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Alphouns þan a-non answered & saide,
“faire fader, bi mi feiþ folili ȝe wrouȝten,
to wilne after wedlok þat wold nouȝt a-sente.
þat mowe ȝe wite bi ȝour werkes how wroþli ȝe spedde;
to wicke was ȝour conseil & ȝour wille after;
ȝif ȝe haue wonne þe worse wite it ȝour-selue.
but i hope to heuen king ȝif ȝe wol here mi wordes,
al þis bale schal be brouȝt to bote at þe last.”
to þe quen of palerne alphouns þus saide,
“a! menskful madame mekes alle ȝour peple,
þat non spend no speche til i speke haue.”
þan was silens mad to seie al þe soþe.
“ladis & oþer lordes lesteneþ now my sawe!
þis ȝe witeþ wel alle with-oute any fabul,
þat þis lond hade be lore at þe last ende,
ȝif þise werres hade lasted any while here.
but god ȝou sent swiche grace of his grete miȝt,
þat þis kud kniȝt with his clene strengþe
haþ i-bet al ȝoure bale & brouȝt to ȝour wille
alle ȝour fon þat with fors defoyled ȝou long.
ȝit wot non wiseli wennes he come,
ne what weiȝ he is but wite schal ȝe sone.
ȝif þat burn wel him bar i blame him but litel;
for mater i-now haþ eche man to mene þe soþe,
his moder þat is in meschef to meyntene & help;
& schal come him bi kinde ȝif he crist loue.”
“what bi-tokeneþ þis tale telleþ, i be-seche,
whi seie ȝe so?” seide þe quene þanne.
“sertes, madame,” seid alphouns “soþli me leue.
þis comli kniȝt is þi sone bi crist þat me wrouȝt;
þou bar him of þi bodi king ebrouns was his fader.
al þis lordchip of þis lond is lelli his owne.
& i am þe werwolf wite ȝe for soþe,
þat bi-fore his fader ful ȝore i ȝou bi-reft,
& passed with him mi weie prestli fro ȝou alle.
þe king & hise kniȝtes with kries ful huge,
þei sewed riȝt to þe see to sle me ȝif þei miȝt.
but bliue boute bot þe brode water i passed,
boute hurt oþer harm heriȝed be goddes grace,
þat so sauf sent me ouer wiþ þi sone sounde.
& gode ladi, ȝif þe like loue me neuer þe worse,
þat i þe barn away bar to blame had i be elle[s],
for i wist ful wel wat wo him was toward
ne had i so do, he hade be ded many a day passed.
þe king ebrouns broþer be-þouȝt þis oft,
if þis ilk bold kniȝt had be brouȝt out of liue,
he schold have entred as eyr þis eritage to hold,
after þe kinges day bi dessent of blode.
& sone as a schrewe schuld þe schrewedest he þouȝt;
he coynted him queyntli with þo tvo ladies,
þat hade þat time þi sone to kepe in warde,
& meded hem so moche wiþ alle maner þinges,
& bi-het hem wel more þan i ȝou telle kan,
Gret lordchip of londes & liking at wille,
so þat þei him bi-hiȝt bi a schort terme,
þat þei priueli wold enpoysoun þe king & his sone,
to haue do krouned him king to kepe þat reaume.
but whan i knew al here cast of here wic wille,
I ne miȝt it suffer for sorwe & for reuþe,
þat here wicked wille in þise wise ended.
& þerfor i him tok now haue i told þe soþe,
& haue him holp herto wanne he hade nede,
as moche as i miȝt in eny maner wise:
& hider i brouȝt him, be ȝou siker ȝour bales for to amende.
haue him now bi þe hand i ȝeld him here to þe.”