into hir service,
And hir assignit to ane [mein] office.

The woman passit to hir hous againe.
Meliades in service did remaine
With hir maistres; the quhilk unto hir said,
Now, at this tyme ȝe mane be bissie, maid,
For unto Estur cuntrie mone we saill;
If it lykis ȝow with me for to travell,
Go beare ane fardill of ȝon wole anone
Unto the schipe, quhilk readie is to gone.
And quhen the Lady hard of this tiding,
Scho was full glad, and said, At ȝour lyking,
To saill or go ather be land or sea.
Speid hand, the gudwyfe said, for cheritie.
The wole to beir scho helpit hir maistres,
Whill it unto the schipe all caried was.
The marineris be then all redie wer
Out of the hevin to pas; the day was cleir,
The winde was gud, and up the saills thay drew,
Full fast thay glyd, out throw the floodis they flew,
Whill thay com to the cuntrie of Esture.
When thay aryvit into ane port full sure,
Swyth landit this Gudwyfe with hir new maid,
Whair thay fand cairtis, and theron hes laid
Thair merchandeice, and unto Estur toune
Thir twa ar past or that thay maid sojorne,
Whilk was the fairest toune in that cuntrie,
Thair dwellis the Earle and eike the Ladie frie.
Meliades full nait and bissie was
To beir at the command of hir maistres
The woll unto hir cousigne [saif]; and syne
Hir maistres gave hir quyet discipleine,
Saying, My dochter, be bissie in service,
My awnt the better [then] will ȝow chereice,
For I perchance will leave ȝow with hir heir,
Quhair ȝe may vertew and gude maners leir;
What is ȝour name anone ȝe to me schaw?
Scho said, My name is Ladar, ȝe sall knaw.
Ladar, scho said, ȝour cloathes doe away,
And I sall sumthing better ȝow aray.
Scho gave hir sark, kirtill, [and] hose and schoune.
The Lady kneillit quhen that this was doune,
And thankit hir with sober humbill cheir,
And was alse weill content withouttin weir
As scho was quhyllume of cloath of gold pretious;
Of haill cloathing hir heart was full joyous.

This Gudwyfe passit to hir cousingis,
And ather uther grate with tendernes.
Quhen thay had spokin togidder at laser,
They gart belyve make redie the supper,
And to it went with mirrie cheir and glaid.
This Ladie stude, and to thame service maid,
And that scho did so weill and perfytlie,
With fair effeir and countinance gudlie,
That mervellit was the Maistres of this hous,
Quhilk in her heart was mirrie and joyous,
And speirit at hir awnt quhat [maid] scho was:
And scho hir told the maneir mair and les,
And how scho was so trew and diligent
In hir service, and humbill of intent;
And counsallit hir to taike hir in service,
For scho was vertewus ay at all devyse.
Scho hir resavit with ane glaidsum cheir,
And syne did efter ryse from the suppeir.
Hir cummer departit, and hir leave taine hes,
And went to bed; and Ladar bissie was,
And then to bed scho went hirself to rest,
As scho that was with labour sore oprest;
Bot mikill of the nicht scho did bewaill,
That fortoun did so scharplie hir assaill;
Ȝit ay scho thankit God and gave him gloire,
Of all hir trubillis and hir chansis soire:
Bot never scho micht forget Clariodus,
Of quhais love scho brint so mervellus,
And langit so, that winder was to tell
Hir sad thochtis, hir tormentis all haill.
Unto hirselfe with mone full pitious,
Alleace, scho said, wist ȝe, Clariodus,
What travell I have endureit for ȝour saike,
Full wofull wald ȝe be, I undertake;
And how that I arayit am and clede,
And how so purelie that I ly in bed,
ȝe wald not at the leist all be content:
Bot all is welcum to me that God hes sent,
Whom I beseik of his magnificence,
Clariodus, to send ȝow patience,
That for my saike ȝe do not sic vengence,
That efter may turne to ȝour displisance.
When scho was so weirrie, formurnit, and forweipit,
With trubillit spreit and frayitlie, scho sleipit;
And gat up airlie be the nicht was gone,
And maid the fyre, syne set the pote thairon;
The house scho swoupit and did all that effeirit.
Hir Maistres raise richt as the day upcleirit,
And to the marcat [early] wald scho went
With Ladar as ane servant diligent.
Then [up] scho tuike ane fardell on hir heid,
And with hir went withoutin ony pleid.
The woll thay sauld for pryce that mycht suffice,
And hame for it tuike uther merchandyce;
Syne to the denner went and maid gud cheir.

The Gudwyfe raise up efter the denneir,
And at hir aunt scho tuik hir leave to wend
Hame to hir cuntrie, doing hir commend
To freindis all, and to this Ladar eike;
And scho, with countinance bening and meike,
Hir thankit of hir gentrice, inclynand,
And wald hir have convoyit to sea strand:
Bot scho wald not, bot gart hir hame returne;
The uther into Ingland, but sojorne,
Is went to schipe, and soune arivit thair;
Full oft this Ladar bad hir weill to faire.

Thus scho remainit with hir new maistres,
And did hir serve with so grit bissines
That scho hir lovit as hir dochter deire.
Upon ane day, scho said on this maneir
Unto hir maistres, Had I silk and gold,
I sould make workis fair for to behold;
Pursis, beltis, with collourit quaife and kell,
Whilkis wald full weill into the mercat sell,
And quite the cost that I unto ȝow make.
Ȝe sall it have, scho said, I undertake.
Scho bought hir pirnis baith of gold and silke.
And scho hes maid hir fair workis of that ilke.
Hir maistres hes them presentit in the faire,
And mikill mony scho tuike for thame thair.
So at the last amongs hir workis all,
Full curious workis scho maid, and most royall
War ower the lave in curiositie,
The quhilk hir maistres grit ferlie had to see;
Whairfoir scho gart hir fold them in ane cloath,
And follow hir, thocht scho sumthing was loath,
Unto the Earleis palice of Estur.
This Ladar, that was ane ladie of nurtur,
Obeyit hir maistres, and on with hir is went.
Unto the Countes both thay war present,
Whilk callit on this Ladar for to se
Hir marchandice; and with benignitie
Scho com and kneillit to this Ladie doun,
And schew hir workis craftie of faschoun.
The Countes them commendit grittumlie,
And said, they war the fairrest works alluterlie,
That scho had seine into hir lyves space:
So com the Earle in at the dore in cace,
Thay raise to him and maid him reverence.
Meliades of angellyk clemence
Be then recoverit had hir bewtie,
And was againe alse lustie for to se
As of before, and haillit haill and sound,
Whair breer and thorne had maid hir mony wound;
Thairfoir grit mervell was amongs them all
Of hir bewtie that stude imperiall
Abouth all uther ladies that was thair,
Over uther flouris as dois the lilie faire.
For as ane thing celestiall to se
The Earle did behold hir plesand bewtie,
He thocht scho semit, and eike he thocht hir lyke
To the Princes of all Brittane kinrike,
The Kingis dochter, Meliades the bricht,
Baith of hir visage and of hir havingis richt;
Bot weill he trouit that Meliades
Sould never beine arayit on sike wyse.
Hir steidfastlie luik to [full] oft he wald.
[And when scho saw that he did hir behald,]
Abaisit scho was, and sumthing hir declynit
Hir bricht visage that so of bewtie schynit,
As scho that never furthie was nor peart,
Nather in presence nor ȝit into desert;
Bot as ane innocent ever under dreid,
Full of assurit [modest] womanheid;
Far from Dormigill in crueltie,
Or Panthassilla in magnanimitie,
Bot neirer Grisshald with hir tender breist
Of soverane vertew, quhilk is God aneist.

When that thay had thair marchandice all fynit,
And mirrilie collationat and dynit,
The nobill Countes tuike at thaim hir leave,
Gart twentie goldin bassants to tham give.
Grit talking was amongs them all that nicht,
Of Ladar and of hir brave bewtie bricht.

When thay come hame hir maistres said hir to,
We are rewairdit michtilie, quoth scho,
All for ȝour verie craft; Have silver heir,
Be ȝe butlar and make us mirrie cheir.
This Ladar hes resavit the mony,
And maid hir maistres weill to fair perdie,
Of mychtie wyns and plesant meitis deir;
Syne servit hir with womanlie effeir.
Scho bought hir stufe of gold and silkis than,
And with hir warkis mikill thing scho wan.
Now of this Ladar leave I will ane throw,
And of Clariodus sumthing to ȝow schow.

