University of Virginia Library

William þan ful wittili þese wordes saide,
“sire, it may riȝt wel be þus be marie in heuene!
þat þe best secheþ socour it semeþ att best.
for wel i wot witerli & wel i haue it founde,
þat he has mannes munde more þan we boþe.
for many [a day] hade i be ded & to dust roted,
nadde it be goddes grace & help of þat best;
he haþ me socoured & serued in ful gret nede.
for-þi in feiþ, for al þe world him nold i faile,
þat i schal loue him lelli as my lege broþer;
&, sire, bliþe ouȝt ȝe [be] bi him þat vs wrouȝt!
þat he þus happili is here þat haþ so lang be missed.
& ȝif he miȝt in maner be maked man aȝeine,
of al þe welþe of þe world wilned i no more.
& sertenli, as it semeþ to seie þe truþe,
ȝif þi wif of wicchecraft be witti as þou seidest,
þat sche him wrouȝt a werwolf riȝt wel i hope,
sche can with hire connyng & hire queynt charmes,
Make him to man a-ȝen it may be non oþer.
& þerfore, sire, bi crist þat on croyce vs bouȝt,
þou ne passest neuer of prison ne non of [þi] puple,
with-oute deliueraunce of þat derworþe best;
for made a-ȝen to man mot he nede bene.
sende wittili to þi wif & warne hire fore,
þat sche tit come þe to for þat may falle after,
þat sche ne lette for no lud þat liueþ in erþe.
& ȝif sche nickes wiþ nay & nel nouȝt com sone,
sende hire saddli to sai þat sone with min ost,
I wol þat reaume ouer-ride & rediliche destrue,
& fecche hire with fin forse for ouȝt þat bi-tides.
for til sche with hire craft þe werwolf haue holpe,
alle þe men vpon molde ne [mai] make ȝou deliuered.”