University of Virginia Library

William þanne ful wiȝtli with a faire puple
of crouned kinges & kniȝtes many hundred,
went a-ȝen þemperour with wel glade chere.
a gay greting was þer gret wan þei to-gedir met.
william & þemperour went alder-formest,
& alphouns next after & auenauntli him grette,
with alle þe murþe vpon mold þat men miȝt deuise.
þe king of spayne spacli spedde him next after,
for þemperour & he bi-fore felawes hadde bene,
& kindli kessed eiþer whan þei kome to-gadere.
þe murþe þat was mad at þat metynge þanne,
ne may no tong telle treuli þe soþe.
seþen went þei alle samen swetli to-gadere
to þe perles paleys and prestili þat time,
with a clene cumpanye þe quen com hem a-ȝens,
þat lady was of þat lond & ledde in here hondes
þe menskful mayde meliors & here oune douȝter;
& hem seweþ a selcouþe route of semli ladies;
þe quen of spayne spacli þan spedde fast after.
a mery meting was þer mett whan þei neiȝed same,
with clipping & kessing and contenaunce hende.
but soþli whan þemperour sey his semli douȝter,
a glader gome vnder god miȝt non gon on erþe.
þe melodie þat þei made no man miȝt telle,
ne neuer nere gestes vnder god gladliere receyued.
noþing wanted þei at wille þat þei wold haue,
þat þei nere semli serued & sette at here riȝttes.
Munge now nel i namore of here merie fare,
for beter to be þan it was miȝt no burn þenke.
as sone as alisaundrine hade siȝt of hire ladi,
no tunge miȝt telle treuli half þe ioye
þat þei made at þat metyng whan þei mette same.
& meliors ful mekli brouȝt hire to hire chaumber,
& told here whan sche sei time treuli al þe soþe,
al þe sorwe þat sche hade suffred seþe sche hire seie;
now of þis mater no more nel ich munge;
& alle murþe was hem mad among atte fulle.
william & his worþi make whan þei sei time,
told þemperour treuli þat hem tidde hadde,
of meschef & of murthe & ho hem most helped,
& how þei brouȝt were of bale to here bote þere.
& alle þenne of þat auenturre hadde gret ioye,
& þonked god of his grace þat so godli hem spedde.