University of Virginia Library

Þe werwolf was ful glad of williams speche,
þat bi-het him in hast to haue help after,
& faire doun to his fete fel hem to kisse,
& as he coude, be contenaunce ful kindeli graunted,
In alle wise to worche as william wold seie,
& made no more debat in no maner wice.
as sone as þe quen saw how it ferde,
þat þe werwolf wold worche hire no schaþe,
sche was gretli glad & oft god þonkes,
& pertili bi-fore alle þe puple passed him tille,
& bliue bi-fore þe best on boþe knes hire sette,
& mekli in þis maner mercy sche craued.
“swete alphouns,” sche seide “mi semli lorde,
I haue brouȝt here þi bote to bring þe of sorwe;
sone schal þe puple se þi semli face,
In manhede & in minde as it out to bene.
I haue þe gretli a-gelt to god ich am a-knowe,
for redili þe to reue þi riȝt eritage;
þat þis man min owne sone miȝt it haue hadde
feiþli after þi fader ich forschop þe þanne
In þise wise to a werwolf and wend þe to spille;
but god wold nouȝt þat þou were lorne.
for-þi of mi mis-gelt mercy ich craue,
lene me lif, ȝif þe likes alphouns, i þe praye,
& at þi bidding wol i be buxum euer-more,
& lelli as my lord al my lif þe serue,
& neuer agult þe wil i liue in game ne on ernest;
& giue me now in þi grace and godli þe bi-seche,
for his loue þat mad man for-giue me þis gelt.”
& þan wiȝtli to william weping sche seide,
“a! kurtes kniȝt for cristes loue of heuene,
bidde þis buxum best be merciabul nouþe,
for he wol worche at þi wille i wot wel forsoþe,
More þan for alle men þat on mold liuen;
& ȝou, alle hende lordes helpeþ me to praye
to þis kurtes kniȝt to graunt my bone.
to þis bestes mercy i bowe me at alle,
to worche with me is wille as him-self likes.”