Clariodus in armes day by day,
So mikell he wrocht at everie hard assay,
That wonder was to tell or ȝit to heir,
The knightlie deidis of him that hes no peir;
His nobill bodie was never out of stoure,
His bloodie sword restit never ane houre
Fra day being whill that the nicht apeir,
He so rememberis on his Ladie cleir,
To bring the Turkis to distructioun,
That he may hame more glaidlie mak him boun.
Thair fell on him so hard rememberance
Of his Ladie, with sic continuance,
That nather micht he sleip nor ȝit take rest,
Langourus absence so sairlie him opprest;
Ather he thocht the weiris to make schort,
Or ellis to die among the Heathin sorte.

He had ane quarter of the toune to gyde,
And ane port readie for to cast up wyde,
When that him list, to ische upon his fone.
On of his constabillis gart he call anone,
And bad make redie be the day was licht
His companie, and in thair geir themdicht,
That be the morrow all his lustie sorte
Sould redie be abyding at the port.

Thay soupit with the Constabill that nicht,
Disporting thame with heartis glaid and licht;
Syne tuike thair leave, and to thair bed ar gone.
He on the morne could glaidlie him dispone
Out at the porte to isch with all his meinȝe,
And at all peices enarmit weill was he,
And ischit furth with all his companie
Upon the awfull Turkis quhair thay ly.
The trumpit blew ane weirlyk sound on heicht;
He gave his coursour with his spurris bricht,
And schot upon the Heathin with ane schout,
And with his speir he enterit in the route
Amongis his foes; bot or his big lance brake
Full monie ane Sarasine lay deid on his bake.
He pullit out his sword delyverlie,
And dang the Heathin doun dispitfullie;
He maid alse monie peices of thair theis,
As dois the wricht small spaillis of the treis,
All rougently he ruschit throw [the] rout
Of woundit men; befoir him gois the schout.
The Caine himself hes hard the suddan cry
Among his folk rising so hidiously,
On hors he lape and forward com in haist;
The michtie Sowdane him followed fast.
Clariodus was war, and weill he knew
That the grit Caine com him to persew;
He ruschit upon him with ane felloun feir,
And with his sword him to the sadill scheire;
His corps devidit into pairtis two;
And syne unto the King he did rycht so.
The Heathin wounderit upon that felloun deid,
And him the way thay roumit than gud speid.
The Cristein men seing his deidis mervellous,
Thay cryit, Vive, Vive, Clariodus!
Long lyfe, renoune, heich glorie and honoure
Be unto thé that is of warldis flour.
He namit Jesus, that blissit Saviour cleir,
And forwart preissit with ane knichtlie feir;
His folks did manfullie thair foes assaill,
Thair swordis went alse thik as schour of haill.

When the Constabill hard tyding of this thing,
To feild he cam withoutin tarying,
With knichtis that war valiand in feild,
On hors enarmit cleir under scheild;
At quhais cuming monie ane Turke can die.

The King of Cyprus, on the turret hé,
Beheld the battell furious and woode,
The crewell scheding of the Heathine bloode
Be Cristine knichtis bauld and chevalrus,
And speciallie be gud Clariodus,
Wha restit never, bot ever dang all doune,
He was in fight furious as ane lyoun.
The King did him commend, and ferliet of his deidis,
He gart his men assend upon thair steidis,
And isch out of the toun to thair support;
Full manie thowsand thrang out at the port,
As swift lyouns desyrous of thair pray;
The Cristine men preisit to the hard assay.
Fast heir and thair the Heathine ar dung doun
With mortall straikis of occisioun;
Bot maist of all the gud Clariodus,
Alse fearce in fight as lyoun furious,
His brand ay bathand in the Heathine bloode,
So fairis he as ane tyger woode;
Before his forcie arme of great renoune,
Unto the ground both hors and man gois doun;
His countinance baith wyld and terribill,
His michtie corpis baith wicht and invincibill,
Strong as ane toure againis the speiris poynt,
Micht naine againe abake him put a joynt.
When he thus throw the feild so forcilie
With sword in hand did ryd, richt ernustlie
The Heathine sort for him war so adreid,
That richt as scheip befor him [fast] they fled.
Of cruell slaughter seisis never the stryfe,
Whill not ane Heathin man was left on lyfe,
For thay war vinquist all and dungin doune,
And finallie put to confusioun;
And of the Cristine diet few or none,
So gratiouslie did God for thame dispone.

Efter the feildis great discomfitour,
Clariodus, that mikill was of valoure,
Is to the michtie Caineis pailȝeoun went,
Whair infinit of thesaure importent
Was keipit in full great quantitie,
The number of it could no man estimie;
Thair was of gold, and pretious stainis deir,
And rich juellis to by ane reallem weill neir,
Quhilk he gart be tursit to the sea
Unto his schip; and suith it is that he
Amongis men gave mekill of this riches,
For he all tyme was full of nobilnes.
Among all uther thesaure fand he thair
Ane tabiller of chase richt wounder fair,
Of gold all wrocht with pretiouse stonis bricht,
Diamants, sapheiris and roobies casting licht;
Whilk stonis war so grit and ferlie deir,
As radious lampe schyning also cleir,
The knightis did it pryse that war thair
To be worth ane kingis ransoune and maire.
He gart ane squyer tak it and with him go
Unto the Constabillis tent withoutin ho,
Disarmit of his helme; and quhen that he
Come in the tent he said, Sir, God ȝow se.
The Constabill answeirit and said, Ha, gentill Knight,
In ȝour arming thair is no fault of sight;
How ar ȝe now unarmit now sa soune,
I traist, quoth he, the danger is all donne.
Then lewgh thay both with joy and mirrines.
Clariodus said, Will ȝe play at the ches.
Ȝea, said the Lord, have ȝe ane tabilleir?
That sall ȝe se, I have it with me heir.
He schew it furth in presence of thame all.
And quhen the Constabill saw the ches royall,
Whair of the men war all of massie gold
And stonis bricht, gudlie to behold;
So faire of forme, and great of quantitie,
He said it was ane royall sight to se,
And said, he never saw so rich ane thing,
The maike of it possest no Cristien king.
Clariodus said, Of ȝour nobilitie,
Sir, will ȝe doe ane plesance unto me,
As for to give this tabiller of ches
Unto the Queine of France hir nobilnes,
Me humblie commending unto the King,
And to the Queine maist lustie and bening,
As I that am thair servitor at all
Whill that I leive; bot ȝe forgive me sall,
That I ȝow charge sik message for to doe,
The quhilk perteinis not ȝour honour to,
I meane sik travell to undertaike for me,
War it not to the Queinis Majestie;
I sould this have presentit myself trewlie,
War not that I in Ingland suddantlie
Man pas, quhairfor as now ȝe me excuse.
The Constabill said, I will no way refuse,
So mikill service do to ȝow as this;
And quhen ȝe list to France to cum, I wise
Ȝe salbe welcum, dreidles, to the King,
For he hes hard of ȝow gud comoning;
Diverse reports hes cumin to his eare
Of ȝour great heighnes both in peace and weir;
And so hes [he] resavit the tabilleir.

Togidder as they spake on this maneir,
The Sarasinis tents spuilȝeit thair meinȝe,
Whair thay fand thesawre [in] great quantitie,
Whilk maid thame rich for terme of all thair lyfe.
Thir Lordis hes them readie maid belyve.

The French Constabill and Sir Clariodus
Upon thair hors assendit full joyous;
Unto the King of Cyprus thay raid ifeir,
The quhilk did meit them in his best maneir
Without the ports, with royall companie,
The joyous trumpits sounding mirrilie.
The King hes donne the Constabill imbrace,
And him resavit with ane mirrie face,
Oft thanking him of his nobill support.
To quhom the Constabill thir wordis did report,
The laud heirof perteinis not to me,
Bot only to this Knicht that ȝe heir se,
Clariodus, the rose and flour of armis,
From his sword edge micht helpe no harnis;
He was the haill caus of the discomfitoure,
Nixt God our forcie campioun in the stoure,
Give him the laud, give him the thanks always,
Of victorie and Turkis haill suppryse;
His nobill deidis giving great commend,
Saying, But dreid, unto the warldis end,
Thair is no Knicht onlie with his hand
That hes donne half the deidis valiand
In all his tyme that ȝe have donne this day,
Thairfor ane honour ȝe have conquist for ay;
I wonder nocht thocht ȝe be valȝeand,
For ȝe ar cum, as I [do] understand,
On baith the sydis of rycht nobill bluid,
And thairfor, Sir, on neid ȝe mon be gud.
Clariodus said, Sir, withouttin dreid,
Ȝe gif to me more name than thair is deid;
Bot onlie half alse far as ȝe report,
Richt weill beset I wald think [me] at schorte.

