University of Virginia Library

William þan with-oute more wiȝtli þer-after,
made him menskful messageres to mene þe soþe,
þe grettest lordes of þat land þat lellest were hold,
& konyngest of kurtesie & kowden fairest speke.
to þemperour of rome redeli he hem sent,
& with loueli letteres lelli him bi-souȝt.
ȝif þat is wille were with-oute any lette,
to be þere with his best burnes bi a certayne time,
to mensk þe mariage of meliors his douȝter.
and ȝif alisaundrine were þanne aliue,
þat sche most with him come curtesli he prayde.
þan were þe messangeres in alle maner wise
so trieliche a-tired to telle þe soþe,
of hors & of harneys & [what] hem most neded,
þat no wieȝh of þis world þurt wilne beter;
& went forþ on here way wiȝtly and fast,
til þei redli hade rauȝt to grete rome euene.
whan þe bold barounes be-fore þemperour come,
ful godli þei him gret gladli, as þei ouȝt,
ferst in alphouns half þat king was of spayne,
for þemperour & he hadde be felawes ȝore,
seþen in worþi williams þat king was of poyle,
& souerayn of cisile as schold a king bene.
& seþen in meliors name þat was hise mery douȝter.
& in þe kinges half of poyle praiede him fayre,
to be at palerne with his puple preteli & sone,
bi a certeyn day þat set was sone after,
to menske þe mariage of meliors his douȝter,
for to wiue he wold here take þat welt þat reaume.
whanne þe messagers hade munged of meliors þe schene,
Gretteliche was he gladed & gan for to seie,
“lordinges, for ȝour leute lelli me telles,
ȝif ȝe wite in any wise were be þat burde?”
“Marie, sire,” sede þe messageres “ȝe mowe vs wel trowe,
þe milde mayde meliors in palerne now dwelles;
Loo here hire owne letteres to leue it þe beter.”
þe king komaunded a clerk keneli & swiþe
to loke on þo letteres and lelli hem rede,
þat he miȝt wiȝtli wite what þat þei mened.
þe clerk þanne deliuerli vndede þo letteres,
& fond as þe messageres hade munged be-fore,
how þe king of poyle prestli hade ordeyned,
at swich a certayn day his semliche douȝter wedde.