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And as þei mad hem so mirie to minge þe soþe,
þe werwolf þat ȝe witen of was in williams chaumber,
& hade be þere in blis bi niȝtes and daies,
seþen þe messangeres meuede after þe quene,
þat was his sterne stepmoder til þat stounde þanne.
but wel wist þe wolf whanne sche was come,
& hastili in-to halle he hiȝed him þat time,
to do [hire] to þe deþe deliuerli ȝif he miȝt,
so wroþ he was hire with with ȝe him neuer.
as bliue as þe best was broken in-to halle,
a pase bi-fore al þe puple he passeþ him euene,
& drow him toward þe des but doutusli after
he stared on his stepmoder stifli a while,
whan he saw [hire] with his sire sitte in murþe.
ful wroþ þan þat werwolf wax of þat siȝt,
& bremly his bristeles he gan þo a-reise,
& grisiliche gapande with a grym noyse,
he queite toward þe quene to quelle hire as bliue.
& assone as þe quene saw him so come,
sche wax neiȝ of hire witt witow forsoþe,
& carfulli to þe king criande, sche saide,
“a! leue lordes, mi lif lengþes ȝut a while!
socoures me nouþe or ful sone i deiȝe,
for þis ilk breme best bale wol me wirche,
ac i wite him no wrong witeþ wel alle.
I haue serued þe deþ ȝif ȝou dere þinkes,
lengþeþ now my lif for loue of heuene king,
& meke me in ȝour mercy i may do nouȝt elles.”
þe king of spayne stifli stert vp sone,
& his sone al-so to saue þe quene.
william ful wiȝtli þe werwolf þan hent
anon in his armes aboute þe necke,
& sayde to him soberli “mi swete dere best,
trust to me as treuli as to þin owne broþer,
or as feiþli as falles þe fader to þe sone,
& meke þe of þi malencoli for marring of þi-selue.
I sent after hire for þi sake soþli, þou trowe,
to help þe of þi hele hastili, ȝif sche miȝt.
& sche has brouȝt now þi bote bi crist, as i hope,
& but sche haue, be riȝt siker be god þat vs wrouȝt,
to cold coles sche schal be brent ȝit or come eue;
& þe aschis of hire body with þe wind weue,
& þi sire & his sone & alle is segges noble
schul be put in prison & peyned for euere,
dulfulli here lif daies til deth haue hem take.
for-þi lete me allone mi lef swete frende,
anoie þe na more ne nede schalt þou haue,
ne to hire do no duresse as þou me derli louest.”