The King put him betwixt thir Knichtis two,
And altogidder to Bruland can thay go,
And enterit in the Kingis palice fair,
Full great triumph and feasting [alse] was thar.
The Queine and eike hir dochter com to hall,
With monie lustie ladie gent and small.
It war ane want thair coursis for to tell.
Clariodus, that is of knightheid well,
Was cherisit so and feastit on sik wyse,
Long war to schaw the maner and the gyse.
When thay had dynit, thay all to chalmer wente.
The King, the Queine, with lustie ladies jent,
Thair all the day did dance and make gud sport,
The seasoun war ower prolix to report.
When even aproachit, to supper then they go,
Thair royall fair as now I will pas fro.
Efter the supper, on the samine wyse,
I can ȝow nocht the maner all devise
As thay disport, carrell, dance and sing,
Lordis, ladies, and lustie knichtis ȝing.
Clariodus requyerit was to dance;
He him excusit with fair countinance,
Bot all for nocht, excuse availl micht none;
With uther lordis he to the dance is gone,
So verie weill and manerlie withall,
Prysit he was with ladies grit and small,
And with the companie everilk wicht.
Thay thus disport quhile mides of the nicht;
Syne everilk lord and ladie leave hes taine
Full courteslie, and to thair Innis are gaine.
The King had sonnes that war richt fair and ȝing,
That loved Clariodus abone all uther thing;
With him they ar to Innis gane infeir,
And all to make him companie and cheir;
The Constabill eik him cherest tenderlie,
As he that was baith vailȝeand and worthie.

Thus, day by day, thair is no more to tell,
In nobill joy and mirrines thay dwell
Whill that awcht dayis war all gone outrycht;
Syne tuike thair leave to pas everilk wicht,
First at the King, syne at his Lordis eike,
Syne at the Queine and at his Ladies meike.
At thair departing wofull was the King,
For he thocht that his lustie dochter ȝing
Sould have beine waddit with Clariodus,
Thocht fortoun wald not tholl it to be thus.
The King maid to the constabill instance
For to commend him to the King of France,
And thanke him of his help and gude supplie;
Syne thesawre gart in full grit quantitie
Deliver unto him before he went,
Imbracing [him] rycht hartlie in intent.
Ather from uther tuike thair leave anone.
Syne the King tuike Clariodus allone,
And said, Fair Sir, commend me to the King,
And thanke him of his nobill supporting
Againis my foes strong in battell;
And eik I thank ȝow of ȝour grit travell
That ȝe have maid, cuming in this cuntrie;
Syne of ȝour nobill helpe and gud supplie,
Bot quhais vailȝeand deidis and chevalrie
We hade not lichtlie gottin victorie.
Grite giftis profferit to him the King,
Bot he thairof as thane wald [tak] no thing.
And quhen the King hes seine [that] it is so,
He gart ane squyer for ane palfray go,
Quhilk as the snow in collour was all quhyt,
And of fassioun wounder donne perfyte,
Both meane and taill did of [the] bricht gold schyne,
In warld men deimit thair was none so fyne.
Then said he to Clariodus, Sen ȝe
Naine uther giftis will resave of me,
This horse I give ȝow of a gentill kynd,
That ȝe may [ever] have me in ȝour mynd.
Full courteslie then thankit he the King,
And said, Sir, I am ȝouris in all thing
Whill that I leive, so wyselie God me speid,
As I that trew salbe in word and deid
To ȝow and ȝouris for now and ever more;
Ȝour Henes keip the michtie King of glore.
So thay depairtit with tender imbracing,
For verie pitie weipit than the King,
And rycht so [sorelie] did Clariodus,
For to depart thay war so dolorus.
At all the Court thair leave hais taine thir two,
With thair meinȝe and to thair hors they go;
And then ascendit all with ane purpose,
Thay raid unto the port of Carrados,
Whair that thay fand [thair] schippis all redie,
The marineris thay wrocht full bissilie.

The Constabill now at Clariodus
Hes taine his leave with wordis gratious,
To cum in France requyring him sa fast,
So that this Lord hes grantit at the last,
His aquentance to make with the [gude] King,
To him anone promisit he this thing.
When the Constabill his leave hes taine thus,
He bad adew to Sir Clariodus,
And enterit into his barke, and that anone,
And all his folkis ar to thair schipis gone.
The air was cleir, the wind was verie gud,
They drew up saillis, and sped them ouer the flude.

Clariodus gart furth ane barke hir drese
All full of nobill tresour and riches
That he had won into the Caines tent;
Unto his Father in Estur he it sent,
And bad commend him to his Father thair,
Schawing to them at lenth of his weilfair;
Syne enterit into his schip richt haistilie,
And to thair schipis went all his companie;
Thay drew up saillis sweith, and furth thay glyd
Atowre the floodis that ar baith roume and wyd.
Now ceise I of Clariodus ane throw,
And of the Constabill sumthing will schew.

The Constabill of France aryvit sweith
Unto the port of Rowan, glaid and blyth,
And went to Parice with all his folks in feir,
And to the King is gone with mirrie cheir.
The King richt glaid was of his hame cuming,
And maid to him richt heartlie welcuming,
And speirit of his tydingis and his fair.
Be richt report he told him les and maire
Of all the weiris schortlie for to saine,
And how the Caine of Tartarie was slaine,
And of his host the haill distructioun;
And of the valiantnes and grite renoune
Of the maist worthie and wicht Clariodus,
And of his deidis worthie and chevellrus,
And how his only manheid and his micht
Monie ane tyme pat the Turkis to flicht,
And how he slew the Caine and put him doun,
And pat his folkis to thair distructioun,
Whairthrow the mortall weiris tuike ane end,
And how he bad him to his Grace commend;
And how the King of Cyprus worthines
Bad him commend him to his Nobilnes,
Him thankit of his folkis and supplie,
And how that he promisit for to be
His in all thing, and stand in his quarrell,
Richt as he did to him in strong batell.

Blyth was the King quhen he hard this tyding;
Bot of this Knicht he ferliet ouer all thing,
Throw quhais deidis the Turkis war distroyit,
Of him to hear his heart was so joyit,
That he never irkit of him to speir,
His face, his fassoun, his statur and maneir.
He tuike him in ane chalmer him allone,
And speirit at him uther tydings anone.
And he tauld furth as he requyrit ay;
Ȝit, Sir, he said, I have sum thing to say,
This nobill Knicht of quhilk I [do] ȝow tell,
The verie flour of chevelrie and well,
Hes sent ane gudlie present to the Queine,
I wald anone that it war with hir seine.
First I will se it, said the King; and thane
To fech this tabeller he sent ane man.
Sone it was brocht, presentit to the King,
Quha it beheld, considering in all thing
Of it the valour and the [wondrous] micht;
He said, Forsuith it is the fairest sight,
And the maist pretious of the quantitie,
That in my lyfe I ever saw with ey.
He sent anone to chalmer for the Queine,
Wha com with all hir ladies fair and scheine,
Whom the Constabill salust hes, and syne
Hes tauld hir all the cace or he wald fyne;
Scho luikit on the royall ches of gold,
That pretious was and lustie to behold,
And it commendit wonder grittumlie,
And so did all the ladyes that stude by.
Then said the Queine, I thanke the gentill Knicht,
That hes me send this thesaure of sic micht,
Forsuith he was no wratch I dar [it] tell,
That hes pairtit with so rich ane jewell.
And syne considering, said the nobill King,
That he [ȝow] never saw in his leving,
And ȝit to me his name [it] is unknawin.
The Constabill said, With honour it salbe schawin,
He is to name callit Clariodus,
Knicht of this warld maist worthie and famous,
Sone to the nobill Earle of Esturland.
Then said the King, He man be vailȝeand,
For he is cumit of nobill parentell,
His Father the Count know I verie well;
I have him seine into this Court repaire,
Under the sone I know non gudlier
In all maner and wyser nor is he,
The better alwayis his Sone neidis most be;
And eik of Sir Clariodus himsell
Out of Ingland full oft have I hard tell,
And of his manlie bewtie and vertew,
Now find I weill that thay said of him trew,
Whairfor, certes, attoure all [uther] thing,
I long to have him in my Court dwelling.
The Constabill said, He hes promisit me,
Within schort tyme in this land for to be.
That wald I, quoth the King, sa God me save,
Then his aquentance dreidles I sall have.

When they had long tyme commonit in that place,
The Queine gart put the chaker in that cace,
And gart ane ladie take it up anone,
And syne unto hir chalmer is scho gone.
Thame now in France in joy we let remaine,
And speike we of Clariodus againe.

