University of Virginia Library

Whan þe comli quen þat carping hade herde,
& saw þat was hire sone soþli i-proued,
þer nys man vpon mold miȝt telle þe ioye
þat was mad hem bi-twene in þe mene wh[i]le,
betwene þe dame & þe douȝter & hire dere sone,
with clipping & kesseng & oþer kinde dede.
& ȝif any miȝt be most meliors was gladdest,
þat hire loueliche lemman was lord of þat reaume,
bi kinde as kinges sone & god kniȝt him-selue.
swiche murrthe as was mad at þat metyng þanne,
& þat of al þat puple þat in þe paleys were,
tonge miȝt non telle þe tenþe del, for soþe.
& anon, after þat alphouns þanne hem tolde,
alle þe happes þat he hadde al holly to þe hende,
from þat time þat he tok þe child fro his frendes.
how þe fader him folwed fayn him to quelle;
& how he bar forþ þe barn ouer þe brode water;
& seþen how he souȝt forþ bi selcouþ weiȝes,
bering euer þat barn be niȝtes and daie,
til he com bi a forest seuen mile fro rome;
& how þe cou-herde com him to & kept þe child after,
& seþen how þemperour souȝt out to hunte,
& fond him in þe forest & faire hade him home,
& tok him to kepe to his douȝter dere;
& how þe meke mayde & he melled of loue,
& hadde here liking in loue a long time ofte;
& how þe kinges sone of grece kom hire to wedde,
& on þe morwe þat þe mariage schold haue be maked,
how þei went a-wai in wite beres skinnes;
“þer-after, sire, i þe saued forsoþe as þow knowest,
whanne alle þe puple prestili pursewed after,
to haue do þe to deþe & þi dere make.
& at boneuent i þe brouȝt fram þe breme quarrer,
whan al þe cuntre was umbe-cast with clene men of armes,
to haue þe take þer tit & to dethe hampred;
I tok here souerayne sone so saued i þe þere.”
seþen he told hou he dede here hides þan chaunge,
& dede hem haue hertes skinnes to hiden in hem boþe.
“seþen at a wide water i wan ȝou ouer boþe,
a tokene ȝit of þat time telle i mai þi burde.
a boye hire ȝaf a buffet with a breme ore,
so þat hire lif lelli neiȝ hade sche lore.”
alle here happes holli alphouns telleþ þere,
& what he hade suffred to sauen here liues.