University of Virginia Library

Now to touche of þis tale what tidde after.
alle þe lordes a-non vn-armed hem sone,
& with þe worþi quen went in-to halle,
& þe menskful meliors & þe quenes douȝter.
curtesli þe king of spayne bi-twene hem þei ladde,
& here meke maydenes merili þat time
ladden þe oþer lordes loueli hem bi-twene,
& alle samen semeli þei seten in þe halle.
þe quen set þe king curtesli bi here side,
& william on þat oþer half & with him his suster,
& þe menskful meliors þat made moche ioie
for þe loueli loos þat here lemman wanne;
& alle þe lordes of þat lond in þe halle that were,
& þe best burgeys & oþer burnes fele,
& þe pers of spayne þat were to prison take.
þe king bi-souȝt þe quene ȝif it were hire wille,
þat he most se his sone to solace him þe more,
& sche ful godli granted & gart him do fecche.
& soþli, as sone as he com þe king seide him tille,
“lo! sone! wich sorwe we haue vs selue wrouȝt,
þurh oure hautene hertes a gret harm we gete,
to willne swiche willenyng þat wol nouȝt a-sente.
It is a botles bale bi god þat me fourmed,
t[o] willne after a wif þat is a waywarde euere.”
þan seide his sone “forsoþe, sire, ȝe knowe,
þat we haue wrongli wrouȝt nowe is it wel sene;
we mot holde to oure harmes it helpes nouȝt elles,
but giue vs geynli in þe grace of þis gode lady,
& late hire worche with vs as hire god likes.”
þe king for his sones sawe sore gan sike,
to þat comli quen ful curtesli þus seide,
“Madame, for mari loue þe milde quen of heuene,
Graunt me of ȝour grace ȝif ȝou god þink,
ȝif ȝoure konyng cunsayl a-corde wol þer-tille.
let me make a-mendis for al my mis-gelt,
þat i so wrongli haue werred & wasted ȝour londes.
as moche as any man mow ordeyne bi riȝt,
I am redi to restore & redeli, more-ouer,
al þe worchep þat i weld i wol of ȝou hold,
al þe londes & ledes þat long to my reaume;
so dede i neuer til þis dai but of god one.
& but ȝour cunseil, madame a-corde wol þer-tille,
wisses me at ȝour owne wille how ȝe wol me binde,
& lelli i wol as ȝou likes ȝoure lore fulfille;
ferþer forþ mai [i] nouȝt profer for nouȝt þat bi-tides.”