Clariodus did all his bissines
To gar the mariners them speid and dres
To land alsweith with all thair saillis bent,
Of his Ladie sic thochts can him torment;
The more that he aproachit to the land,
In heat desyre he was ay [more] birnand
His Ladie for to se: and then belyve
On Ingland coast he did saiflie aryve,
Neir by the toun that reallie is wallit,
Belvilladoun quhilk to name was callit;
Thair landit he and all his chevalrie,
And to the toun thay raid richt royallie.
Clariodus, as he raid throw the streit,
None of his auld aquantance could he meit;
In all the toun no kynd of man he saw
That he was aquantit with or did knaw;
He saw so monie faces that war strange,
He dread full sair that thair had beine sum change
Into the Court; quhairfor he mervell hade;
Thay fled him ay and war for him adred,
For thay war of Sir Thomas inputing,
The toun to rewle and put in governing.
At his Innis this Lord [then] lichtit doun,
And hes gart herberie his folkis in the toun,
All bot his fellowis quhilkis ever abaid
With him still quhidder he ȝeid or raid.
His host him helsit sum deill hevilie.
Perseving hes Clariodus thairby,
Tuik in his mynd ane suddant trew consait
That sum tratour had wrocht a sore debait
Againis him, bot most was in his thocht
Meliades, if hir had aillit ocht.
Full suddantlie to changing can his hew,
The bluide alsweith intill his face it schew;
Of misbeleife the stound struike to his heart,
That in his breist it trublit him sore inuart;
Unto his chalmer sadlie he is gone.
And to his host then cumin is anone
Ane merchand of the toun, speiring thus,
If he had spokin with Clariodus.
Na, said the host, I dar not with him speike,
For wo my heart was abill for to breke
When I him saw; bot he hes persaving,
Throw my sad cheir he tuik evill conforting.
The merchand said, Methinke that gud it war,
That to my Lord we passit both in feir.
The host consentit, that Bartane heicht to name.
This Allane was ane man mikill of fame,
And monie ane day was mair of the toun;
Bot from his heicht Sir Thomas pat him doun.

When unto chalmer cuming war thir two,
This Allane was in heart full hevie and wo,
Who helsit him with teiris distelling.
Clariodus persavit this in all thing,
Allane, ȝe ar full welcum unto me;
What new tydingis, my frind, [fra Court] bring ȝe?
Now tell how fairis the Kingis nobilnes,
The Queine and hir ȝoung dochter the Princes?
I cam not in Court, said Allane, thir monie day,
Whairfor the maner I can not tell perfay;
All that ȝour Father pat in the Kingis cervice,
Sir Thomas hes put out on felloun wayis,
And me he hes exonerit among the leave
Of the office that I had wount to have;
The King he rewellis and gydis as he list,
Whairthrow the realme is hereit and oprest;
No man may cum into the Kings presence,
Bot throw his gyding and his gud plesance;
And ane thing, Sir, and worst of all the leave
That he hes donne, thairfor the Feind him have,
Be false report and divillisch treasoun eike
He hes gart take Meliades the meike,
The Kingis dochter and his heare also,
Withoutin caus and cruellie hir slo,
And, fy! alleace! murderit hir foullie,
Into ane nicht without onie mercie,
With cruell churllis murdreist cruellie,
The trewth I may not tell [ȝow] for pitie.

When that Clariodus hard this tyding,
The crampe of death did [fast] to his heart thring;
He gave ane sigh, and said, but wordis mo,
Ha, Ladie myne, and ar ȝe endit so!
The sword of sorrow gave him sic a wound
Unto the heart with sik ane deidlie stound
he micht not suffer it, bot doune he fell
So pitiouslie that sorrow war to tell;
Unto the pavement as deid duschit he,
His pail visage was gaistlie for to se.
Pallexis up start soune, [and] cryit Ha!
For ower grit wo he wist not quhat to sa.
The Knichtis foure and burgis twa [than] ran,
And liftit up the paill and deidlie man,
And on ane bed him laid or thay wald ho,
And with thair handis schuike him to and fro,
And soune his teith oppinit with ane knyfe;
Bot still he lay [thair] deid as out of lyfe,
And nothing lyke from daith [for] to revert;
Whairof his fellowis sic sorrow tuik in heart,
Thay maid sik duill that never hard was maire,
Never sicht thay saw grevit them [sa] sair.
Sik sorrow maid Pallexis and his brother,
That naine of them micht counsall gif to other.

In this estait lang lay this jentill Knicht;
Bot the grit King of glorie and of micht,
That ever is wicht quhaever be waike or seik,
He wald not suffer of his mercie meike
Him that was gentill ay and merciabill
In sik ane wyse to end so miserabill.
So at the last he out of sound abraid
Alse wode of cheir, and luikit rycht affrayd;
He saw ane window and wald have lappin out;
His fellowis them assemblit him about,
Withholding him among them tenderlie,
Him comforting with wordis most heartlie.
He paisit then the chalmer up and doun,
Melancolike, alse furious as ane lyoun;
His eine thay brint and flamit as ane gleid,
Desyring to revenge the traitorheid
Of the maist saikles murder and felloune,
Done to this innocent Ladie be tresoun.
Alleace! he said, quhat sall I do or say,
My warldis joy is [from me] reft for ay;
O now quhair sall I go or quhair sall I ryd,
Quhair sall I walke at evin or morrow tyd!
Whairto for sleip sould I to bedis go,
Or quhairto ryse, I waits of nocht bot wo,
Or quhairto leive I, [now] thus myne allone,
When all my cumpanie is fra me gone;
O Death, cum slay me cative in distres,
That never sall have ane day of mirrines!
Why lests my bodie, seing my heart is slaine,
Fairweill for ever all eardlie joy againe!
And this he said with sik ane pitious cheir,
It was ane paine him for to se or heir;
And sorrow him tormentit so fellounlie,
Monie ane tyme he cryit God mercie,
Have mercie, Lord, that [wiselie] hes me wrocht,
Syne with thy daith so deir thow hes me bocht,
That I fall not in desperatioun;
Thy woundis fyve be my salvatioun
That I do nocht that may my soul [eer] tyne;
I ask thé mercie, sweit Redemer myne,
Now of my greif and my impatience,
Who am bereft of all intelligence,
And can no resoun have nor sufferance
Whill daith upon me do his uterance;
And eike have mercie on ȝon fair Ladie,
Sen I hir lovit for no villanie,
As for the cryme scho stervit ane innocent,
And pitiouslie with churlis all to rent,
And murtherit as ane theif without a judge,
Be thow hir ressait, succur and refuge;
And let thy woundis be for hir remeid,
That for hir sinnis oppinit war so reid;
Among thy angellis resave hir in thy joy,
As thow that ar of mercie Prince and Roy.

With that the teiris ȝeid out of his eine,
With sichis deip, and sobbis ay betweine,
That none on lyfe micht se him nor behold,
Bot he anone sould weipe thoch he not wold,
Suppose his heart war harder nor the stone.
His fellowis foure maid ane pitiouse mone
For him in secreit [wyse]; bot not the les,
With suggerit wordis of great humbilnes,
Thay comfortit him, and oft bad him eit:
Bot he so fillit was with dolour grite,
No meit he wald isay; bot bad that thay
Sould to thair supper go without delay.

When they had soupit all, thame gart he call,
And said, Go send furth to our frindis all
In this kinrick, both Prince, Earle, Lord and Knicht
That lovis me, or in my quarrell richt
Will make defence, and pray thame tenderlie,
Into all hast that thay will make redie
To cum with all their nobill chevalrie
In my supplie; for now [that] verilie,
I never thinke flesch to eit nor wyne to drinke,
Whill that I make ȝon Tratour to forthinke
That ever he tresoun wrocht on sike wayis,
And quhill the daith of fair Meliades
Revengit be, that all the warld sall heir.

Then Allan said to him on this maneir,
My Lord, ȝour charge I sall fulfill alway;
Bot if ȝe wairne those Prinsis, as ȝe say,
Sir Thomas will get wit, and will evaid:
Bot will ȝe [now] my counsall doe, he said,
Ȝe sall cum to him [richt] without wairning,
In that same place quhair he is with the King.
In the toun of Clarans quhairin he remains,
Ouklie we carie hay in carts and wains,
And I my self sall hay have to the toun;
Whairfor I wald [that] threttie men war boun,
In cairtis closit [all] weill privilie,
All ower with hay coverit quyetlie,
And [so] no man will stope [thame] quhill that thay
Be went within the gettis, quhair ȝe may
Ane buschment have a litill ȝow besyde,
That haistilie may efter them in ryd.

When he hes hard him on this wayis conclude,
He thankit him, and said the way was gud;
And bad all sould be donne as he [had] said
Againe the morne, and all thus reddie maid.

He callit on his luiftennantis than,
And bad thay sould be redie everie man
Neir by the toun of Clarans by the day
In the wode syd, and hold them quyetlie
Whill that thay hard thame cry within the carts,
And then to speid them [out] with mirrie hearts.

When this was said, they went all to [their] bed,
Clariodus him leinit doune all cled,
All nicht bewailling hir death pitiouslie,
That was so fair, so gud and womanlie:
Bot up he raise full long before the day
With his foure fellowis, doing thame aray
In weirlyk weidis; and syne went haistilie
To Allanis Innis, quhair all war maid redie.
Clariodus and his fellowis anone,
But longer tarie ar to ane cart all gone,
With utheris whom thay lykit best to have,
Ane cartar come and furth [the gait] thame drave;
The uther cairt [then] fillit was also
With men of armis, and thus furth thay go
To the toun of Clarains be the licht of day,
Whair the draw brig soune drawin have thay;
The port was oppin, they enterit suddently,
With ane grit noyis raisit up the cry;
With that the buschment brake with [richt] gud speid;
Clariodus assendit on his steid,
And to the palice raid or he wald ho;
Pairt of his folkis commandit he to go
The toun to search, and ay quhair thay finde
Sir Thomas' men, in prissoun them to binde.
Clariodus then [maist] unfrayitlie
In palice enterit with all his chevalrie,
And in that chalmer quhair that was the King,
With him Sir Thomas, not witting of this thing;
For had he wittin that Sir Clariodus
Had landit beine and com so neir as thus,
He wald have fled away if that he micht.
Amongs them enterit hes this nobill Knicht
And lawlie on his knie salust the King
With honour dew, and with gud blissing;
Syne went and hynt Sir Thomas be the hand,
Saying, O trator false and dissaveand,
Thankis to God that now is cumit the day
That with thy trasoun thow no [way] chape may,
That thow hes said, ather sall thow preive,
Or it sall turne thé to thy grit mischeive.
Syne to his fellowis four gave him in cure,
Commanding them that thay sould keip him sure.
Syne to the King he said on this maneir,
Sir, for this caus I [now] am cumit heir,
This cursit tratour with his fellounie,
Of verie malice movet and invie,
Hes wrocht of his awin imaginatioun,
Be false and feindlie conspiratioun,
[Sic] wayis ȝow and ȝour bloode to distroy,
That he micht of this regioun ring as Roy;
Ȝour Dochter innocent he hes put to deid
Full saikleslie but mercie or remeid;
Wha falslie leit on me, as prove I sall
On onie He this day that is mortall
That will or dar abyde at his opinioun;
Thair is not thrie into this regioun
That will mantine his quarrell or defend
Bot I sall give him battell to the end
Againis them all at onis myne allone,
Or with them syndrie feight [sall] on be on;
Whairfor gar call him heir befor ȝow now,
And speir if he the treasoun will avow.
The King him callit; and then Clariodus,
In presence of them all, said to him thus,
Sir Thomas, take ȝow choise of thingis two,
Ather ȝourself in battell with me to go
And twa with ȝow the best [that] ȝe can waill,
[And curst be he that in the fight shall faill,]
Or prove that ȝe have said befor the King,
Than, if ȝe doe, I merite punisching.
Then this Tratur trimblit [baith] fute and hand,
And said, I will not into batell stand,
I me confes of all this false treasoune,
I have deservit daith at schort sermoun;
My Lady I gart saikleslie be schent,
For trewth to daith scho is gone innocent;
Thir letteris with my handis all I wraite.

Then all the Court at onis maid regrate
For the ȝoung Princes, fair Meliades,
All causles put to daith on this wayis;
Thay gart the letteris thair all [be] present,
Caussing Sir Thomas wryte incontinent,
To se if that the writtis lyke war: thane
This ilk Sir Thomas [for] to wryte begane;
Quhilk wryting so lyke was to the uther,
That nane of theme micht be knowen quhidder:
Then with ane voice thay cryit all at onis,
Ha, birne the cruell Tratur, fell and bonis!

Clariodus upon his kne sat doune,
And askit justice of the deid felloun.
The King maid mone, that sorrow was to sie,
For hir that was so full of grite bewtie,
So full of vertew and of gentilnes,
He wold have slaine himself in his madnes
War nocht the Lordis was him besyde;
He raif his hair and pitiouslie he cryed.
To wryte ȝow all his sorrow and his cair,
It sould me occupy ane long day and mair;
He fell on kneis before Clariodus,
Saying to him thir wordis pitious,
Let not ȝon Tratur first to his deid go,
Bot begine at me and with ȝour sword me slo,
That most have deservit for to die;
All princes may exampill take of me,
Thus unadvysit to distroy thair blood,
Or than advysit, counsall thairto conclude;
Why let ȝe me in wo thus liveing heir,
On me doe furth ȝour deid, schrinke for no feir.
With that he raif his awin hair pitiouslie,
And strake him self wounder fellounlie.
Clariodus alsweith tuike up the King
Into his armis, thus to him saying,
Sir, ȝe sould nocht sit on kneis to me,
Bot unto God, to him failȝeit [have] ȝe
And to the leigis of ȝour regioun,
For ȝe distroyit ȝour successioun,
Thair onelie Princes, and ȝour richteous aire,
That quhyllum was countit [sa] wyse and fair.

The King commandit that his seigis royall
Sould be renewit, wher the pepill all
Micht se the mortall castigatioun
Of this Sir Thomas, for his false treasoun;
At his command quhilk soune removit was
And in the grit court sat of his palice:
And syne commandit he the burgisis two,
Clariodus' host and Allan also,
To make ane oppin proclamatioun
Of all things [to be done] with trumpit sound,
That all the peipill micht of Clarains toun
Cum and se justice donne of his treasoun;
And bad them bring the burriours also.

Thir two, as than commandit, furth thay go,
As he bad doe, anone the samine ways,
And maid ane scaffald upon heicht to ryse.
Sir Thomas callit was in judgement,
And with ane sise fyllit incontinent;
Syne damnit to be drawin ilke lith from uther,
In presence of King Philipon his brother;
Of quhilk was maid ane executioun
Upon the scaffold, the peipill environ:
The peipill micht not lichtlie numberit be,
Whilk thrang so thike the maner for to sie.
The King in judgment sat [exaltit] thair
Whill justifit Sir Thomas' folkis war
And all that gave him counsall or supplie
To doe that felloun deid of crueltie.

[This done,] unto Belvelladoun thay raid,
Into the Court grit hevines was maid.
Clariodus raid speiking with the Queine,
Betwix quhom [ay] grit sorrow micht be seine;
When they spake of Meliades the bricht
With weiping all to blindit was thair sight.
The King alsweith is enterit in the toun,
Whair he reposit, and quhyllum maid sojorne
For to take ordour with everilk officer
That Sir Thomas had put from office thair.
Then all was wrocht and endit on this wyse,
And enterit all agane to thair service.

Clariodus his leive tuike at the King,
As he had long thocht of his tarying;
The cuntrie that sum tyme [syne] he thocht fair,
And had in it sic plesour to repair,
Than thocht he all was bair and barren wildernes,
So far his heart was bund in hevines
That in that land he micht not eit nor sleip,
Bot weipand ay with sadest sichis deip.

The King said, Sir Clariodus, I se
That ȝe na longer list to byd with me;
Ȝit pitie this realme, gentill Knicht,
That in sike perrell standis day and nicht,
For fault of ane the peipill to convoy;
And ȝe depairt, fairweill fra me all joy;
Ȝour Father eik, efter ȝour [hame] cuming,
I wait will enter no more in this rigne,
Then it is put cleine to distructioun:
Thairfor I make ȝow supplicatioun,
That ȝe disdaine not for to byde with me,
Whill that ȝour Father cum into this cuntrie.
Clariodus wald not him grant, for quhy,
He trouit never to cum againe suithly,
And for to heicht ane thing and keip it nocht
Was never in his mynd, deid nor thocht;
Whairfor he wald not grant for to abyde.
The peipill cryit all on everie syd,
Ha, gentill Knicht, and flour of nobilnes,
Leave never the King into his heich distres;
Bot rew on him, for his saike hes ȝow bocht,
For he to leive langer sall he nocht,
For sorrow and langour efter ȝe be gone.
When that this Knicht hard thair pitious mone,
Confort ȝow, Sir, he said, for Godis saike,
And I sall doe so, heir I undertake,
That pleasit ȝe salbe, [as] I weill wait;
Now heir my brother that Palexis heicht,
And eik my cousing Amandur his brother,
I sall them two leave with ȝow and no uther,
Albeit I war full laith them to forgo;
Bot ȝit with ȝow thay sall byd baith the two,
As thay that manheid and discretioun
Hes for to rewle the cuntrie up and doun.

This being finit, schortlie for to tell,
Clariodus, that is of knichtheid well,
His leave hes takine baith at King and Queine,
With wofull teares birsting out of his eine;
He tuike his leave at the merchand also,
And at his gud host, thanking oft thay two
Of thair gud service and thair bissines;
And syne at all his freindis more and les:
Bot quhen anone the peipill saw him ryde
Out throw the toun, full pitifullie thay cryed,
Fair weill, our confort now and all our joy!
Fair weill, our cheif protector out of noy!
Fair weill, the gentillest Knicht and maist worthie
In all the warld that beine aluterlie!

Out of the toun he haistilie did ryd,
For clamour of the pepill him besyd;
And quhen he was ane myle out of the toun,
He and his fellous thair lichtit [tham] doun;
To tham he said, My frindis traist and deir,
I ȝow reverence, and oft thankis ȝow heir
Of ȝour service and nobill cumpanie,
I me commend to ȝow maist hartfullie,
Now mon I pase from ȝow, and nothing wote
If I to ȝow will cum againe or not:
Bot ȝe sall not be dispurvayit at all,
My Father in this cuntrie soune cum he sall,
And traist richt weill [that] not forget sall I
To gar my Father compleit finaly
Ȝour mariagis, be ȝe not adred;
My frind Palexis, ȝe sall Cadar wed,
Whom ȝe have handfast; and Amandur sall get
The King of Spainȝes sister Mandonet;
And ȝe that ar my uther fellowis two
Sall have Barronis dochteris also
Into our land, quhilk neir ar of our blude;
And seing that kyndnes ever amongis us stude,
Now let us keip it till our latter day,
And se that ȝe luife uther rycht weill ay:
And ȝe, my cusings two, over all thing,
Exerce ȝour office and please weill ȝour King;
Amongs the peipill conqueis ȝe sik name,
That ȝour frindis have no reproch nor blame.
With this, into his armis he did tham fange,
And then begouth sik weiping them amang,
That pitie it had beine for to behold.
Ane efter uther he in his armes fold,
And kissit them, bot micht no wirdis say;
Syne lap upon his hors and raid his way.
Still thay remainit efter he was gone,
Sore weiping and bewailling thame allone;
Thay wist he wald go walke in wildernes,
And never thairefter ane joyous day posses;
Whairfor thair painfull sorrow and thair cheir
War all to long for to byd on to heir.
Thir four full sadlie to the toun thay went,
And he as woode man spurrit ower the bent,
As he that wist not quhair to ryd or go,
His breist was so oprest with inwart greif and wo.

Clariodus raid furth on this maneir,
Ane grit forrest quhill he aproachit neir;
Then sped he him with all the haist he may,
For doubt they sould have stoppit him the way.
So in the forrest happinit him to meit
Ane Palmer cumand, quhilk did on him greit,
And of his almes asked him, and said,
That felloun briggandis him dispuilȝeit had.
Clariodus said, Father, for certaine,
The halie gaitis that ȝe wount to gang
Will not alway let ȝow dispurvayit be;
Ȝe sall have all my cloathes, and gif me
Ȝour clothes againe, and tak myne betwine.
Glaid was the Pilgrime this ilk change to seine.
Clariodus put on the Palmers weid,
And he gave him his cloathes and his steid.
The Palmer said, My Lord, I weill persave,
That seiknes or melancholie ȝe have;
Have patience in distres for ony thing,
For naturallie the warld is ay changing,
And glad joy cumis nixt adversitie
Be cours of fortounis mutabilitie.
Clariodus than thankis to him maid,
Saying, God grant it be as ȝe have said.
Thus went he furth in palmer weid allone,
Out throw the forrest quhill the day was gone;
The nicht aproachit and he abydis thair,
Baith wind and raine [then] dang on him richt sair,
That he in hasart was to lose his lyfe.
As day begouth and nicht away did drive,
He paicet furth, and fand ane small passage,
Quhilk had him throw the wood to ane village;
He enterit, asking almous for Godis saike;
Sum gave him pairt, and sum did him forsaike,
And bad him go and wirke, for he was wicht,
And fair of persoune thocht he war ane Knicht;
Weill tailȝeit of his bodie up and doun,
They bade him go [and] thrysche in everie toun.

Clariodus then sped him bissilie
Whill he come to the sea, and tuik harbrie
Into ane hevining place where schipes were,
And redie for to saill in cuntries seir.
Ane was to go in Estur land; whairfore
He haistilie hes passit to the schore,
And speirit at the marineris in hy,
Gif thay wald tak him in thair cumpanie.
Thay said, If that he could make gud service,
Thay wald resave him into gudlie wayis.
Then hes he said, no worke he wald refuse,
That onie uther servitor did use.
The Skipper said, Go let him in anone,
For he is manfull big of brane and bone;
He seames to be na balleist in the how,
He sall weill hald ane anker or ane tow,
To mak our windis [for] to go on force,
And he will draw about lyke ony hors;
To dicht our meit, full weill gainis ȝon seir,
To lift ane mekill caldroun on the fyre.

Up gois the saillis, the schip gois to the flude,
And cuike thay maid Clariodus the gud;
He dicht thair meit, and maid tham gud service
In humbill maner, and in gudlie wyse.
The wind was fair, the schip was gud be saill,
The marineris wicht and bissie in travell;
To Estur land aprochit thay belyve,
And in ane port saiflie did aryve.
The merchands unto land past everie one,
Clariodus to land is with thame gone,
And at the mariners his leave he tuike,
Quhilk wald have feit him to have beine thair cuike.
He said, Frindis, I mon to Andromage,
Quhilk till compleit it is a fair voyage;
Whairfor have me excusit for to gone.
Thay bad him cloathes, bot he resavit none.
He tuike his leave; and thay bad God him gyde.
Unto the toun of Estur neir besyd
He dressit him to go with bissines,
Whair that his Father and his Mother was.

Clariodus furth holdeth but sojorne,
Whill he com neir the suburbs of the toune;
Beholding [all] the toun and the castell,
He laid him doun agroufe besyde ane well,
And thair he maid the sairest regrating,
That micht be hard of ony creatour leving,
Saying, Alleace, O toun! O castell and citie!
Baith may ȝe ban that ilk nativitie
Of that divellisch Sir Thomas the tratour,
Throw quhom to ȝow sall cum sic [sad] dollour.
O Count of Estur, ȝe and ȝour Ladie,
What wofull painis and melancholie
Sall to ȝow cum, quhen that ȝe know all cleir
[How that for greif your Son is dying heir!]
How it is falline, and the cursit chance!
Thairwith he tuike sik ane [grit] displisance,
He brist all out of teiris pitiouslie,
Of his unfortoun pleinand wofullie,
And maid the hardest lamentatioun
That ever was hard in ony regioun.

Bot loe, as fortoun turnis so quyetly,
Unto this well thair come [all] suddenly
Meliades, hame water for to bring,
And saw this wofull man on grouffe lying,
Bewailling in distrese so pitiouslie,
That to behold this Ladie thocht ferlie;
So him to heir with monie sob and grone,
It wald have thirllit ony heart of stone;
And quhill scho him can [thus] behald and se,
Scho for him tuike in heart so great pitie,
For verie rewth scho weipit and was wo,
Saying, My frind, why do ȝe ȝour self slo?
Or quhat ar ȝe, that thus so pitiouslie
Ȝour self demainis thus with melancolie?
For Godis saike take ȝow sum patience,
And to ȝour self do never sike offence.
Full faine scho wald have comfortit him sum wayis,
For scho was haly, cheritabill and wyse.
His heid then hes he raisit upon loft,
To se quha gave to him thir wordis soft,
That confort him upon so meike maneir;
Bot all to blindit was his eine so cleir,
That he not redilie micht espie hir face,
Saying, I thank ȝow Sister, bot alleace!
How that it standis with me if that ȝe knew,
I traist ȝe wald upon my painis rew,
Or ony in warld that is now on lyve;
Or if thay wist how that with daith I stryve,
Or knew the caus quhairfor I thus compleine,
For to have mercie rewth wald thame constraine
On me that is the sorrowfullest wicht
In warld that leives under Phebus bricht.
This Ladie said, My freind, trest ȝe [me] weill,
To ony wicht if that ȝe list reveale
Ȝour infortoun, and ȝour misaventur,
It sould ȝow swage sumthing of ȝour dollour.
He said, My sweit Sister, [the] suith ȝe say,
If that remeid micht be in onie way
Then gud it war for to reveill my paine;
Bot ay, alleace! thir words ar all in vaine,
Remeid is none, the ender of my wo
Is death, alleace! thairfor fra me ȝe go,
And me to confort ȝow no mair dispone,
And let me sterve for uther bute is none.
With that he gave ane sigh full cairfullie,
And teiris did out rine so wofullie,
That wounder was that he sould leive ane hour.
Sweit Sir, scho said, the cause of ȝour dolour
Please ȝe reveale; sould it ȝow not displease
I sould ȝow schaw how that ane woman was
In alse grit trubill and adversitie
As ony creatour in earth micht be,
And ȝit throw grace of God scho did evaid
The great missaventur befor hir laide,
And houpe hes ȝit confortit for to be
Alway restorit to hir awin degrie:
Thairefter may ȝe pryse if ȝe or sche,
More panis sufferit or adversitie.

When that he hard hir [thus] so beninglie
Him answeir make, and [eke] so soberlie,
To confort him so gritlie desyring,
And that scho was so wo for his weiping,
Then he begane with ane pitious cheire
The cace to tell, saying on this maneir,
Nocht long gone syne, I lovit paramour,
Ane Ladie quhilk was of all this warld flour,
Ane Kingis onlie dochter and his air,
Under bricht Phebus was thair naine sa fair,
So humbill, gentill, sober and bening,
In quhom at schort did everie vertew ring,
That was perteining unto womanheid.
This eike day star and rose of gudlieheid
Was be hir fatheris charge full haistilie
Taine to ane wood and murtherit cruellie
By the reporting of ane tratour knicht,
Alleace, that ever that wofull day was licht!
Scho was my eardlie joy and conforting,
Whom that I lovit atoure all eardlie thing,
My only plesour of all this warld so wyde.
He told hir furth, and did no wordis hyde.
Scho him beheld with looke full studious;
And quhen scho wist it was Clariodus,
But mair abaid anone scho to him past,
And him beclipit in hir armis fast;
For ower grit blisse no wird scho micht outbring,
The suddant joy and haistie conforting
Unto hir heart it straike so haistilie,
Scho micht not suffer it so abundantlie,
Bot reveist of hir spreit scho fell in swoun.
And than Clariodus of grit renoune,
Beholding on hir in [maist] grathlie wayis,
And saw it was his fair Meliades,
He micht for joy na words bring furth or say,
Nor wist weill long quhair he was perfay.
And quhen that he of himselfe ocht wist,
This Madine into his armis then he thrust,
And held hir up quhilk was to him full deir,
And tuike cold water of the fontaine cleir
And sprinkllit on hir lustie snow quhyt face.
So scho recoverit hes within a space,
Saying thir wordis, Ha, my Clariodus,
I trowit never againe to seine ȝow thus.
And with ane sigh, fra that [was] said, anone
Ane rusch of blude furth at hir nose is gone,
Or ellis I traist scho sould have deid beine,
For scho micht not for ower grit joy susteine
Withoutin death or passioun corporall:
For joy of nature beine celestiall,
And with angellis inparticipat;
Quhairfor the spirit mon be separat
From the bodie, or it grit joy posseid,
Or sorrow eik if it gritlie exceid.
The blude effusit sa abundantlie,
That he could not it stanch nor remidie.
Then of the ringe alseweith rememberit he,
That was him gevin efter the mellie
Be him that was transformit in the lyoun,
Whais vertew beine for bludis effusioun;
He tuichit hir with it, and scho anone
Ceisit of bleiding; and quhan this was gone,
Thay uthir in armis did tenderlie imbrace,
And oft hes kissit uther in that place.
Bot ȝit all this micht not him satisfie,
He dred that it had beine ane fantasie
Fallin on him, throw hevie thochtis sade,
Quhairthrow that he had witles beine and mad;
Whairfor to hir he said, My Ladie deir,
And is it trewth that ȝe beine with me heir?
Trest weill, quod scho, Clariodus my Knicht,
That I am heir full glad to se this sight,
Whilk long gone syne to se I trowit never,
Sumtyme I weinit we partit beine for ever;
And that was quhen the burriouris me led
Unto the forrest, and thair me uncled
At mid nicht hour, quhen ȝe war far me fro.
And with that word thay sighit both [the] two.
Ȝour wofull daith, quod he, and gan to weipe,
Into my heart enterit is so deipe,
That ȝit ȝour lyfe nocht [all] so perfytlie
May in my breist ȝit sink so suddantlie.
What wald I longer of thair joyis wryte?
I can not half report nor put in dyte
Thair blisfull cheir and joyous continance,
Conforting uther with wordis of plesance.
Adoun thay sat and fell in comoning,
And them pleasit of monie diverse thing,
Doing to uther all the cace reveill,
As to thame hapinit, schawing everie deill
Thair grit infortoun and adversitie.
Ather of uther then had grit pitie.
And quhen Meliades on humbill wayis,
Had told him all the maner and the gyse,
How scho demainit was so pitiouslie,
Then he for rewth did weipe full tenderlie.

To speik in this, sik plesour tuike thir two,
That Ladar had forgettin hame to go;
Whairfor hir maistres speirit for hir so fast,
Whill scho went furth to seik hir at the last,
And fand her sitting onlie with ane man,
[Scho thocht hir mad, and thus in wrath began,]
Saying, Evill woman, quhy hes thow me betraisit,
Ȝour vertew ay I commendit and praisit,
And now I se full weill how that it standis,
Ȝe sall have sair punitioun of my handis:
And ȝe evill man, quha hes maid ȝow sa pert,
To tryst my servand furth in this desert;
Wald ȝe hir steill fra me in this maneir?
Trest weill that sall not ly in ȝour power.
With awfull luik to Ladar than scho said,
Ȝe sall forthinke that ever this tryst was maid;
In ane strange hour was ȝour [sad] begining
To cum to me, that neid hes of keiping.

When Ladar saw hir maistres was [so] movit,
Scho was not all content, for scho hir lovit,
And eik scho considderit discreitlie,
That for hir gud scho spake it veralie;
Whairfor scho said, with sweit and humbill cheir,
With bening luike and womanlie effeir,
My fair Maistres, displease ȝow not I pray,
For heir am I that is and salbe ay
Ȝouris at all, and redie ȝow to pleis:
Bot now ȝour heart in sumthing to appease,
The trewth of this mater ȝe sall know of us,
Heir is ȝour Lordis sone Clariodus
But ony dreid, and I am with ȝow heir,
The King of Inglandis only dochter deir.
This woman was abaisit than sumthing,
And speirit how it micht be so falling.
And scho hir tauld the cace then oppinlie.
Than sat scho doun on kneis sudantlie,
Saying, My Lord, I ask ȝow forgivenes,
And ȝe my Lady full of gentilnes,
Forgif me of my fault and negligens,
That have sa far misgone in ȝour presens,
And have me nothing in disdaine nor heat,
That now [am] heir ane puire woman, God wait;
Ȝe may me weill distroy at ȝour awin will,
That hes so far by reasoun said ȝow till.
Clariodus [hir] up in armis tuike;
Then said Meliades with freindlie luike,
Maistres, be glaid, and do [ȝow] merrie make,
Ȝe are forgivine, and that I undertake;
Have ȝe no dreid, bot traist richt verilie
We sall ȝow bring to honour suddantlie.

Then said scho to Clariodus, My love,
Sen God hes set our heartis thus above,
That war so deip drounit in hevines,
I reid with humbill continence we dres
Us to the kirk, and thank God heartfullie;
Nane sall ȝow ken in all the toune trewlie,
Into this royall habite that ȝe weir.
With that scho smylit with womanlie effeir;
He smylit eike, and said, I me consent.
And swa all thrie unto the kirk they went.
And leist that folkis sould unto them take heid,
Meliades gart hir maistres first proceid.
Swa in the kirke thay enterit devotlie,
And offerit thair, with heartis meiklie,
Loving to God, with thanks a thowsand syse,
Whilk gave tham grace to meit on sik ane wyse.

When this was donne, than said Clariodus,
Madame, I think that best it war for us,
Unto my fatheris palice for to go.
Richt as ȝe will, scho said, I will do so.
Then to the palice passit thay anone,
And this gudewyfe they maid with them to gone.
And to the getis quhen they cumin war,
Clariodus then said to the portar,
My freind, we thre hes erand with the Lord,
Of quhilk he wald be glaid to heir record;
Whairfor I wald ȝow pray gif us entrie
Within ȝour ȝet, to remaine quhile ȝe
Our erand did, praying him speciallie,
To cum and speik with us all privilie.

The portar let them enter in anone,
Richt as thay bad he to the Earle is gone,
And said as they him ordanit in all thing;
And he alsweith withouttin tarying,
Tuike with him bot ane varlot and no mo,
Syne to the porteris ludge culd to them go.
And quhen Clariodus [thair] can him se,
Adoun he sat alsweith upon his kne.
Meliades and hir maistres also
Sat still and held them quyet ȝond them fro.
He helsit hes his Father reverentlie.
This Lord beheld his Sone, and haistilie
Him knew, and was amervellit for to se
Him disfigurat in so low degrie.
He said to him, My sone, Clariodus,
How and quhat fassioun ar ȝe rewlit thus?
Whair beine ȝour valiant actis and renoune,
Ȝour fame proclamit in ilk regioun,
That standis now in sik ane puire estait,
But companie thus walking dissolat?
He said, My Lord, the litill valiant deid
That in me was, withoutin ony dreid
As ȝit I have not tint it in no wayis.
And then anone his Father gart him ryse,
And set him doun to rest thair him besyde,
Efter his ganging, quhilk was wount to ryde.
Then told he him, with ever ilk circumstance,
All haill the maner to the uterance,
Of all Meliades adversitie and wo.
And rycht as he was telling how that scho
Was led into the forrest to be slaine,
This Lord micht not conteine for wo and paine;
Bot as ane wode man raif his hair for teine,
With sorrowfull teiris rining from his eine,
For than he traistit that scho had beine dead,
And murtherit in the forrest but remeid.
Then said Clariodus, My Lord, finally,
My taill not to end [fullie] brocht have I,
Heir quhat I sall ȝit of hir farther say;
This Ladie that so verteous beine ay,
God wald not suffer of his grit mercie,
Hir to be slaine that tyme so cruellie:
The burriouris of hir had sik pitie,
That thay micht not do sik ane crueltie,
As with thair handis sik ane virgine slo;
Bot aff the land thay gart promit to go,
That scho sould never be seine in that cuntrie.
And so furth all the maner told hes he,
Of all the eventours that hir befell,
And how so long in Estur scho did dwell,
And quhat of travell hir betyde also,
And how that he in exyle thocht to go.
And quhair is my Ladie, quoth Earle Estur,
That hes betyde sa mony aventure?
If that ȝe list with hir to speik, quoth he,
Besyd ȝow sitting heir ȝe may hir se.

And quhen this Lord hes hard of this tyding,
To hir he passit, lowlie inclyning,
And in his armis imbracit hir tenderlie,
And kissit hir rycht oft and freindfullie,
Having more joy and glaidnes hir to se,
Nor ony sight that ever he saw with ey.
He said, Madam, I thanke the Trinitie,
That ȝe have chapit this infirmitie;
That it was ȝe, quhy told ȝe not, alleace!
This uther day quhen ȝe war in my place,
That I said ȝe resemblit in bewtie
To sik ane Ladie, if ȝe rememberit be?
He did hir welcum with grit reverence,
As he that was full glaid of hir presence,
And of the cuming of his Sone also;
Then all to chalmer togidder thay did go.
The Earle himself is for the Countes went,
And told hir all the maner and event.
Scho is unto them cumit haistilie,
And thair scho salust this Ladie courteslie,
And thocht scho was in full simpill aray,
Scho did hir honour grit, the suith to say,
And welcumit hir fair on lawlie wayis,
And scho againe hes thankit [hir] oft sayis.
Clariodus scho tuike in armis syne.
I can not all the maner to ȝow defyne,
Nor tell ȝow half the joy was thame amang.
Knichtis and Ladies thair about thame thrang,
Them welcuming with freindlie countinance.
This was ane day of feisting and plesance,
The nicht owerpast with joy and mirrines;
And on the morrow with full grite bissines,
The Earle gart ordane claithes rich and fair
Of gold and silke, [maist] plesant and preclair,
With rich furringis coastlie and pretious,
Both for this Ladie and for Clariodus,
In all the haist and speid that [weill] thay may.

Meliades, that wyse and honorabill was ay,
Requyrit hes the Earle richt humbillie,
That his Ladie in bed micht with hir ly,
Into ane chalmer onlie be them sellis,
Whair none war bot Ladies and damosellis.
The Earle hir grantit hes with cheir bening,
And thairof hir commendit in mekill thing.

Syne on the morne quhen tyme was [for] to ryse,
Rich cloathes of gold most richlie to devyse,
Thay brocht unto Meliades the bricht;
And to hir Maistres eik as it was rycht,
Thay brocht ane goune of skarlot gud and fyne,
That was weill furrit with potent rich armyne.
Then blyth was this gudwyfe of hir livaray,
The quhilk unto Meliades can say,
Madam, I thanke ȝour Ladyschip heartlie,
That me hes gart reuaird [thus] so richlie;
So askit leave to pas hame to hir house,
Quhilk scho hir grantit with countinance joyous,
Saying, Ȝe mone cum oft and vissie me;
Or we depairt ȝe sall rewairdit be
Far better be sik sevin; and then heartlie
Scho hir imbracit, and kissit tenderlie.
Clariodus upon the same maneir,
With cloathes that was pretious and deir,
Servit was in his chalmer royallie;
To quhom ane barbour com [full] bissilie,
And off he shouife his lang hairis [all] cleine,
That weill long space upon his beard had beine.
Syne lustillie he did his geir on dres,
As flour of Knichtheid and of gentilnes.

The Earle unto Meliades is went,
And said, Madame, it war convenient
Unto the kirk to go all in effeir,
And to gif thankis in all devot maneir
To God, that did so mekill for ȝow provide.
This Ladie said, we awcht baith tyme and tyde
To praise the Lord, that ws so happie maid.
This being said, no longer thay abaid.
Then be the arme he tuike Meliades,
The Court all followit upon gudlie wayis.
The pepill gatherit in grit plentie,
This strange Ladie and Princes for to se;
Thay hir [bricht] bewtie gritlie did commend,
And said, And seike unto the worldis end,
Thair micht no man se sik ane [gudelie] sicht,
As for ane lustie Ladie and ane Knicht,
Nor for to luike upon that fair Princes,
And on this Knicht, quhilk wicht and worthie was.
Scho enteris in the kirk, and [eke] anone
The Countes meiklie efter hir is gone,
With hir ane Lady fair and weil beseine.
This Princes was honourit as ane Queine,
The quhilk hir held so [wise and] demurlie
At hir devotioun, and so womanlie,
With so grit constancie and devote cheir,
Bening of luike, and womanlie of maneir,
That to the pepill weill it micht be seine,
That scho ane michtie Kingis dochter beine,
And was discendit of ane nobill hous.

When they had endit thair devotioun thus,
The nobill Earle hir be the armis tuike,
And with ane humbill countinance and luike
To Palice ar returnit demurlie,
And hame them followit all the companie.
Be than was all the denner redie dicht,
And to the hall assendit everie Knicht,
And went to meit and fuire rycht nobillie.
Thair was ane mirrie sound of menstrellie,
With interludis and songis of Ladies bricht.
Syne efter denner passit everie wicht
To chalmer quhair thay plisantlie disport;
Full glaid and joyous was this lustie sort.

The Earle unto Meliades is went,
And said, Madame, it war expedient
That I furth send to ȝour Father the King
Ane pursevant, to tell him this tything.
The Ladie said, It war my will doutles,
The souner the better as I [do] ges.
Ane Pursevant belyve gart he [there] call,
And his intent to him declairit all;
And at Meliades syne speirit he,
What scho wald bide him say to that cuntrie.
Than said scho, Freind, [I bid,] with bening face,
Ȝe me commend unto my Fatheris Grace,
And to my Ladie eike my Mother the Queine,
And unto everie Lord and Ladie scheine
That hes me kend; and me commend also
To Romaryn and Bonvaleir they two;
And ȝe sall say unto my Father the King,
And to my Mother eike, that, God willing,
I sall returne to them with more blythnes
Nor I did from them pairt. Quhen this said was,
The Pursevant delyverlie furth went,
And left the Court in joyis permanent.

The Earle was joyous, and his Ladie eike,
Of the recovering of this Princes meike,
And of the cuming of thair Sone also:
Clariodus was blisfull out of wo,
That so had fundin fair Meliades:
[And no less blisfull this ȝoung Ladie wes,]
That scho had gottine Clariodus hir Knicht;
Hir wofull heart was raisit upon height,
That stude before so deipe into distres;
Bot ȝit for all hir joy and grit glaidnes
In constant leving so weill scho did conteine,
That be hir cheir it micht not knowin beine,
As scho that was discendit of royall bluid;
For both of vertew and of pulcritude
In warld scho stuid without comparisoune,
Of all Princes, Bewtie from the starris doune,
Whom with grit joy in Estur I let dwell,
And now of uther thingis speik I will,
Of Philippone, and of his Court also,
And thus out of the Third Buik [will] I go.